Question

My csv file will not save with 2 decimals keeping the sum out of balance when I save and go back in to upload the GL. How do I fix this? when I format it, all the sum is zero, when I go back it's weird sum.

Answer 1

The CSV file is a plain text file that has comma-separated values with the first line containing the headers.

For example, consider below CSV content:

StudentID, Name, Age, Points
1, John Smith, 22, 3.5
2, Maria Joseph, 21, 4.9
3, Steve Warner, 32, 7.8

It can't store any text format or any formulae.

When we would open in any MS Excel, it would appear as:

A C 1 StudentID Name Age Points 1 John Smith 2 22 3.5 2 Maria Joseph 3 21 4.9 4 3 Steve Warner 32 7.8 LO

MS Excel has the functionality to add format and formula. Suppose, we formatted the header to bold and put a cell below Points to have the sum of all columns. It would appear as below:

A B C D 1 StudentID Name Points Age 2 1 John Smith 22 3.5 2 Maria Joseph 4.9 21 4 3 Steve Warner 32 7.8 5 16.2 CO LC

But when we try to save it, it gives us the below warning:

Microsoft Excel X Some features in your workbook might be lost if you save it as CSV (Comma delimited) i Do you want to keep using that format? Yes No Help

If we keep that format, it would ask to save it in a different format other than CSV, it won't save the formula and text format in CSV file. If we don't wish to keep the features of the workbook, it will get saved as CSV and we will lose all the formatting and formula.

Hence, CSV file can't store formats and formula as it is a plain text file having comma-separated values. If you want to keep the formatting and formula, you need to save it in different formats like .xls or .xlsx.

I hope, this answers your question. If you have any queries, let me know.

Thanks!