CSV column cleanup guide
How to keep and reorder selected CSV columns
Remove internal or sensitive columns before sharing a file, and put the remaining fields in the order required by the destination. Select at least one column and move selections up or down without changing row order or cell values.
Example: prepare a carrier import
Remove Cost and Internal note, then order the shipment fields exactly as the carrier expects.
- Keep: Order ID, ZIP, Address, Recipient
- Follow the destination column order
- Keep all rows in their original order
Internal shipment CSV
The source includes fields that should not be sent to the carrier.
Order ID,Recipient,ZIP,Address,Cost,Internal note
A001,Ava Green,94105,San Francisco CA,64.00,Morning
A002,Northstar Labs,97205,Portland OR,82.00,Business deskSelect and reorder columns
Keep the import specification beside the preview while you work.
- Open Select columns and load the CSV.
- Confirm encoding, delimiter, headers, and sample rows.
- Select every column that should appear in the output.
- Use Move up and Move down to set the required order.
- Verify row and column counts, then download.
Carrier-ready CSV
Only the four selected columns remain, in the required order.
Order ID,ZIP,Address,Recipient
A001,94105,San Francisco CA,Ava Green
A002,97205,Portland OR,Northstar LabsCheck the saved columns
Review both ordinary rows and values with blanks, quotes, or embedded line breaks.
- Input and output row counts match
- The saved file has the expected number of columns
- Leading-zero IDs and ZIP codes remain intact
- Removed fields do not appear in the header or data
Common column-selection mistakes
Use the one-based number when headers are duplicated.
- Selecting the wrong duplicate header
- Assuming moving a column also renames it
- Removing a key needed by a later join
- Opening and resaving in a spreadsheet that changes leading zeros