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UTF-8 Format

Bianca Utihata avatar
Written by Bianca Utihata
Updated this week

All files uploaded to the system must be saved in UTF-8 format. This ensures correct encoding, especially for special characters.

⚠️ Please Note:

  • We highly recommend using LibreOffice rather than Microsoft Excel.
    Excel often fails to correctly save and format CSV files, which can lead to system upload errors.

  • Files must be saved in UTF-8 format from the start. They cannot be converted later.

  • The instructions below can vary depending on your version of Excel.

How to Save in UTF-8 Format Using:

LibreOffice

  1. Go to File > Save As

  2. In Save as type, select:
    CSV (Comma delimited) (*.csv)

  3. Tick Edit Filter Settings

  4. Click Save

  5. If prompted, click Use CSV

  6. In the dialog:

    • Set Character set to:
      ​Unicode (UTF-8)

  7. Click OK

Microsoft Excel (Office 365)

  1. Go to File > Save As

  2. Choose This PC as the destination

  3. In the file type dropdown, select:
    ​CSV UTF-8 (Comma Delimited) (*.csv)

  4. Click Save

Microsoft Excel (Older Versions)

  1. Go to File > Save As

  2. Choose: CSV (Comma delimited) (*.csv)

  3. Click Tools > Web Options

  4. Open the Encoding tab

  5. In Save this document as, choose:
    ​Unicode (UTF-8)

⚠️ Important:

If incorrectly formatted you will see the following errors on the public page after uploading:

Opening Downloads or Importing CSVs

When you open a UTF-8 CSV file, Excel or LibreOffice usually detects it correctly. If the contents don’t display properly (e.g. special characters are incorrect), use the following instructions:

Importing a UTF-8 CSV in Excel 2007+

  1. Open Excel

  2. Go to the Data tab

  3. Click From Text

  4. Select your CSV file and click Import

  5. In the import wizard:

    • Choose Delimited

    • For File origin, choose:
      ​65001: Unicode (UTF-8)

    • Click Next

    • Tick Comma as the delimiter

    • Click Next, choose data types, then click Finish

Safest Way to Open a UTF-8 CSV in Excel

  1. Open Excel and create a New blank workbook

  2. Go to the Data tab

  3. Click From Text

  4. Select your CSV file

  5. In the Text Import Wizard:

    • Choose Delimited

    • Select 65001: Unicode (UTF-8) as File origin

    • Choose Comma as the delimiter

  6. Click Finish

  7. Click OK or Close and Load, depending on Excel version

Your CSV file should now display correctly, including special characters.

Still Having Issues?

Send us your file and let us know your Excel version, and we’ll be happy to assist. Email us at [email protected]

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