When downloading a template for a given emission category and calculation method, you have the option to download it in Excel (.xlsx) or CSV (.csv) format.

For most instances, we recommend downloading the Excel format since it is much simpler to open and use. If you realise that you have a significantly large file once you have entered your data (i.e. thousands of rows of data), it may make more sense to export the file to the CSV format (which is typically more condensed) to ensure a faster upload. This means that even if you intend to upload in the CSV format, you can initially download the template as an Excel and export it to CSV when you are ready to upload.

However, the option remains to download templates in the CSV format. If you choose to go with the latter option, there are a few best practices and troubleshooting steps you should be aware of.

A CSV file is a plain text file in which data is separated by specified delimiters so that it can be displayed in a tabular format. CSVs can be opened with almost all spreadsheet programs, such as Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel, or Numbers, as well as programs that work with plain text, such as Notepad or TextEdit.

When uploading your business data to the Plan A Sustainability Platform, the main benefit of using a CSV file is that this file type consumes much less memory. This allows them to open and save much quicker than Excel files and take up less space on your drive. This makes them an excellent option for large data sets.

In CSV files, data is organised in a plain text format, which is readable by spreadsheet software. New rows are defined by new lines of text (i.e. hitting the 'enter' key), whereas new columns within a row are defined by a delimiter.

A delimiter is a separator used to distinguish between columns. They are essentially a 'signpost' to the spreadsheet software to begin a new column. Despite 'Comma' being in the name, it is not the only possible delimiter. Most commonly, delimiters are either commas (,) or semicolons (;).

For instance, in the plain text version of the file (opened with TextEdit), you can see the file headings separated by commas:

When the same CSV file is opened in Microsoft Excel, you can see that columns appear where commas are in the plain text version:

Whether your application (e.g. Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, or Numbers) opens and saves CSVs with the delimiter set to comma or semicolon depends on the location & region settings of your device.

To check if your CSV file is comma-delimited instead of semicolon-delimited, you can open your file with a simple text editor like Notepad or TextEdit. Alternatively, we have compiled this list of region settings and their default delimiters:

When opening a CSV file that you have not exported to CSV (e.g., a file sent by a colleague or downloaded from the internet), it is good to check the delimiter and whether it matches your settings. A mismatch here can prevent your spreadsheet software (e.g., Microsoft Excel) from opening your file correctly.

In the case that your file's delimiter does not match the default delimiter settings of your spreadsheet software, your software will not find the delimiter it is looking for to be able to distinguish between columns, causing all of your data to load within one column.

For instance, if your spreadsheet software settings are configured to look for semicolon delimiters, but your file is comma delimited, a new column will only be recognised in a row of data where there is a semicolon. In this case, all the data will load within one column:

Avoiding this problem requires you to follow best practices for correctly opening and saving CSV files.

Because it is essential to make sure your file's and settings' delimiters match, it is best practice to 'import' CSV files to your spreadsheet software rather than right-clicking the file, clicking 'Open with...' and selecting your software as you might when opening an Excel file. Using the import wizard lets you ensure your file's and software's delimiters are aligned.

When you open a CSV file in spreadsheet software, it converts the file type to the native file type of that software. For instance, if you open a CSV file in Microsoft Excel, the file will be automatically converted to an '.xlsx' file. This means you must export it back to CSV when you are finished editing the file in the spreadsheet software rather than just 'saving' it.

Note that if you decide to go back and edit a CSV file by opening it up again in a spreadsheet program (rather than a plain text editor), you will have to export it again to CSV format after.