How to save a file as CSV

The CSV format lets you export the data in a spreadsheet and use it on other platforms.

Before saving the file, check that:

• the first row contains the column names;
• each piece of information is in the correct column;
• there are no merged cells;
• the sheet you want to export is the one that's open or selected;
• if you have a plus-one column (the one you'll match to Plus one when importing), each cell is either empty or a whole number such as 0, 1 or 2. An empty cell counts as 0. Values like "yes", "1.5", "-1" or "two" are flagged in the Review data step of the import with the message "Plus one must be a whole number of 0 or more", and you'll need to correct them before you can import.

From an Excel file

1. Open the file with Microsoft Excel.

2. If the file contains multiple sheets, select the sheet you want to save.

3. Click File.

4. Select Save As.

5. Choose the folder where you want to save the file.

6. In the file format menu, select: CSV UTF-8 (Comma delimited) (.csv).

7. Enter the file name.

8. Click Save.

9. Excel may warn you that:

   • only the currently selected sheet will be saved;
   • some features or formatting are not compatible with the CSV format.

10. Confirm by clicking OK, Yes, or Continue.

The CSV file will be saved in the selected folder.

From a Google Sheets file

1. Open the file in Google Sheets.

2. If the file contains multiple sheets, select the sheet you want to download at the bottom.
3. Click File in the top menu.
4. Select Download.
5. Click: Comma Separated Values (.csv, current sheet).
6. The file will download automatically to your computer, usually into the Downloads folder.

Final check

Before uploading the file to the platform:

1. Check that the file name ends in .csv.
2. Don't edit the file after exporting it. If you need to make changes, make them in the Excel document and repeat the process from the start.