Inspect before you convert
CSV is a text interchange format, not a database. It has no native distinction between a date, an account number and ordinary text; it does not retain DBF field widths, deleted-record flags, indexes or memo pointers. A reliable conversion therefore starts with the DBF schema and a representative review of the records.
Copy the DBF and its FPT or DBT companion, open the copies together, then note the row count and field list. Check whether memo values appear and whether non-ASCII names are readable. Correcting a code page after a bad export is harder because the conversion may already have replaced unknown characters.
Choose CSV settings deliberately
| Decision | Safe default | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Character encoding | UTF-8 | Portable across modern systems; Excel may prefer a UTF-8 BOM in some workflows. |
| Delimiter | Comma or locale-aware semicolon | A semicolon avoids conflict where a comma is the decimal separator. |
| Text qualifier | Double quote | Protects delimiters, line breaks and quotes inside a value. |
| Dates | YYYY-MM-DD | Unambiguous and sortable across locales. |
| Identifiers | Text | Preserves leading zeros and long reference numbers. |
DBF Viewer Pro exports the table in your browser. Filter only when the intended deliverable is a subset; otherwise export the complete validated table and create subsets from that controlled output. Give the file a versioned name such as customers_2026-08-07_utf8.csv rather than overwriting a previous export.
Memo and multiline values
A memo can contain commas, quotation marks and line breaks. A conforming CSV writer surrounds the value with quotes and doubles embedded quotes. Do not remove line breaks globally: that changes the data. If the receiving system cannot accept multiline fields, define a documented transformation and keep the original export.
Verify the result independently
- Compare CSV data-row count with the count shown by the viewer. Remember that the header row is not a data record.
- Open the CSV as plain text once. Confirm the delimiter, quote escaping and UTF-8 characters before opening it in a spreadsheet.
- Check totals for at least one numeric field and minimum/maximum dates when those controls are meaningful.
- Test identifiers with leading zeros, values longer than 15 digits, negative decimals, empty values and memo text.
- Keep a small reconciliation note beside the export: source filename, checksum if available, row count, export date and selected encoding.
Spreadsheet software may reinterpret correct CSV data on import. Use an explicit import dialog and set identifier columns to text. The Excel preparation guide covers this step in detail.
Why local conversion is useful for sensitive data
Payroll, health, customer and administrative tables often contain information that should not be uploaded to an unknown server. In DBF Viewer Pro, file selection and parsing happen on the device in browser code. The source records are not transmitted to dbf-viewer.app for conversion.
Local processing does not replace workstation security. Use a trusted computer, close unrelated extensions and tabs when appropriate, store working copies in an access-controlled location, and delete temporary exports according to your retention policy. See the sensitive DBF handling procedure for a fuller checklist.