CSV import precheck guide
CSV Precheck Before Import: What to Review Before Uploading a CSV
A CSV precheck helps you review common formatting, spreadsheet, and import-readiness issues before uploading the file into another system.
Why CSV imports fail or go wrong
Common causes include wrong delimiters, encoding mismatches, blank or duplicate headers, inconsistent rows, platform-specific required columns, repeated header rows, and Excel auto-formatting.
Long IDs and leading zeros can also be changed if the CSV is opened directly in Excel before upload.
File-format checks
- encoding
- BOM
- delimiter
- one-column risk
- inconsistent row lengths
- blank rows
Header checks
- blank headers
- duplicate headers
- whitespace in headers
- repeated header rows inside the file
Excel-risk checks
- leading zeros
- long digit strings
- scientific-notation-like values
- date-like values
- formula-like cells
Import-readiness checks
- duplicate key candidates
- rows needing review
- whitespace
- mismatched columns
What Argon does not check
- no regulatory-readiness check
- no financial correctness check
- no address confirmation
- no mailing-list permission review
- no shared-inbox risk scoring
- no platform acceptance promise
- no promise any system will accept the file
Run a local CSV precheck
Argon flags common CSV formatting, Excel, and import-readiness issues locally in your browser.
Open CSV Precheck ToolRelated guides
Argon flags common CSV formatting, Excel, and import-readiness issues for review. Review all outputs before relying on them.