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Import/export CSV files to Excel

If you want to transfer a large amount of product, order, or customer information between Ecwid and Excel, you can import and export data with the help of specially-formatted spreadsheets.

Ecwid uses CSV (comma-separated value) files to perform this kind of task. Excel reads CSV files by default. But in some cases when you open a CSV file in Excel, you see scrambled data that’s impossible to read.

Quick solution: when exporting data from Ecwid, choose the same CSV-file delimiter that is set in Excel (usually it’s a comma).

Opening CSV files in Excel

When you export data from your Ecwid store, it downloads as a .csv file on your computer. You can use Microsoft Excel to view and edit your CSV files.

To open your CSV file in Excel correctly, it is crucial that the delimiter (separator character) selected while exporting data from Ecwid matches the delimiter set in Excel. Ecwid supports three delimiters in CSV files: commas, semicolons, and a tabulation.

You can use any delimiter (comma, semicolon, or tab) when exporting from Ecwid and manually select the same delimiter when opening your CSV file in Excel.

To open a CSV file in Excel:

  1. Open a new Excel document in Excel → New:
    Open new Excel document
  2. Navigate to Data tab:
    Data tab
  3. Choose From Text:
    Import data from text in Excel
  4. Locate and select the CSV file that you want to edit and choose Get Data:
    Choose the CSV file which you want to open in Excel
  5. From the newly-opened window choose Delimited, then click Next:
    Choose Delimited in Excel Text Wizard
  6. Check the box next to the type of Delimiter – the same you have used when exported the file from Ecwid (a semicolon, a comma, or a tab). If you have chosen the right delimiter, on the preview you’ll see that your data is parsed into columns. Then click Next:
    Select a delimiter to open the CSV file in Excel
  7. Select General Data Format for your file and click Finish:
    Select the Data Format to open the CSV file in Excel
  8. Choose where you want to put the data — on the existing sheet or on a new one, then click OK:
    Choose where to put the imported data on a new Excel sheet or on the existing one

That’s it! Your CSV will look something like this after you've uploaded it:

IExample of a CSV file opened in Excel

The steps described in the instructions can slightly alter for different operating systems and their versions. For more details on how to open a CSV file in Excel on different versions of Windows refer to the article in Microsoft Office support helpdesk.

Exporting CSV files from Excel

After you have edited your CSV file in Excel, you can save the file in a CSV format and then import it into the store to update your store data.

To save a CSV file in Excel:

  1. Open an Excel document.
  2. In Excel top menu go to FileSave as.
  3. Type the file name into the Save As field.
  4. Set File Format as Comma Separated Values (.csv).
    Save a file as .csv in Excel
  5. Click Save.

That’s it! You have a CSV file saved in the selected directory on your computer.

Now you can import that data to Ecwid. Refer to Importing products and Importing customers to get step-by-step instructions.

When importing the CSV file back to your store, use the same delimiter in Ecwid import settings that was set in Excel — by default, it’s a comma. If you are not sure which delimiter was used when exporting a CSV file from Excel, just go ahead with the import in Ecwid with a comma as the most typical option. Ecwid will prompt you to select another delimiter if required.

Changing the default delimiter for Excel

When creating a CSV file Excel uses a default delimiter set at the operating system level that can be changed in your device regional settings.

To change the default delimiter in Excel:

The default delimiter for Windows is a comma. You can change it to another delimiter character using Windows Region settings. Learn how to do it on different versions of Windows in the article by Microsoft Office support.

You can also use text editors to open and edit CSV files — Notepad for Windows, TextEdit for Mac, Sublime Text, or spreadsheet editors — OpenOffice, LibreOfficeNumbers for Mac, Google Sheets.
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