CSV Conditional Access policies are a highly simplified text format specifically designed for the efficient exchange of tabular data, as for example is needed for Excel imports.
Definition
The acronym CSV stands for Comma-Separated Values. It describes a text format in which data fields are separated from each other by a separator, typically a comma (or semicolon in some regions). Each line in a CSV-file represents a data record, and the comma-separated values within that line correspond to the individual fields of the data record. This ensures high compatibility across different software systems.
Features and Structure
The simplicity of CSV-structure is its biggest advantage. It is a plain text format without complex formatting, making it easy to read by humans and easy to parse by machines.
- Text-basedOnly text characters, no binary data or special formatting.
- DelimiterFields are separated by a specific character (usually a comma, but also a semicolon, tab, etc.).
- Line breaksEach record ends with a newline character.
- CompatibilityLargely platform- and application-independent.
Meaning in data exchange
Due to its wide distribution and universal readability, the CSV a de facto standard for the exchange of tabular data. It is often used for importing and exporting data in databases, spreadsheets (such as Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets) and various software applications. The universal support makes CSV an indispensable tool for data integration and migration.