Downloading and Importing Tips

Downloading Tips

Files on the BEA web site that are designed to be downloaded are almost always of three types: compressed archives (ZIP or EXE files), and comma-separated-value (CSV) text files.

Interactive tables that allow the data to be downloaded will create a comma-delimited file when the download button is selected. Your browser should bring up a window that allows you to either open the file using your default spreadsheet program or to save the file to disk. The file will have a name with a CSV extension. You may change the name of the file to make it more meaningful to you, but you should not change the CSV extension. The file will be saved it to a local drive. Open it using a spreadsheet program.

Files that have been opened using your default spreadsheet program (not saved) may not import properly; text fields, such as the state and county codes, may import as numbers. If this is a problem (you need text to import as text), you may want to try the option of saving the file to disk. See the instructions for using the Text Import Wizard in Excel at the bottom of this page.

Compressed archives (ZIP) are selected for download by clicking on a link, or selecting from a list. When the Save As dialog box appears, save the archive to a local drive. Make sure that the file name extension is ZIP. Double-click on the ZIP file and extract the files to a folder. It is unlikely there is not software on your computer to do this, but it is a possibility. If you cannot use the ZIP file please contact us or download the EXE version.

Compressed archives (EXE) are selected for download by clicking on a link, or selecting from a list. When the Save As dialog box appears, save the archive to a local drive. Make sure that the file name extension is EXE. Double-click on the EXE file and extract the files to a folder. It is a possibility that virus detection software or other web security software will not allow you to download or save an EXE file. If you cannot use the EXE file please contact us or download the ZIP version.

Comma-separated-value (CSV) text files are selected for download by clicking on a link, or selecting from a list. When the Save As dialog box appears, make sure that the file name extension is CSV; save it to a local drive, then open it in a spreadsheet program.

Importing Tips

Many of the regional data files on the BEA web site are designed to be imported into a spreadsheet application. Here are some tips to make this procedure easy. Most of these files are in comma-separated-value format, with text enclosed in quotation marks. The file names have CSV extentions, and they are often compressed into ZIP archives.

Tips

1. Name your file carefully. If you are downloading a compressed archive (ZIP), make sure it has an ZIP extension. If you are downloading a text file, be certain to specify the file type as Text (and not HTML), and give your file name an appropriate extension, such as CSV, TXT, or PRN.
2. Note the location of the saved file. Also when you double-click (or open) the compressed archive, either specify a location, or make note of the default location for the uncompressed files.
3. MS Excel — files with a CSV extension should open and parse automatically. If they do not, then follow these instructions.
   1. Select Open from the File menu
   2. Select "Text Files (*.prn; *.txt"; *.csv)" in the box "Files of Type"
   3. Select the file you want to import and click on "Open".
   4. The Text Import Wizard should pop up. Select "Delimited" in step one
   5. Select "Comma" in step two
   6. Specify more options in step three if you want to, then press "Finish"
4. Older MS Excel— Select Open from the File menu, then click on the Text button. Select comma delimiters, then OK.