Why do I see random characters when importing customers?
TB Books · data-migration · Last updated August 18, 2026 · Version 1
This process works in apps: TB Books, TB Sync, TB WMS, TB POS, TB One, TB CRM
This article will teach you why Data Migration mapping dropdowns show garbled text after an Excel upload, and how to save the file as CSV so real column names appear.
Customers, vendors, CRM leads, lead notes, lead contacts, chart of accounts, and opening balances in Organization Settings → Data Migration accept a UTF-8 CSV only. If you upload an Excel workbook (.xlsx or .xls), the mapper reads the file as plain text. Mapping dropdowns then fill with random-looking characters (often starting with PK, or paths like xl/drawings) instead of headers such as Name or Email. That is the spreadsheet’s internal file data, not corrupted customer records. Product Catalog import is different — that wizard does accept Excel.
Steps
- Do not click Import while the mapping dropdowns show garbled text — nothing useful will be created.
- Open the original spreadsheet in Excel or Google Sheets (use the .xlsx file, not a renamed copy).
- Choose File → Save As (Excel) or File → Download (Google Sheets) and pick CSV UTF-8 (.csv).
- Do not only change the file extension from .xlsx to .csv, and do not run the file through a ZIP-to-XLS converter — an .xlsx is already a ZIP of XML.
- Return to Settings → Data Migration (in One, Books, Sync, WMS, POS Lite, or CRM), pick the same import (Customers, Vendors, or CRM), and upload the new .csv.
- Confirm the mapping dropdowns now list real column headers, map Name / Company / First + Last (or the required fields for that import), then import.
Conclusion & best practices
Garbled mapping values after an .xlsx upload are a file-format mismatch, not a broken shop or lost data. Save as CSV UTF-8 and re-upload. Product Catalog is the only Data Migration import that accepts Excel today. If a true CSV still shows junk columns, the file may be the wrong encoding — re-export as CSV UTF-8 and try again.