Imported lists with international phone numbers breaking phone numbers

Issue

Issue Description
Importing CSV lists containing international phone numbers can lead to the format of those phone numbers being messed up. This happens when a spreadsheet program, such as Excel, converts the numbers to scientific notation. 

 


Solution

Issue Resolution

You will need to convert the column with your phone numbers to the correct format, then make sure your file is saved in Unicode format.


First, convert your phone number column to use the correct format:

 

  1. Highlight the phone number column in Excel.
  2. Right click and choose Format Cells.
  3. In the Format Cells dialog box, choose Special from the Category list, then select Phone Number.

 

You will also need to save your file as Unicode (UTF-8) format.

For Excel versions 1999 to 2010:

  1. Click File, then select Save As.
  2. Name your file.
  3. Click Tools, then select Web Options.
  4. Go to the Encoding tab, then under "Save this document as:", select Unicode (UTF-8).
  5. Click OK, then click Save.


Excel for Macs:


  1. Click File and select Save As.
  2. In the File Format dropdown menu, select CSV UTF-8 (Comma delimited) (.csv).
  3. Click Save.

 

Google Drive Spreadsheets:


Click File, select Download As, then select Comma-separated values (.csv, current sheet). The file will be UTF-8 encoded.