--- title: How to open or format a CSV in Excel description: Some data may be missing or formatted incorrectly when opening a CSV file in Excel e.g. leading zeros in telephone numbers. Below is a guide on how to display the correct information --- [Skip to content](https://knowledge.groop.com/how-to-open-a-csv#main-content) English Show submenu for translations [More support](https://knowledge.groop.com/kb-tickets/new?hsLang=en) ![Groop-Black.svg\]](https://knowledge.groop.com/hubfs/Groop-Black.svg) Open main navigation Close main navigation - English Show submenu for translations - [More support](https://knowledge.groop.com/kb-tickets/new) - Contact us Contact us How can we help you? - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. [Knowledge Base and Tutorials](https://knowledge.groop.com/?hsLang=en) 2. [Reports](https://knowledge.groop.com/reports?hsLang=en) # How to open or format a CSV in Excel ## Some data may be missing or formatted incorrectly when opening a CSV file in Excel e.g. leading zeros in telephone numbers. Below is a guide on how to display the correct information Excel will display data when double clicking or right-clicking a file and choosing open but can remove some data from the file as it doesn't know the format of the cells.  More options on how Excel displays this data are available when using the built in Text Import Wizard which automatically launches when following the below steps. #### Open a CSV in Excel 1. Go to **File** \> **Open** and browse to the location that contains the CSV file 2. Select **All Files** in the file type dropdown list in the **Open** dialog box 3. Locate and double-click the text file that you want to open - If the file is a CSV file, Excel starts the Import Text Wizard 4. The Text Import Wizard examines the text file that you are importing and helps you ensure that the data is imported in the way that you want 1. Step 1 of 3 is to check **Delimited** as the file is separated by commas ![](https://knowledge.groop.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-265.png?width=600&name=image-265.png) 2. Step 2 of 3 is to check **Comma** as this is what identifies separate columns, you will see a preview of the data in the window![](https://knowledge.groop.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-266.png?width=600&name=image-266.png) 3. Step 3 of 3 is to specify which format to apply to each column. eg. choose the column related to a phone number and change the format from **General** to **Text,** this will tell Excel to display the cells and retain the leading zero![](https://knowledge.groop.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-267.png?width=600&name=image-267.png) #### How  to separate Date and Time 1. Select the cell or column that contains the text you want to split 2. Select **Data** \> **Text to Columns** 3. In the **Convert Text to Columns Wizard**, select **Delimited** \> **Next** 4. Select the **Delimiters** for your data. For example **Space** if you are seperating the time from the date in a Groop CSV. You can see a preview of your data in the **Data preview** window 5. Select **Next** 6. Select the **Column data format** or use what Excel chose for you 7. Select the **Destination**, which is where you want the split data to appear on your worksheet 8. Select **Finish** #### How to format cells as Date Follow these steps: 1. Select the cells you want to format 2. Press CTRL+1 3. In the **Format Cells** box, click the **Number** tab 4. In the **Category** list, click ***Date*** ![Pick Date in the Category list](https://support.content.office.net/en-us/media/4d8a65ab-8eff-46b8-8de8-9bde34e18a11.jpg) 5. Under **Type**, pick a date format. Your format will preview in the **Sample** box with the first date in your data **Note:** Date formats that begin with an asterisk (\*) will change if you change the regional date and time settings in Control Panel. Formats without an asterisk won’t change. 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