Problem:

I need to import my modified Excel file containing accented characters (French, German, etc) into my database system.

Solution:

If you’re using Microsoft Excel to create your CSV file, you may run into an issue:

When you’re using accented characters (such as é, ç, ü, etc.) – Microsoft Excel does not generate a UTF-8 compliantCSV file. To resolve this issue, please do the following:

• Save the Excel file as a CSV file.
• Open the CSV file generated by Excel using another software which can create UTF-8 compliant CSV files.

Windows

• Open the file using Notepad.
• Click “File > Save As”.
• In the dialog window that appears – select “UTF-8” from the “Encoding” field. Then click “Save”.

Mac

• Use either the “Numbers” application, or the free LibreOffice, instead of Excel.
• Click “File > Save As”.
• In the dialog window that appears – select “UTF-8” from the “Encoding” field. Then click “Save”.

Your saved file will be ready to import into your UTF-8 compliant database system.