Chapter 08 · Part 1
Export Excel to CSV (Windows)
If Excel keeps saving your CSV with semicolons instead of commas, it’s following your Windows “List Separator” setting. Switch it to a comma once and your CSV will export correctly for iSMS.
Why this happens
Excel uses the Windows List Separator as the delimiter when it saves a CSV. In many regions that’s a semicolon (
;), but iSMS expects a comma (,). Changing this one Windows setting fixes every CSV you export afterwards.- 1
Open Administrative Language Settings
Open the Windows Region control panel and go to Administrative (or Additional) settings. The exact name varies slightly by Windows version.
- 2
Open Additional settings
On the Formats tab, click Additional settings.
- 3
Change the List separator
Change the List separator from a semicolon (
;) to a comma (,), then click Apply and OK. Now save your file as CSV in Excel — it will use commas.
The change you’re making
;Before
,After
Set the List separator to a comma so Excel writes a standard, iSMS-ready CSV.
With commas set, save your sheet as CSV and continue to CSV Compose to upload it.
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