Question 1

Does TangoText upload my files anywhere?

Accepted Answer

No. Every step of the file processing happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Your file data is never sent to a server, never stored in the cloud, and never logged. This is not a privacy policy promise — it is how the software is built. There is no server-side file processing component. TangoText does record anonymised usage events for product analytics (such as output format and row count when Generate Output is clicked), but file contents are never part of those events.

Question 2

What file formats does TangoText support?

Accepted Answer

TangoText accepts 9 input formats: CSV, TSV, pipe-delimited, semicolon-delimited, TXT, XLS, XLSX, XML (with automatic nested element flattening), JSON (with recursive object and array flattening), and fixed-length flat files. It outputs to 7 formats: CSV, TSV, pipe-delimited, semicolon-delimited, JSON (flat or reconstructed nested), XML (flat or reconstructed nested), and fixed-length.

Question 3

Can TangoText handle files with header rows or trailer rows?

Accepted Answer

Yes — this is a core feature. In File Settings you can skip any number of leading rows before the field headings row, skip trailing rows by count, and define a trailer marker — a character or string like TR, EOF or Z that signals the end of data. Whichever condition comes first wins. The same applies on output: add custom header and trailer rows using dynamic tokens such as the current date, record count, file name, field sums and conditional row counts.

Question 4

Can TangoText convert nested JSON or XML files?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Nested JSON objects and arrays are automatically flattened into columns using dash-separated names. XML attributes and repeated sibling elements are captured correctly. When generating output, you can reconstruct the nested structure from dash-separated column names, producing properly nested JSON or XML without any code.

Question 5

What is TangoCheck?

Accepted Answer

TangoCheck is TangoText's built-in data validation engine. Before generating output, define rules against any field using 30 rule types: required fields, email and URL formats, date formats in 9 patterns, numeric comparisons and ranges, pattern matching, value lists, string conditions, regular expressions, duplicate field combination detection and more. Violations are shown row by row with the offending value. You can exclude problem rows from the export selectively.

Question 6

What counts as one transform in TangoText?

Accepted Answer

Each time you click Generate Output counts as one transform, regardless of file size or row count. Downloading the file after generating it does not count as an additional transform. Loading files, configuring fields and previewing output do not count either, and TangoCheck validation (Solo and Team) never uses a transform. You get 3 free transforms with no account, and a free account gets 5 free transforms every month. Solo and Team plans are unlimited.

Question 7

Can I save my TangoText configuration and reuse it?

Accepted Answer

Yes — templates save everything: field order and transforms, output format, skip and trailer settings, nesting options, output header and trailer rows, and all TangoCheck validation rules. Apply a saved template to any new file and TangoText re-parses the file with the correct settings and restores your exact field layout instantly. On Team plans, templates can be shared across the whole team.

Question 8

How do TangoText team plans work?

Accepted Answer

The Team plan supports up to 5 users. The account owner invites colleagues by email — existing users receive a sign-in link, new users are prompted to create a free account. Everyone gets unlimited transforms and access to the shared template library. The owner manages members and shared templates from the Team Settings panel.

Question 9

Is TangoText suitable for sensitive or confidential data?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Because all file processing happens in your browser and no file content is ever transmitted to a server, TangoText is appropriate for files you would not be comfortable uploading to a cloud service. TangoText records anonymised usage events for product analytics (such as output format and row count when Generate Output is clicked), but file contents are never part of those events.

Question 10

How is TangoText different from Excel?

Accepted Answer

Excel can handle basic CSV column reordering but was not designed for format conversion. It has no native JSON or XML output, no fixed-length file support, no metadata header or control trailer handling, no reusable transformation templates, and no data validation engine with configurable rule types. TangoText is built specifically for file transformation tasks that fall outside Excel's capabilities.

Question 11

What are TangoText's pricing plans?

Accepted Answer

TangoText has three plans. The Free plan costs nothing and includes 5 transforms per month with no credit card required. The Solo plan is $9 per month (or $7.50 per month billed annually) and includes unlimited transforms, unlimited personal templates, and TangoCheck. The Team plan is $29 per month (or $24.17 per month billed annually at $290/year), supports up to 5 users, and adds a shared template library accessible to all team members.

Question 12

Can TangoText handle fixed-length flat files?

Accepted Answer

Yes. TangoText includes a visual field splitter for fixed-length files, allowing you to define field boundaries interactively. Fixed-length is also available as an output format, with configurable field widths per column.

Question 13

Does TangoText require installation?

Accepted Answer

No. TangoText runs as a web application at tangotext.com and requires no installation, no plugins, and no IT involvement. It works in any modern browser. No account is required to start a transformation.

Question 14

Can I share templates with my team?

Accepted Answer

Yes, on the Team plan. Team plan subscribers share templates across up to 5 users from a shared template library. A configuration one analyst builds today becomes the standard anyone on the team can apply tomorrow — removing dependence on individual tribal knowledge.

Question 15

How is TangoText different from cloud ETL tools?

Accepted Answer

Cloud ETL tools are designed for pipeline automation at scale. They typically require uploading data to a third-party server, which many data governance policies prohibit. They are also complex and expensive to configure for one-off transformation tasks. TangoText is designed for ad-hoc, on-demand file transformation that does not warrant a full pipeline — the kind of task that currently gets handled in Excel or sent to IT as a manual request.

Question 16

Does TangoText require a credit card to try?

Accepted Answer

No. The Free plan is available immediately with no credit card. No account is required to start a transformation. An account (free) is required to save templates or track monthly usage.

Question 17

Can I use TangoText offline?

Accepted Answer

File processing in TangoText runs locally in JavaScript in your browser, so no internet connection is needed to transform files once the page has loaded. However, an internet connection is required to log in, save or apply templates, and manage your subscription.