Free online DBF to HTML converter

A browser cannot display a DBF table as a usable web page, and recipients may not have database software installed. Converting the records to HTML creates a browser-readable table for sharing, review, reporting, or simple archiving.

What the DBF format is

DBF is a database table format originating with dBASE. It stores field definitions, rows, and typed values in a tabular structure and remains common in dBASE, FoxPro, Clipper, Visual FoxPro, GIS, accounting, inventory, and other older line-of-business applications.

A DBF table may depend on companion files. Memo fields can be stored in .dbt or .fpt files, while separate index files support searching and sorting in the original application. The .dbf file alone may therefore omit long-text values or application-specific indexes.

What the HTML format is

HTML is the markup format interpreted by web browsers. A DBF export normally produces an .html page containing an HTML table: field names become column headings and records become table rows.

HTML can be opened without database software, attached to a report, placed on an intranet, or edited with a text or HTML editor. It is a presentation format, not a replacement database: a basic export does not preserve DBF field types, indexes, relationships, record validation, database queries, or update behavior.

Converting with 101convert.com

1. Open the DBF converter on 101convert.com.
2. Upload the .dbf file. Keep any matching .dbt or .fpt memo file available and include it if the converter provides a separate-file option.
3. Choose HTML as the output format and start the conversion.
4. Download the generated .html file and open it in a browser.
5. Check the column headings, representative records, accented characters, dates, decimal values, and memo fields before sharing the result.

The 101convert.com option is free and requires no installed software. The exact appearance of the generated table, including styling and pagination, depends on the converter.

Converting with LibreOffice Calc

1. Make a backup copy of the original DBF and open LibreOffice Calc.
2. Choose File → Open and select the .dbf file.
3. When an import dialog appears, verify the character set, detected columns, field separator, and date interpretation. DBF imports normally represent the table as spreadsheet data.
4. Inspect and, if necessary, remove or reorder columns and correct values before exporting.
5. Choose File → Save As, select HTML Document (.html), and save the file.
6. Confirm the HTML format if Calc asks whether to use the selected format, then inspect the saved page in a browser.

Calc is useful when the table needs filtering or column editing before export. Saving as HTML does not preserve the original DBF structure, so do not overwrite the source file.

Quality and compatibility checks

• Character encoding: older DBF files may use OEM code pages such as CP437 or CP850; others use Windows-1252 or a language-specific encoding. Select the encoding used by the source application. A wrong choice produces garbled accented characters and symbols.
• Memo fields: long text stored in .dbt or .fpt files can be blank or truncated when the matching companion file is missing or unsupported.
• Dates and numbers: verify date order, decimal separators, negative values, currency symbols, and leading zeroes. HTML displays exported text but does not enforce the original DBF field types.
• Deleted records: DBF software may mark records as deleted without immediately removing them. Export tools differ in whether they include or exclude those records.
• Large tables: a very large DBF can create an unwieldy page and slow browser rendering. Export only required columns or divide the records into multiple pages when necessary.
• Privacy: every exported value is readable in the HTML page and its source. Remove confidential fields before uploading, publishing, or sharing the file.