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Formatting Your Tracking Numbers in Excel

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ShipWorks Content Team

Updated

Background

ShipWorks allows you to export information into a text file or Comma Separated Value (CSV). In ShipWorks, a CSV is called a comma-delimited file. Many of the exports found in ShipWorks contain the shipment information including the shipment's tracking number(s). When you open an export file, typically a CSV file, directly into Excel, most of the time Excel formats the tracking numbers in a way that causes them to not display correctly.

This article guides you through how to import a ShipWorks export file into Excel so that the tracking numbers display properly.

The Process

Since Excel typically formats the tracking numbers into scientific notation when you open a CSV file directly into Excel, let's take a look at how to import the file into Excel instead. This process gives you the ability to define in what format the tracking numbers should display.

Excell screenshot. Column D (Tracking, with tracking numbers) is highlighted in yellow. Cell D 6 selected, shows tracking number in Scientific Notation

1. Launch Microsoft Excel. Then, click on the option to create a Blank Workbook.

Yellow highlight indicates Blank Workbook selected.

2. Go to Excel and click on the From Text button located in the Get External Data ribbon.

3. Go to the ShipWorks export file you wish to view in Excel. Then, click Open.

The Excel Text Import Wizard will open.

Yellow highlight on Tracking Numbers CSV. Arrow points to Open button.

4. Ensure that Delimited is selected on the first screen. Then, preview your data to be sure that the fields in your file are displaying in the correct columns. Click Next.

Text Import Wizard, Step 1 of 3. An arrow points to preview of file box. Yellow highlight shows Delimited option & Next button selected

5. Select Comma as the delimiter used in your file. You will notice that Excel places lines between each column in the Data Preview window. Click Next.

6. Select the column that displays your tracking information by clicking on the column.

Text Import Wizard, Step 3 of 3. Arrow points to General/Tracking-Information column, indicating the column was selected.

7. Select Text as the Column Data Format.

Text Import Wizard, step 3 of 3. Yellow highlight on selected Text option.

8. Click Finish. Then, click OK.

Yellow highlight on Finish button.
Import Data popup. Yellow highlight on OK button

That's it! Your tracking numbers should now display correctly in Excel.

Excell screenshot. Cell A 1 (Order) is selected. Column D (Tracking, with tracking numbers) is highlighted in yellow.

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