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Symptoms

  • Your file opens correctly on your computer (Excel, Google Sheets, etc.).
  • But when you try to upload it into Paradigm, the import fails.
  • You may have tried different parsers, but none of them worked.

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Common causes

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1. Wrong separator

By convention, a CSV (Comma-Separated Values) file uses the **comma **, as the column separator.
Some software (often with French/European settings) exports CSVs with a **semicolon **; instead. 👉 If your file uses ; as a separator, it won’t be recognized properly by Paradigm.

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2. Incorrect file structure

  • Column headers must match what Paradigm expects.
  • If required columns are missing or incorrectly named, the upload will fail.

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3. Not a strict CSV format

Some partner files may use the .csv extension but are not fully compliant with the standard format. These files can still open locally but fail during upload.

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How to check

  1. Open the file in a text editor (e.g., Notepad, VS Code, Sublime Text).
  2. Check the separator:
    • If you see , → correct format.
    • If you see ; → this is likely the issue.
  3. Check the first line (headers): make sure it contains all required columns.

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Solutions

  • Convert the separator:
    • Open the file in Excel or Google Sheets.
    • Export it again as CSV, making sure the separator is **comma **,.
  • Check the headers:
    • Ensure all required columns are present and correctly named.
    • Compare with an example CSV that worked successfully before.
  • Try another format:
    • If the issue persists, export the file as XLS/XLSX. This format is supported and usually works.

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Good to know

  • CSV formats can vary depending on the language/region settings of the software used.
  • This issue is common with CSVs received from external partners.
  • As a quick workaround, converting to .xls or .xlsx often solves the problem.

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If the problem persists

👉 If, after checking the separator and headers, the upload still fails, please contact Support and include:
  • the original CSV file,
  • a screenshot of the error message.
This will help us investigate further. ⚠️ Important: Paradigm cannot import CSVs with ; separators or missing required headers. The file must be corrected before upload
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