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Federal Election Commission | United States of America

Data conversion tools

After January 3, 2008, all electronically filed reports uploaded to the FEC contain the ASCII 28 value as the field delimiter. The FEC Convert Tools have been created to facilitate the viewing of these reports. The tools provided on this page contain an excel macro (ViewFECfiling.xls) for converting uploaded .fec reports to a MS Excel spreadsheet and a conversion executable file (fs2comma.exe) to convert .fec reports to a comma separated variable (.csv) file.

Downloading data conversion tools

Download the Data Conversion Tools.

Downloading will open a download session window. Click Save, select the desired location for saving the file (such as your desktop) and start the download.

Using data conversion tools

Viewing ASCII 28 FEC files in Excel

  1. Ensure Excel Macro Security is set to Medium under Tools : Options : Security Tab : Macro Security from the menu bar.
  2. Double click the ViewFECfiling.xls file.
  3. Click the Enable Macro button. A window titled Open will appear.
  4. Browse for the FEC filing to view within Excel and select it.
  5. Click the Open button.
  6. The FEC filing will open in Excel separating the fields into different columns based on the new delimiter (ASCII Character 28).

Note: To save the filing in another format, click the File : Save as option on the menu bar.

Converting ASCII 28 FEC files to .csv files

To convert FEC filings delimited from the ASCII 28 delimiter to .csv file:

  1. Drag and drop any V6.1 FEC filing onto the fs2comma.exe and a .csv file will be generated.
  2. Command line usage: fs2comma 123.fec [out.csv]. If the second parameter is specified, that will be used as the output. if not, 123.csv will be the output.

Need help?

Get help from the FEC by phone or email

This information is not intended to replace the law or to change its meaning, nor does this information create or confer any rights for or on any person or bind the Federal Election Commission or the public.

The reader is encouraged also to consult the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (52 U.S.C. 30101 et seq.), Commission regulations (Title 11 of the Code of Federal Regulations), Commission advisory opinions and applicable court decisions.