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When opening a CSV file, excel automatically splits text to columns. However, Since I work in an international environment, the delimiter is not always the same. Meaning sometimes it goes well, but many times excel screws up the document to a point where it gets completely unusable.

Is there a way to turn this functionality completely off. I rather use the function manually, so I can select the correct delimiters myself.

Coasterfrenzy
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  • Good Day, This isn't a solution, but this older post might provide some guidance. https://superuser.com/questions/238944/how-to-force-excel-to-open-csv-files-with-data-arranged-in-columns – BradR Jan 12 '21 at 13:12
  • AFAIK, you can't turn it off. You can either reset it (by running it on a cell but deselecting all the delimiters), or you can **Import** the csv file, instead of **Open**ing it. The TTC wizard will default to the last settings used. Importing a csv file gives you far more control over what is happening; and avoids problems not only with changing delimiters, but also with changing date formats, decimals, and thousands separators. – Ron Rosenfeld Jan 13 '21 at 01:07
  • You can try to open a blank Workbook first and then import csv to Workbook: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/import-or-export-text-txt-or-csv-files-5250ac4c-663c-47ce-937b-339e391393ba – Lee Jan 13 '21 at 09:34

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If you have concerns about how Excel will open your file, don't double-click it to open it. Instead, use Data>Get & Transform Data>From Text/CSV.

In that wizard, you can select the delimiter you prefer to use for that file.

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FlexYourData
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  • The files are usually opened directly from other programs or web interfaces. So this is why I just need the fuction to automatically split Text to Columns completely Off. – Coasterfrenzy Jan 15 '21 at 12:43