# CSV / Excel

The Comma Separated Value file format is a standard text based format that can be imported in almost any modern reporting tool like Excel.

The CSV export offers a wide range of properties to format your CSV file as needed.

## 🔅 CSV export properties

* **`CSV output`** defines how the question and answers will be layout in the CSV columns. You can choose to layout each answer as an [individual column](https://docs.ngsurvey.com/form-management/data-export/data-exports/csv-excel/csv-individual-answers), pivot all the questions using [questions as rows ](https://docs.ngsurvey.com/form-management/data-export/data-exports/csv-excel/questions-as-rows)or to [separate the selection answers and fields](https://docs.ngsurvey.com/form-management/data-export/data-exports/csv-excel/csv-separated-selection-fields) in columns.
* **`Column header template`** formats the CSV header column as we need. {0} will be replaced by the answer text or id or display order and {1} will be replaced by the question text or id or display order. You may also omit those tags and use any custom string.
* **`Column header output`** defines what values to use to replace the {0} / {1} inside the header template column.
* **`Columns filter`** allows you to choose which questions / answers will be part of the export. 
* **`Field delimiter`** is the char that will act as a delimiter between the exported answers columns inside a CSV.
* **`Text delimiter`** is the char that will act as a delimiter between the text entries inside a CSV.
* **`Replace CR`** is the char that will replace "new line" character. Some tools like Excel or Access might encounter problems with "new line" characters inside a row. We suggest replacing it with a custom char before replacing it again after having imported the data inside the target tool.