A CSV format stands for “Comma Separated Values” file that is used to save the data in table structured format such as spreadsheet or database. Files saved in CSV format are plain text containing numbers and letters only. These files are generally used to exchange data, usually when the file contains a large amount. Analytical software, database programs, and other such applications which contain a large amount of information such as contacts or consumer data are usually supported by the CSV format. CSVs files look like a garden-variety spreadsheet with a .csv extension. The data stored in CSV format is often separated or delimited by commas.
Files saved in CSV format can be used in any spreadsheet program such as Google spreadsheets, Microsoft excel, Open Office Calc, etc. CSV format differ from other spreadsheet file types as it cannot have multiple sheets in a file and cannot have rows, columns. Besides this, it cannot save cell or formulas also.
Characteristics of CSV format:-
· Each record has one line
· Fields are separated by commas
· Space-characters next to commas are ignored
· Double quote characters separate the fields having in-built commas
· Double quotes should surround the fields having double quote characters
· Each inbuilt double quote must be characterised by a pair of consecutive quotes
· Double quotes are also used for the fields which contain in built line-breaks.
Advantages of CSV format
When it comes to bank statements, CSV format is considered more convenient as it is easy to understand and can be manually edited. It is simpler for implementing and analysing in CSV format as compared to other formats such as txt, xml or pdf. It is smaller in size hence easy to handle, banks transactions can be easily read and understood under CSV format. If you save your bank statement under xml format, you would need to start tag and end tag for each column and row. But in CSV format, you just need write column headers only once. However, the data saved in CSV format has no distinction between numeric values and texts.
How to save your bank statement in CSV format:
Saving your bank statement in CSV format in very easy, for instance, if you have to save your ICICI credit card statement in CSV format then you just need to follow the following steps:
- Login to your ICICI net banking account
- Click on credit cards tab
- Download your bank’s statement
- Open the downloaded statement in the spreadsheet program (i.e. pdf format, xml format, txt format, tab format or MT940 format)
- Click on File tab and choose Save As Under Save as tab, choose CSV (Comma delimited) format. Click Save.
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