PhantomBuster result files are standard CSV files. If special characters display incorrectly, import the file into Excel using UTF-8 encoding or open it in Google Sheets. If columns appear in a different order between runs, that's normal: column names stay the same, only their position changes based on available data. For large files that exceed Google Sheets' IMPORTDATA limit, download the CSV and import it manually. If LinkedIn Profile Visitor results are missing fields, download the JSON file instead of the CSV.
Special characters are not displaying correctly
If you notice that accents, symbols, or special characters are displaying incorrectly in Excel or another spreadsheet tool, it's likely due to how the file is opened, not the automation's data itself.
How to fix character display in Excel
- Open Excel and go to:
Data > Get Data > From File > From Text/CSV. - Select your .csv file.
- In the import settings:
- Set File Origin to UTF-8
- Set Delimiter to Comma (,)
- Click Load to open the file with proper formatting.
To guide you further, you can check out this step-by-step guide with a video tutorial from Microsoft.
If the issue persists
If characters still display incorrectly, try using Google Sheets instead. It tends to handle special characters more reliably.
You can either:
- Upload the file manually into Google Sheets.
- Use the IMPORTDATA function to import the CSV from a public link.
Only paid plans (Start, Grow and Scale) have access to CSV file URLs. Free plan users won't be able to retrieve the link needed for the "Importdata" function.
→ For detailed steps on both methods, refer to our article: Access and Export your Phantom Results to CSV, Google Sheets, or Other Tools
All data appears in one column (Text to Columns)
If you open your CSV file in Excel and all the data appears squashed into a single column, Excel hasn't recognised the comma as a delimiter. You can fix this with the Text to Columns tool:
- Select the column containing all the data.
- Go to Data > Text to Columns.
- Choose Delimited and click Next.
- Check Comma as the delimiter, uncheck any others, and click Next.
- Click Finish.
Your data will now be split across the correct columns.
To avoid this issue entirely, import your file into Google Sheets instead, it handles CSV delimiters automatically.
Columns may look different between runs
Sometimes your results files from the same Phantom or Workflow won't have the exact same columns in the same order. This is normal and not a bug.
Here's why:
- Columns only appear when data exists: The file is created based on the profiles processed. If the first profile doesn't have a job title, then the jobTitle column won't appear until a later profile has that info.
- That means columns can shift: Depending on which data is available at the start of a run, columns may show up in a different position than in a previous file.
What stays consistent: The column names are always the same (profileUrl, name, headline, imgUrl, etc.), even if they're in a different order.
How to work with your data:
The simplest fix: import your results into Google Sheets: it maps columns by name automatically, so the order doesn't matter.
- If you're sending results to Google Sheets, HubSpot, or other tools, they'll automatically map fields by name for you, so you don't need to worry about column order.
- If you're merging multiple files manually, always combine them by column name instead of column position.
Can't open large results files in Google Sheets
If you see an error like: "Resource at URL contents exceed maximum size," it means the CSV file is too large for Google Sheets to handle using IMPORTDATA.
How to fix it
Download the CSV from your automation and import it manually into Google Sheets via: File > Import > Upload.
→ For the full step-by-step, see: Access and Export your Automation Results - Manual import
Alternative: Use Apache OpenOffice
If your CSV file is very large, try opening it in Apache OpenOffice.
It's free and handles large CSV files better than Excel or Google Sheets without formatting issues.
Data is missing from LinkedIn Profile Visitor results
If your LinkedIn Profile Visitor CSV doesn't include full profile info like complete job history, that's expected. The CSV only includes basic fields.
To get complete data, go to the Results tab in your Phantom console, click More, and download results.json.
→ For detailed steps, see: How to Fix Incomplete LinkedIn Profile Data in CSV Results
Frequently asked questions
Why do special characters look wrong in my PhantomBuster results?
This happens when your spreadsheet tool doesn't use UTF-8 encoding to open the CSV. Import the file through Excel's Data > Get Data > From Text/CSV and set File Origin to UTF-8, or open the file in Google Sheets which handles encoding automatically.
Why are my result file columns in a different order each time?
Columns only appear when data exists for them. If the first profile processed doesn't have a job title, that column won't appear until a later profile does. Column names are always consistent, only their position may shift.
What should I do if my CSV is too large for Google Sheets?
Download the CSV from your Phantom, then import it manually in Google Sheets via File > Import > Upload. You can also use Apache OpenOffice, which handles large CSVs without size limits.
Why is my LinkedIn Profile Visitor CSV missing profile data?
The LinkedIn Profile Visitor only includes basic fields in the CSV. To get complete profile data, go to the Results tab, click More, and download results.json. For a full walkthrough including how to convert it to a spreadsheet, see How to Fix Incomplete LinkedIn Profile Data in CSV Results.