# questionnaire csv import splits answers on quoted commas: how to fix it

Quoted commas break imports when the parser treats every comma as a delimiter. Re-export the CSV with proper quoting, or switch the delimiter to a pipe, then re-import.

```text
questionnaire csv import splits answers on quoted commas
```

## When to use this skill
- CSV rows split at commas inside quoted text
- Long text answers land in the wrong columns

## When not to use this skill
- Import fails on encoding (a character-set issue)
- Import truncates rows (a size issue)

## Tool compatibility
Questionnaire CSV imports. Related area: data pipelines.

Related area: proposal automation and agent-assisted RFP workflows.

Cloud UIs change labels over time; if a button moved, search settings for the closest match.

## Before you start
- Sign in to the tool and keep one tab open so sessions stay clean
- Copy the exact error text and note the time it happened
- Set aside 15 to 20 minutes; most of these resolve in a single pass

## Quick diagnosis
Make sure this is the right skill before you invest the 15 minutes.
- If you are dealing with cSV rows split at commas inside quoted text, start at step 1 below.
- If instead import fails on encoding (a character-set issue), stop here; you need a different skill.
- If neither quite matches, compare your screen against the verbatim error block at the top; that block is exactly what this skill covers.

## Fix it in steps
### 1. Inspect the breaking row

```
Open the CSV in a text editor and find a row with a comma inside quotes.
```
Expected: Expected: the row that splits wrong is identified.

### 2. Re-export with proper quoting

```
Re-export the source with text qualifiers set to double quotes.
```
Expected: Expected: quoted fields keep their commas inside one field.

### 3. Or switch to pipe delimiter

```
If quoting still breaks, export with a pipe delimiter instead.
```
Expected: Expected: no commas act as delimiters.

### 4. Re-import and spot check

```
Import the fixed file and check the previously broken rows.
```
Expected: Expected: answers land in the right columns.

## Confirm each step worked
Run through this checklist before moving on. If a check fails, redo that step instead of pushing ahead.
- Step 1 (inspect the breaking row): Expected: expected: the row that splits wrong is identified.
- Step 2 (re-export with proper quoting): Expected: expected: quoted fields keep their commas inside one field.
- Step 3 (or switch to pipe delimiter): Expected: expected: no commas act as delimiters.
- Step 4 (re-import and spot check): Expected: expected: answers land in the right columns.

## Quick recap
1. Inspect the breaking row
2. Re-export with proper quoting
3. Or switch to pipe delimiter
4. Re-import and spot check

## Still stuck?
Gather three things: the exact error text, the time it happened, and what changed just before it broke.
Check the vendor status page for an active incident. Then open a support ticket with those three things;
it cuts the back-and-forth in half. For agent runs, attach the last 50 lines of the agent log too,
since the loop or timeout signature in the log usually names the cause.

## Variant phrasings
### csv quoted commas import failed
Fix the quoting or switch delimiters. If this matches what you saw, the steps above apply as written.

### questionnaire csv comma in quotes error
Pipe delimiter is the robust fix. If this matches what you saw, the steps above apply as written.

## Why it happens
Spreadsheet exports sometimes emit quotes inconsistently, so a comma inside an answer becomes a column break. The importer cannot distinguish a delimiter comma from a content comma without consistent quoting.

## Edge cases
- Prefer pipe-delimited exports for free-text questionnaires; commas are landmines
- Never edit the CSV in a spreadsheet and resave without checking the quoting settings
- Keep the original export so you can compare row counts after fixing

## Provenance

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pst_3Q1tlZYtjcT_jsPx3nVUqQ