Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: Creating a CSV File.

Creating a CSV File

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated September 10, 2022)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003

CSV is one of those over-abundant computer acronyms. It means "comma-separated values." It refers to a type of file that is often used for transferring simple data from one program to another. In the file, each value is separated by a comma. The importing program knows that when it sees a comma, it can toss it out but it needs to get ready to accept a new value.

If you have information in Excel that you want to get into a different data-oriented program, chances are good that the other program will accept CSV files. In order to save your workbook data in CSV format, follow these steps:

  1. Choose Save As from the File menu. Excel displays the Save As dialog box.
  2. In the Save As Type drop-down list at the bottom of the dialog box, choose the CSV (Comma delimited) option.
  3. Use the other controls in the dialog box to specify a file name and location.
  4. Click on Save.
  5. Excel may display a dialog box telling you that not all Excel features can be maintained in the format you have chosen. Click on Yes to continue saving the information in CSV format.

At this point your worksheet is saved in CSV format. I generally find it a good idea to close the workbook, without saving. At this point you will have your original Excel workbook (in Excel format) and the CSV file, which contains the information you wanted in CSV format.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2483) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Creating a CSV File.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Removing All File Properties

Want to get rid of any properties you've created for a document? You can do so by using the short macro described in this ...

Discover More

Disabling Printing

Don't want your worksheets to be printed out? You can make it a bit harder to get a printout by applying the techniques ...

Discover More

Finding Long Sentences

For certain types of writing, you may want to make sure that the sentences in your document do not exceed a certain ...

Discover More

Program Successfully in Excel! This guide will provide you with all the information you need to automate any task in Excel and save time and effort. Learn how to extend Excel's functionality with VBA to create solutions not possible with the standard features. Includes latest information for Excel 2024 and Microsoft 365. Check out Mastering Excel VBA Programming today!

More ExcelTips (menu)

How Excel Treats Disk Files

Workbooks are loaded from disk files, but workbooks aren't the only type of files that Excel can load. This tip provides ...

Discover More

Saving in Two Locations

When you save a workbook to disk, you may want to automatically save a duplicate workbook in a separate location. This ...

Discover More

Checking for the Existence of a File

The data stored in a worksheet can often correspond to information external to that worksheet. For instance, you might ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is seven more than 2?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)

This Site

Got a version of Excel that uses the menu interface (Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, or Excel 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.

Links and Sharing
OUR COMPANY
OUR PRODUCTS
OUR SITES
 

Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.