How to Open CSV Files with Special Characters Using Excel Power Query

When you download carbon data from Emitwise, they may contain special characters which may not display correctly in Excel. Follow these steps to import your CSV files using Excel Power Query, helping to maintain the integrity of the data.

Step 1: Open Excel

Start by launching Microsoft Excel on your computer.

Step 2: Access Power Query

  • For Excel 2016 and later: Go to the "Data" tab, and in the "Get & Transform Data" group, click on "Get Data."
  • For Excel 2013 or Excel 2010: You need to have the Power Query add-in installed. Once installed, go to the "Power Query" tab, then click on "From File" > "From CSV."

Step 3: Import Your CSV File

  • After clicking on "Get Data" (or "From CSV" in the Power Query tab), browse to the location of your downloaded CSV file.
  • Select the file and click "Import."

Step 4: [Optional] Set File Origin to Ensure Correct Character Encoding

  • Depending on your version of Power Query, you may need to set the file origin.
  • In the Power Query editor window, a preview of your data will appear. Before loading the data:
    • Go to the "File Origin" drop-down menu in the Home tab.
    • Select the appropriate character encoding for your file (e.g., "65001: Unicode (UTF-8)").

Step 5: Load Your Data

  • After setting the file origin, you can apply any transformations if needed or simply proceed to load the data.
  • Click on "Close & Load" in the upper left corner of the Power Query editor to load your data into Excel.

Step 6: Verify the Data

Once your data is loaded into Excel, verify that all special characters are displayed correctly. Make adjustments to the file origin settings if necessary and reload the data.

Additional Tips

  • If you frequently work with CSV files containing special characters, consider setting the default file origin in Power Query to Unicode (UTF-8) to automate this step in future imports.
  • Regularly update your Excel and Power Query to the latest versions to utilize updated features and support.

By following these steps, you can ensure that CSV files downloaded from our software are displayed correctly in Excel with all special characters intact. If you encounter any issues or need further assistance, please contact our support team (support@emitwise.com).