Spreadsheet software typically applies default settings when opening files. In the Product CSV, the UPC column usually opens under a "General" setting, which may convert large numbers like 12-digit UPCs into scientific notation.
If you're not editing or adding UPCs, you can delete the UPC column from the spreadsheet to keep the original codes intact upon upload.
If you are editing UPCs in your spreadsheet, it's important to make sure that you convert the column to the number or the custom (zero) setting; otherwise, you could end up with scientific notation in the UPC. Here are some ways that you can format your Product CSV spreadsheet file in Excel to prevent this from happening:
Number Format
If you are using the "number" format, then you want to make sure you remove the lagging zeroes before the decimal.
Custom Format
If these options do not work for you or you have a zero at the front of your SKU, then you need to convert the UPC column into a text column.
The solution is to use the Data > Text to Columns option in Excel. This will allow you to export the UPC column as a text field. Here's how to do that:
1. Select the UPC column in the Excel File:
2. Select the 'Delimited' option in Excel:
3. Click the 'Comma' option:
4. Choose the 'Text' Data Format:
5. After, hit the finish button, and then you should be able to see your UPCs in a text format:
