When exporting text data in CSV format, values
beginning with '=', '+' or '-' will usually be
mistaken by spreadsheet applications as formulas
upon CSV import.
That will often cause the cell to display an
error message instead of the actual contents,
such as "#NAME?"
Prefixing them with a single quote makes them
pure text cells. The special single quote
character is usually hidden by the spreadsheet
in that case.
Numbers and other types of values are not affected.
Olivier Dony
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