---
title: "Why does my Excel export look strange?"
date: "2022-12-16T11:45:48+00:00"
summary: "Troubleshoot Excel export issues from Web Governance. Learn how to properly import data with special characters intact."
image:
type: "article"
url: "/web-governance/help/59226-why-does-my-excel-export-look-strange"
id: "1b38a5d6-c618-4002-a820-c614b443ad1d"
---

**Issue**:

I have exported a file from Web Governance, but special letters are being replaced with symbols such as commas, and this causes some of the data to land in the wrong column.

**Answer**:

Web Governance Excel exports are created in a format that allows special characters, but this must be selected at the time of import.

1.  Export: Click the Export button on the upper right side of the window.
    
    ![The location of the Export button on the top right side of the page in line with the page title.](https://acquia.widen.net/content/f9daf3f9-98d6-4cf9-a704-41725715af38/web/Mon_QA-ExportButton.png)
    
2.  Select: Select your export file. A dialog box opens, chose the file to export.
    
    ![The dialog box with files listed.](https://acquia.widen.net/content/3c52162b-ec8b-4375-bb4b-297610a11b3d/web/Mon_QA-Export-Dialog.png)
    
    A dialog box opens: "Your export is currently being generated. You will receive an email when the export is ready. To see the current progress, click the user avatar on the upper right-hand side of the main page and select My Export. Alternatively, click the button below."
    
3.  Click **Go to My Export**, in the dialog box.
    
    ![The Go To My Exports button on the dialog box.](https://downloads.intercomcdn.com/i/o/636470739/ba4e22b3fd41235aeb8218ee/Export_Dialog_GoTo.png?expires=1729635300&signature=1dbd67792c2c02db83dfb4cb79ca2aece91f8546e60091d5539d03d19b52f510&req=ciMhEs5%2BmoJWFb4f3HP0gBKdRKM3hPQLMBvzRESY0L13gnvh9Ap1ttoeUPAA%0AoAU%3D%0A)
    
    The _My Exports_ window opens.
    
4.  On the same row as the export, click **Download**.
    
    ![The download button, on the right-hand side of the export name.](https://downloads.intercomcdn.com/i/o/636474173/4a836b5f7023e4449763ba60/Export_MyExports.png?expires=1729635300&signature=40bf9a275645f4c2936a3fbf62e08d7317419a7286f8abecef233511bb2dada3&req=ciMhEs56nIZcFb4f3HP0gLL9LXF1WAByL7ThuPZH0LWwLJ6a%2BCa5TukO6mSB%0Att0%3D%0A)
    
    The file downloads to the local machine, normally to the downloads folder.
    
5.  Open Excel and click **File** --> **Import**.
    
    ![The Import option in the File menu.](https://acquia.widen.net/content/709e99f3-0d5e-486b-be99-c6e3fe9f1a06/web/Mon_Export-FileImport.png)
    
6.  An Import dialog opens. Select **CSF** file type and then click **Import**.
    
    ![Import CSV File dialog to select the type of file you want to import and the Import button, highlighted.](https://acquia.widen.net/content/1ab95876-9a92-439f-832a-72a4b049f6b0/web/Mon_Import-Excel-SelectCSV.png)
    
7.  Browse to Downloads and select the file. Click **Get Data**.
    
    The _Import Wizard_ dialog opens.
    
8.  Select:
    *   Delimiters: Choose the one that your document uses to separate the data:
        *   semicolon
        *   commas.
    *   File Origin: UTF-8: This ensures that special letters appear normally and that data is placed in the correct column in the Excel sheet.
9.  Click **Finish.**
10.  Choose the existing sheet.
11.  Click **Import**.

Note

If you do not have Excel, you can also convert the data with Google Sheets.