Reopen every exported file and compare it with what you intended. You use this whenever a task asks you to save or export in another format: CSV, PDF, or a different document type.
It follows separating requirements from preferences: you now know what the file must contain, so you can verify it.
What should you check after exporting?
Different formats lose different things. Use the check that fits.
- Open it fresh. Close the original, then open the exported file from its folder.
- Check structure. For CSV: header row present, correct number of data rows, no shifted columns. For PDF: correct page count and orientation.
- Check values. Compare two or three numbers with the source. Recalculate one total by hand.
- Check text. Look for cut-off words, missing characters and wrong filename.
- Note the result. Write what you checked in your evidence notes.
Worked example
Invented task for Harbour Bakes (fictional): export the sheet below as sales_total.csv.
| Item | Qty | Price | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roti | 12 | 1.50 | =B2*C2 |
| Kuih | 8 | 2.25 | =B3*C3 |
| Pau | 5 | 4.00 | =B4*C4 |
Export as CSV. Reopen in a plain text view. You should see 4 lines:
Item,Qty,Price,Total
Roti,12,1.5,18
Kuih,8,2.25,18
Pau,5,4,20Checks: 4 lines (1 header and 3 data rows). The Total column holds values 18, 18 and 20, not formulas. Hand check: 12 × 1.5 = 18, 8 × 2.25 = 18, 5 × 4 = 20. Sum of totals: 18 + 18 + 20 = 56; the column adds to 56 as well.
Notice that 1.50 became 1.5. The CSV stores the number, not the display format. If the brief demands two decimals in the file, you must check how your program writes them.
The mistake to watch for
A common slip is to trust the success message.
Mistaken approach: the student exports a wide table to PDF, sees “export complete” and submits it. The last column was cut off and moved to a second page.
The program did exactly what it was told. It was never told to fit the page.
The correction is to open the PDF and look at every page. If a column is cut, change page width or orientation, export again and reopen. Repeat until the file shows what you intended.
Check yourself
1. A CSV has a header and 7 data rows. How many lines should a text view show?
Show answer
8 lines: 1 header plus 7 data rows.
2. A sheet cell holds =B2*C2 with B2 = 6 and C2 = 2.5. What does the CSV contain in that field?
Show answer
The value 15, not the formula. Check: 6 × 2.5 = 15.
3. You rename a word-processor file to end in .pdf to meet a brief. Does that meet the requirement?
Show answer
No. Only the name changed. Use the export or save-as feature to create a true PDF, then reopen it to confirm.
Where this leads next
Verification gives you proof, and next you need to keep it safely. Continue with building evidence without uploading private school files. Practise the whole workflow with the practical workflow practice set.
If you want a teacher to check files with you in real time, see online one-to-one ICT tuition.