# CSV Export Error

**URL:** <https://the.fmsoup.org/t/csv-export-error/4111>\
**Category:** Questions\
**Tags:** csv, ascii\
**Created:** [May 5, 2024, 9:56pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/csv-export-error/4111 "2024-05-05T21:56:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![steverichter](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/steverichter/32/1022_2.png) [@steverichter](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/steverichter)\
**Post date:** [May 5, 2024, 9:56pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/csv-export-error/4111/1 "2024-05-05T21:56:42Z")

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I am exporting data to a csv file. After export, the data in the csv file includes extra spaces that were not present in the original data. For example, the string CONAN is exported as C O N A N . Anybody have suggestions on where to begin troubleshooting?

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**Author:** ![Glitchtraker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f6c823/32.png) [@Glitchtraker](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/Glitchtraker)\
**Post date:** [May 5, 2024, 10:08pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/csv-export-error/4111/2 "2024-05-05T22:08:16Z")

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Probably hidden unicode stuff. You propably copy pasted this CONAN from somwwhre, delete it completly, and rewrite it key by key and see if there's still the problem

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**Author:** ![steverichter](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/steverichter/32/1022_2.png) [@steverichter](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/steverichter)\
**Post date:** [May 5, 2024, 11:34pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/csv-export-error/4111/3 "2024-05-05T23:34:14Z")

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I’m importing an invoice text file and then performing the export to the csv. I’ve identified four lines in the invoice text file that are causing the issue. When I exclude these lines from the import everything works fine. It’s possible these four lines have hidden Unicode characters. Oddly, these four lines are causing the same error in all the other lines in the csv file.

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**Author:** ![steve\_ssh](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/steve_ssh/32/160_2.png) [@steve\_ssh](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/steve_ssh)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2024, 6:17am UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/csv-export-error/4111/4 "2024-05-06T06:17:14Z")

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I'd suggest taking a look at the encoding used for the export. If it is set to UTF-16, I'd try switching that to UTF-8, and see if anything changes in the output.

It's not that UTF-16 is the wrong choice, but depending on what UTF-16 output is read by, and if it is misinterpreted as another charset encoding, the output could appear to have extra chars in between other chars. If so, the two approaches to working around this that I know of are:

1. Use something else to read the data, which will, for sure, treat it as UTF-16.

2. Try using UTF-8 to output, instead.

HTH, and, if you are already exporting as UTF-8, then sorry that this probably won't be of much help.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![steverichter](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/steverichter/32/1022_2.png) [@steverichter](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/steverichter)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2024, 12:09pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/csv-export-error/4111/5 "2024-05-06T12:09:43Z")

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I’m exporting to CSV, and then importing back into FMP. I’ll make sure both the export and import are using UTF-8, thanks.