Downloading Tips

After choosing to download estimates as a csv (comma-separated values) file or as a xls file, a "File Download" box should appear. When the box appears, select "Save" to save the file to your computer. When the "Save As" box appears:

1. Enter an appropriate file name.
2. Select a file type of "Comma-Separated Values" if saving as a csv file or "Excel Worksheet" if saving as an Excel file.
3. Note the location of the saved file.
4. Click on the "Save" button.

If the "File Download" box does not appear and you get a screen full of text instead, you may manually save a text file by:

1. Selecting your browser's "File | Save As..." menu item.
2. Enter an appropriate file name with a .csv, .txt, or .prn extension. These file name extensions are common to text files that are imported into spreadsheets.
3. Select a file type of "Text File."
4. Note the location of the saved file.
5. Click on the "Save" button.
6. The file will be saved as a quoted, comma-delimited text file.

Tips for Importing Comma-Delimited Text Files (Including CSV Files)

Note: The comma-delimited text file may not appear properly in some text editing programs, such as Notepad. However, it will appear properly in other programs, such as Wordpad.

Comma-delimited text files are designed to be imported into a spreadsheet application. Here are some tips to make this procedure easy.

1. Name your file carefully. When downloading a text file, be certain to specify the file type as either "Comma-Separated Values" or "Text File" (and not "Web Page") and to give your file name an appropriate extension, such as .csv, .prn, or .txt.
2. Note the location of the saved file.
3. If you are using MS Excel:
   1. If you saved the file with a .csv extension, you may be able to double click on the file and it will open in Excel. If that doesn't work, open Excel and proceed to the next step.
   2. Select Open from the File menu.
   3. Select "Text Files (*.prn; *.txt"; *.csv)" in the box "Files of Type".
   4. Select the file you want to import and click on "Open".
   5. The Text Import Wizard should pop up. Select "Delimited" in step one.
   6. Select "Comma" in step two.
   7. Specify more options in step three if you want to, then press "Finish".
4. If you are using Quattro Pro:
   1. V.6 — Notebook | Text import - choose comma and quote delimited.
   2. V.5 & V.7 — Data | Text import - choose comma and quote delimited.
   3. V.8 — A six-step process:
      1. Tools | Data Tools | Quick Columns.
      2. Select the text file that you want to import.
      3. Click on Options.
      4. Change file data type to Delimited.
      5. Select delimiters (comma and quote).
      6. Click the Parse button.
      V.8 — another way:
      1. Tools | Settings | Macro then set the Slash Key entry to Quattro Pro - DOS.
      2. Slash ("/") - Tools | Import.
5. If you are using Lotus 1-2-3— Select the keyboard slash command File Import as Numbers. (Keyboard combination /FIN). This is the easiest way to import a file in Windows Lotus as well as the DOS version.
6. If you are using an older MS Excel— Select Open from the File menu, then click on the Text button. Select comma delimiters, then OK.