What files Krosstabs accepts — and how to fix import errors.
Krosstabs parses CSV and XLSX files entirely in your browser. No file is uploaded. This guide covers accepted formats, encoding requirements, file size limits, and a complete glossary of import error messages.
Supported file types
CSV (.csv)
Comma-separated values. The most widely supported format. Must have a header row on row 1. Separators supported: , (comma, default). Semicolon-delimited files must be re-exported as comma-delimited.
Excel (.xlsx)
Excel 2007+ format. Krosstabs reads the first sheet of the workbook. Merged header cells, coloured rows, and formulas are stripped — only values are imported. Do not use .xls (Excel 97–2003 format).
SPSS (.sav) — Coming soon
Native SPSS binary format. Variable labels and value labels will be preserved. Currently in development. Until available, export from SPSS as CSV (File → Export → CSV Data).
Encoding support for CSV files
XLSX files handle encoding internally — no action required. For CSV files, the encoding matters, especially when your data includes accented characters, non-Latin scripts, or verbatims collected via mobile.
| Encoding | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
UTF-8 | Recommended | All characters supported. Save from Excel as "CSV UTF-8 (Comma delimited)". |
UTF-8 with BOM | Supported | BOM is automatically stripped. Excel for Windows sometimes adds this. |
ASCII | Supported | Subset of UTF-8. Works if your data has no accented characters. |
Windows-1252 (ANSI) | May cause issues | Non-ASCII characters (é, ñ, ü) may appear as garbage. Re-save as UTF-8. |
Latin-1 / ISO-8859-1 | May cause issues | Same issue as Windows-1252. Re-save as UTF-8 from your source tool. |
UTF-16 | Not supported | UTF-16 CSVs are not parsed correctly. Convert to UTF-8 first. |
- File → Save As
- Choose CSV UTF-8 (Comma delimited) (*.csv) from the format dropdown
- Click Save
If you don't see “CSV UTF-8” in the list, you may be on an older Excel version. Use “CSV (Comma delimited)” and then open the file in VS Code or Notepad++ to verify and re-save as UTF-8.
Header and structure requirements
No blank rows above the header. Survey exports sometimes include a title row above the headers — delete it before importing.
Duplicate column names are not permitted. If your export has Q1, Q1, Q1 for multiple response options, rename them to Q1_1, Q1_2, Q1_3.
Krosstabs will use any column named id, respondent_id, RespID, or similar as the row identifier for write-back operations (e.g. segment assignment). If absent, an auto-generated index is used.
Banner tables work on numeric codes (1, 2, 3) with value labels applied in-tool. Exporting pre-labelled strings (“Strongly agree”, “Agree”) works but prevents scale detection and automatic Top/Bottom Box nets.
Multi-select questions should be exported as separate binary (0/1) columns, not as a comma-separated string in one column. Most survey platforms export this way by default — check your export settings if you see comma-separated values in a single cell.
Common import errors and how to fix them
No columns detectedCause: The first row is empty, or the file uses a separator other than comma (e.g. semicolon).
Fix: Open the file in a text editor to confirm the separator. If semicolon-delimited, re-export from Excel as CSV with comma separator, or use a tool like csvformat to convert.
File appears emptyCause: The file has 0 data rows after the header, or the header row was not detected.
Fix: Ensure the file has at least one header row and one data row. Headers must be on row 1 with no blank rows above them.
Columns exceed limitCause: The file has more than 500 columns.
Fix: Remove unused columns before importing. Survey exports often include many system variables (timing, metadata) that are not needed for analysis.
Rows exceed limit for your planCause: Free plan: 5,000 rows. Standard ($69/mo): 20,000 rows. Professional ($149/mo): 50,000 rows.
Fix: Upgrade your plan, or filter the dataset before import (e.g. remove soft-launched completes, test responses, or quota over-runs).
Cannot read fileCause: The file is corrupted, password-protected, or not actually a CSV/XLSX format despite the extension.
Fix: Open the file in Excel to verify it is readable. Remove any worksheet protection before exporting. If the file is a .csv but contains binary data, re-export from the source survey platform.
Encoding error: unexpected character at row NCause: A non-UTF-8 character appears in row N. Common in verbatim responses that include curly quotes, em dashes, or special characters from mobile keyboards.
Fix: Open the file in a text editor that shows encoding (e.g. VS Code — bottom-right shows "UTF-8"). Save as UTF-8. Alternatively, paste the column into Excel, use Find & Replace to normalise special characters, then re-export.
Duplicate column names detectedCause: Two or more columns share the same header. Common when a survey platform exports multiple response columns for a single question without a disambiguating suffix.
Fix: Rename duplicate columns before import. Krosstabs requires unique column names to build stubs and banner points correctly.
Sheet not foundCause: XLSX files with multiple sheets — Krosstabs reads the first sheet by default.
Fix: Ensure your data is on Sheet 1, or export only the sheet you need as a separate file.
Still getting an error?
Email support@krosstabs.com with the error message, your browser, and the first 5 rows of your CSV (with any PII removed). We'll diagnose within one business day.