IRIS CSV and scientific notation
Excel shows a long number as 1.23457E+08, saves it that way, and the portal rejects the file.
Scientific notation is a short way to write a long number: 1.23457E+08 means roughly 123,457,000. Once a CSV is saved like that, the missing digits are gone from the file.
| Where it shows up | Can it be recovered? | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| TIN typed without dashes | Not from the CSV. From the original workbook, if the cell still holds the whole number (leading zeros are gone either way). | Use the .xlsx, or retype from the W-9. Set the column to Text before saving |
| 9-digit ZIP+4 without a dash | Same as above | Set the column to Text |
| Large money amounts | Only if the original workbook still holds the full number | Use the .xlsx, not a re-saved CSV |
Publication 5717's fix: under the Home tab, open the Number Format drop-down and select Text. The money rule in the formatting guidelines says the same: check for long numbers in money amount fields that may have been formatted in scientific notation, for example 1.045E+5.
One more trap from Publication 5717: reopening a saved .csv in Excel removes the formatting again. Look inside the file with a text editor.
Perfrow reads the real number from an Excel workbook cell when it is there (amounts, TINs and ZIP codes), tells you when it did, writes TINs and ZIP codes as text, and stops on any value whose digits are already lost, which is always the case in a CSV.
Fix the whole file at once
Drop in your blank IRIS template and your spreadsheet. Perfrow cleans every row, tells you which ones need you, and writes CSVs of at most 250 records. It runs in your browser, so names and TINs stay on your computer.
Open the 1099-NEC CSV fixerQuestions
- Why does my IRIS CSV show 1.23E+08 instead of the TIN?
- The spreadsheet stored the TIN as a number and displayed it in scientific notation, then saved that text into the CSV. Format the column as Text before typing or pasting.
- Can the lost digits be restored from the CSV?
- No. The CSV only holds the rounded text. Go back to the original workbook or the W-9.
Other answers: All 54 columns · Required fields · Character limits · State codes · 250-record limit · Why files get rejected · ZIP code format · Date format · Line breaks · Extra spaces · Periods and # · $0.00 cells · Y/N check boxes · Tax year · Error types · Headers do not match · From QuickBooks · TIN format · Key dates