CSV Cleanup Python Script: Offline Deduplication Tool, Audit Reports & Reusable Settings

Tidy CSV — Offline Python Cleanup Kit

Clean recurring CSV exports with a dependency-free Python command-line tool. Preview changes, remove blank records, match duplicates and keep a separate record of removed rows.

FOR BUYERS WHO ALREADY USE PYTHON
Python 3.10+ and a terminal are required. This is not an Excel add-in or graphical app. Python setup, custom cleanup and integration services are not included. Tested directly on Linux; Windows/macOS command guidance is included but those operating systems have not been tested directly.

WHAT IT DOES
• Trims whitespace at cell edges, optionally.
• Removes entirely blank records, optionally.
• Removes exact duplicates across all columns or selected key columns; keeps the first match.
• Previews counts and the first 10 kept records before any export.
• Creates clean.csv, removed.csv, audit.json and reusable settings.json in a new folder.
• Processes UTF-8 comma, semicolon and tab-separated text locally, with no network requests or external Python packages.
• Prefixes formula-like exported cells with an apostrophe by default, including negative numbers; can be disabled. This is a precaution, not a universal spreadsheet safety guarantee.

INCLUDED
Python source, quick-start/usage guide, synthetic sample CSV and expected sample outputs. Sample: 6 input records = 4 kept + 2 removed (1 blank, 1 duplicate). Original software created with AI assistance. Tested with 19 automated checks covering parsing, cleanup, exports, limits, profiles and source-file preservation.

LIMITS
One file at a time. Up to 5 MB, 50,000 data records and 100 columns. Unique non-blank headers required. No XLSX/XLS, workbook formatting, fuzzy matching, automatic number/date conversion or guarantee of acceptance by another system. Duplicate matching is case-sensitive; blank keys can match. Keep original files and inspect the result before using it. Import identifier columns as text in your spreadsheet app to retain leading zeroes.

Digital download only. License: one purchaser or an internal team of up to 5 users; internal client-file processing allowed. No redistribution, resale or hosted download access for others. No ongoing service or subscription. For defects, contact through Etsy Messages from your order with a synthetic reproduction; do not send confidential files. Applicable buyer rights are unaffected.