How to Export SQL Results to CSV and Excel (Without Wrecking the Data)
By Michael Nocito , data analyst · Published August 8, 2026 By the end of this page you will export a query result and open it with the leading zeros, the accented characters and the dates all still correct. Here is the thing worth knowing before anything else: your export is almost certainly fine. The damage happens when you open it, and the difference between a wrecked file and a clean one is…
This guide explains the proper method for exporting SQL query results to CSV and Excel files without corrupting the data. While most users are unaware of this, the key is in how you open the exported file. Opening a CSV file by simply double-clicking it in Windows can lead to data corruption, particularly when dealing with numeric codes, accented characters, or dates.
To prevent this, follow these steps: first, export your results as a CSV file through the SQL query interface. Then, open Excel and use its native import function (Data > Get Data > From Text/CSV) rather than double-clicking the file directly. This method preserves leading zeros, accented characters, and date formats.
A notable point mentioned in the guide is the use of a byte order mark (BOM) in the exported file. While adding a BOM can help maintain the correct encoding, it does not prevent the loss of leading zeros, which must be handled either during the import process or by adjusting the SQL query to format the numbers accordingly.
The guide also notes that changing the file extension from CSV to .xlsx does not convert it to an Excel workbook and will result in Excel attempting to import the file, which defeats the purpose of a clean export. For a true Excel workbook, use a dedicated tool or script to generate the .xlsx file, such as the provided Python example using pandas.
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