Can I get the missing digits back from the CSV file?

No. Once the file is saved with 4.00638E+12 in a cell, the original digits aren't stored anywhere in it. You have to copy the values again from Shopify, your supplier, or another original source.

Will Shopify reject barcodes in scientific notation?

Shopify's help center doesn't say. Its column reference only says that a barcode without a type prefix is imported as a Custom barcode, so don't count on the import to catch the problem. Check the file before you import it.

Why did my barcodes look fine until I saved the file?

Excel can keep a 13-digit number in full while only displaying it as 4.00638E+12. The digits are lost when you save as CSV with that display, or, for numbers with more than 15 digits, as soon as Excel converts them.

Does the validator also catch barcodes that lost a leading zero?

Not reliably. A barcode that lost its leading zero is still a valid-looking number, and its check digit can still be correct. Compare such barcodes with your original data.

Shopify CSV barcodes turned into 4.00638E+12 after editing in Excel

Excel treated your barcodes or SKUs as numbers and displayed them in scientific notation, such as 4.00638E+12. When the file was saved as CSV, that shortened text replaced the real values, so the last digits are gone. Copy the correct values back from Shopify or your original data, keep those columns as text in Excel, and check the file before you import it.

Ce que vous verrez

Cells in the SKU or barcode column look like 4.00638E+12 or 2.02311E+13 instead of a full number.
After an import, products in Shopify show a barcode or SKU such as 4.00638E+12.
Several variants suddenly share the same barcode or SKU, because different numbers were shortened to the same text.
Barcodes that started with 0 are one digit shorter, for example 036000291452 became 36000291452.

Pourquoi cela arrive

When Excel opens a CSV file or you paste data into it, it converts values that look like numbers into numbers. Microsoft says it converts large numbers to scientific notation and removes leading zeros.
In a cell with the General format, a 12- or 13-digit barcode is often displayed as 4.00638E+12. If you save the file as CSV while the cell shows that, the CSV contains 4.00638E+12, not the original number.
Excel keeps at most 15 significant digits. In a number with 16 or more digits, Microsoft says every digit after the 15th becomes zero, even before any display formatting.
SKUs made only of digits, such as dates or supplier codes, are affected in the same way as barcodes.

Comment corriger

Run the file through the validator. It flags every SKU and barcode that looks like Excel's scientific notation (for example 4.00638E+12) and shows the row it's on.
Don't try to fix these cells by changing the number format. The CSV only contains the shortened text, so formatting 4.00638E+12 as a number gives 4006380000000, which is a different barcode.
Get the correct values from a source that still has them: a fresh export from Shopify (if you haven't imported the broken file yet), your supplier's list, or your inventory system.
Open the CSV in Excel without automatic conversion: go to Data > From Text/CSV, select the file, then choose Transform Data (Edit in some versions). Select the SKU and barcode columns, choose Home > Data Type > Text, select Replace current, then Close & Load.
If you edit in an existing sheet, select the SKU and barcode columns, press Ctrl+1 and choose Text on the Number tab before you paste the correct values. Microsoft notes this doesn't change numbers that are already in the cells.
In Google Sheets, select the columns and choose Format > Number > Plain text before you paste the values.
Save as CSV UTF-8 and run the validator again before you import.

Exemple

Avant

URL handle,Title,SKU,Variant Barcodes,Price
linen-shirt,Linen shirt,2.02311E+13,4.00638E+12,39.00

Après

URL handle,Title,SKU,Variant Barcodes,Price
linen-shirt,Linen shirt,20231105000123,4006381333931,39.00

Both the SKU and the barcode were shortened by Excel. The fix is to copy the original values back, not to reformat the shortened ones.

Comment l'éviter

Open product CSV files with Data > From Text/CSV and set the SKU and barcode columns to Text, instead of double-clicking the file.
In Excel for Microsoft 365 and Excel 2024, you can turn off automatic data conversions under File > Options > Data. Microsoft's options cover removing leading zeros and long numbers with 16 or more digits, so a 12- or 13-digit barcode without a leading zero may still become a number. Importing with the column set to Text is the safer choice.
Check the file with the validator after every edit in a spreadsheet, before you import it into Shopify.

Repérez ce problème avant l'import

Skuvera vérifie votre CSV de produits selon les règles de Shopify dans votre navigateur et signale ce type de problème avant qu'il n'atteigne votre boutique. Gratuit, sans inscription.

Vérifier votre CSV

Foire aux questions

Can I get the missing digits back from the CSV file?: No. Once the file is saved with 4.00638E+12 in a cell, the original digits aren't stored anywhere in it. You have to copy the values again from Shopify, your supplier, or another original source.
Will Shopify reject barcodes in scientific notation?: Shopify's help center doesn't say. Its column reference only says that a barcode without a type prefix is imported as a Custom barcode, so don't count on the import to catch the problem. Check the file before you import it.
Why did my barcodes look fine until I saved the file?: Excel can keep a 13-digit number in full while only displaying it as 4.00638E+12. The digits are lost when you save as CSV with that display, or, for numbers with more than 15 digits, as soon as Excel converts them.
Does the validator also catch barcodes that lost a leading zero?: Not reliably. A barcode that lost its leading zero is still a valid-looking number, and its check digit can still be correct. Compare such barcodes with your original data.

Sources

Keeping leading zeros and large numbersSupport Microsoft · Vérifié le 2 novembre 2026
Set automatic data conversionsSupport Microsoft · Vérifié le 2 novembre 2026
Excel specifications and limitsSupport Microsoft · Vérifié le 2 novembre 2026
Using CSV files to import and export productsCentre d'aide Shopify · Vérifié le 2 novembre 2026

Autres problèmes de données

Mis à jour le 2 novembre 2026