Proofpoint Data Importing Cleanup of CSV files using NotePad using CRL-F

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How to Clean a Google Workspace CSV File in Notepad

For User Data Import into Proofpoint Essentials

🎯 Purpose

When exporting users from Google Workspace, the CSV file may contain:

  • Extra quotation marks "

  • Double quotes around fields

  • Trailing commas ,

  • Blank rows

  • Special characters

Proofpoint Essentials requires a standard comma-delimited CSV format without unnecessary quotes or formatting errors. If not cleaned properly, the import will fail.

This guide shows how to quickly clean the file using Notepad (Find & Replace).

📌 Before You Start

  • Make a backup copy of the original CSV file.

  • Ensure the file extension remains .csv after saving.

  • Do not open and re-save in Excel after cleaning (Excel may reintroduce formatting).

Step 1 – Open the CSV in Notepad

  1. Locate your exported Google Workspace CSV file.

  2. Right-click the file.

  3. Select Open With → Notepad.

You should now see plain text separated by commas.

Step 2 – Identify Problem Characters

Look for common formatting issues:

  • Double quotation marks: "John Doe"

  • Extra commas: ,,

  • Empty rows at bottom

  • Misaligned rows

Most common issue: unnecessary quotation marks " ".

Step 3 – Remove All Double Quotes

  1. Press CTRL + H (Find and Replace).

  2. In Find what, type:

"

  1. Leave Replace with blank.

  2. Click Replace All.

This removes all quotation marks in one step.

Step 4 – Remove Extra Commas (If Needed)

If you see double commas like:

john@company.com,,User

  1. Press CTRL + H

  2. Find:

,,

  1. Replace with:

,

  1. Click Replace All

Repeat if necessary.

Step 5 – Remove Blank Lines

  1. Scroll to the bottom.

  2. Delete any empty rows manually.

  3. Ensure the file ends cleanly on the last user record.

Step 6 – Review Data Quality

Always manually inspect:

  • Top 5 rows

  • A few rows in the middle

  • Bottom 5 rows

Check for:

  • Proper comma separation

  • No quotes

  • No extra commas

  • No broken lines

  • Consistent number of fields per row

Each row must follow the same structure.

Step 7 – Save Correctly

  1. Click File → Save As

  2. Ensure:

    • File type: All Files

    • Encoding: UTF-8

    • File name ends with .csv

Example:

proofpoint_users_clean.csv

Final Validation Checklist

Before importing into Proofpoint Essentials:

☐ No quotation marks "
☐ No double commas ,,
☐ No blank lines
☐ Comma-delimited only
☐ Consistent column structure
☐ Saved as UTF-8 CSV

Important Note

Proofpoint Essentials requires:

  • Proper CSV comma-separated format

  • No extra quotes or stray characters

  • No malformed rows

If formatting is incorrect, the import will fail.

Quick Reference Summary

Open in Notepad → CTRL + H → Remove " → Fix ,, → Review top/middle/bottom → Save as CSV → Import