What is a CSV file?

A CSV (character-separated values) file is a text file. A data record is saved in one row. The single values in the row are separated by a special separator. You can export data as CSV files from many applications, for example, from Microsoft Outlook.

Example

"GGUID";"First name";"Last name";"Town/City";"Postal code";"Street"

"0x6752988370919E419A11FFA6DD19C6C1";"Frank";"Johnson";"Marlow";"SL7 123";"15 Langley Way"

"0x0600000000000000FB0100008B000000";"Julia";"Smith";"Reading";"RG1 3PQ";"10 Great Knolly's Street"

"0x0600000000000000FB0100008C000000";"Türk";"Barbara";"Pulheim";"50259";"Jahnstrasse 233"

"0x0D55D951DAF15E409F6D8861D71863D6";"Frank";"Julian";"Cologne";"50823";"Schönstr. 14"

"0x05D66D7B41DC3B4A9D71CCBA2E5D14B2";"Voelzke";"Gabriela";"Ennepetal";"58256";"Rheingaustraße 190- 196"

"0x872913C78820F64588978D123585E5D5";"Bold";"Peter";"Hampton";"CA 45";"White Road 3"

If you want to edit the CSV file with Microsoft Excel, open first Microsoft Excel, go to File and click Open. Open the CSV file. A wizard is then opened. Only once you have completed all the steps in the wizard can you be sure that the file will be correctly displayed in Microsoft Excel.

Important: you need to bear the following in mind when importing a CSV file

• Do not use special characters in file names and paths for the files. Special characters such as spaces are not permitted.

Special characters include: ä, ö or ü and also ß, &, punctuation, spaces, hyphens and so on. Only numbers, letters and the underscore (_) are permitted.

• Special characters are not permitted in the first row of the text file, in field names or column titles. Before you import a CSV file into CAS genesisWorld, the system checks whether the file contains any invalid column names.
• We recommend using the CSV (comma-separated values) format. A semicolon is used as separator (see example). This type of CSV file is usually very easy to process.
• Important: you should note the data type. For example, the Postal code field can only contain numbers. If while importing you allocate the Town/City field a Postal code in the CSV file, then an import will not be possible.

Ask your administrator and inform yourself about the various data types for the relevant fields.

• The GGUID field is relevant if you update existing data records on import and require a unique key field.

  GUID is the acronym for Globally Unique Identifier. A GUID consists of a 32 digits combination of numbers and letters (hexadecimal combination). With the GUID, objects in a software environment - especially Microsoft Windows - can be identified distinctively.

  GGUID is the acronym for the GUID in CAS genesisWorld, for example, each data record, user account, or database in CAS genesisWorld has been assigned such an identification key.

  A GUID is unique in the system that is used. Therefore, GGUIDs for data records are unique in a database of CAS genesisWorld. GUIDs for databases are unique within the used database system and so on.

• Updating addresses

• You can update existing data by exporting data records into an existing CSV file. You cannot extend a CSV file. Thus, the selected columns from the target file are transferred and cannot be changed.