---
title: "Order of fields in output csv"
url: "https://openforis.support/questions/2476/order-of-fields-in-output-csv"
tags: ["collectearth"]
status: "answered"
score: 0
answer_count: 3
asked: "2019-08-29T21:24:10"
last_activity: "2019-09-10T21:33:28"
source: "Open Foris Support - Q&A Forum"
license: "Copyright Open Foris, 2026. Some rights reserved under creative commons license."
---

# Order of fields in output csv

Asked by flandsberg on 2019-08-29

Hi,

When I export CE data in csv, the fields (in columns) don't appear by alphabetical order, which makes it very difficult to navigate the file.

Can something be done about this?

Thanks!

Florence


## Answer (score 0, by Open Foris on 2019-09-01)

Link: https://openforis.support/questions/2476/order-of-fields-in-output-csv/2477

Dear Florence,

So far this is not possible to change. The order of columns is the order to the fields on the survey.

If you need the fields to be ordered alphabetically there is a very simple solution in Excel!

Just open the CSV exported from Collect Earth in Excel (remember these are CSV delimited by commas, which sometimes in Excel does not look right - the columns are mixed - you then need to use the Data-> From text see [LINK][1])


Then go to the Data tab and click on the short menu icon, then on the dialog choose sort options and there pick the option "Sort left to right". Finally you chose that you want to use the row 1 (the attribute names row) to sort by. When you click OK the columns will rearrange following the alphabetical order of the attribute names.


![alt text][2]

![alt text][3]

![alt text][4]


  [1]: https://help.supportability.com.au/article/250-how-to-open-csv-files-safely-with-microsoft-excel
  [2]: http://www.openforis.org/support/upfiles/2019-09-01_11-09-49.png
  [3]: http://www.openforis.org/support/upfiles/2019-09-01_11-13-14.png
  [4]: http://www.openforis.org/support/upfiles/2019-09-01_11-12-03.png


## Answer (score 0, by flandsberg on 2019-09-03)

Link: https://openforis.support/questions/2476/order-of-fields-in-output-csv/2479

Hi OF,

Thanks but actually, the order of the fields in my case is NOT the order in the survey. I have fields that are one after another in the survey that have many columns between them.

I wonder if the order in the csv is not chronological, i.e., based on when the fields were entered in the survey.

I can add an example...

Cheers,

Florence


## Answer (score 0, by Lauri (OF) on 2019-09-06)

Link: https://openforis.support/questions/2476/order-of-fields-in-output-csv/2484

Dear Florence,

Collect data export follows the order of fields according to "Data Structure" view under Schema. That view is also used to organize the order of fields for Collect Mobile data entry and it does not affect to "Entry form" view. Please reorganize your data structure as needed.

Regards, Lauri

> Thanks Lauri, this is great. I will reorganize the fields in the Data Structure interface. Cheers, Florence (flandsberg)