A CSV is the most universal format for data — every database can export one, every spreadsheet can produce one, and every team has dozens of them sitting in folders and email threads. The problem is that a CSV in a folder is just a file. You can open it, sort it, filter it — but you can't ask it a question. askFinz Knowledge is coming to change that: upload a CSV and every row and column becomes searchable and usable in plain language, right inside the same workspace where you do your research and analysis.
What changes when a CSV is uploaded
Spreadsheets are powerful — but they require you to know what you're looking for before you look. You filter by a column value, you sort by a date, you write a VLOOKUP. All of that assumes you already know the structure of the data well enough to navigate it. For a file you've just received or haven't opened in three months, that's often more work than the question is worth.
With Knowledge, you skip straight to the question. Upload a CSV of customer feedback and ask "what are the most common complaints in the last 30 days?" — Knowledge reads the file and returns the themes. Upload a sales export and ask "which regions had below-average performance last quarter?" — Chat finds the rows and gives you the answer. Upload a supplier price list and ask "which suppliers offer the lowest unit price for component X?" — Knowledge finds it without a filter or a formula.
The data in the CSV stays attached to the question it came from. In Research, you can use a CSV as a primary source — upload last year's performance data and Research will cite specific rows when building its analysis, so the output is grounded in your own numbers, not in general knowledge.
Everyday examples
- A marketing analyst uploads a campaign performance export and asks "which ad sets had a cost per click below our target?" — Knowledge finds the rows matching the condition and returns the list.
- A procurement manager uploads a vendor quote CSV and asks "which vendor offers the best price per unit for our top three materials?" — Chat builds the comparison across the file.
- An HR team uploads a headcount export and asks "which departments have added headcount above their approved plan?" — Knowledge identifies the rows where actuals exceed targets.
- A finance team uploads a budget-vs-actuals CSV and asks "where are we most significantly over budget?" — Research builds the summary with the specific line items as supporting evidence.
Why CSV upload is the simplest starting point
Not every team is ready to connect a live system. CSV upload means any dataset — exported from any source, at any point in time — can become searchable knowledge immediately. There's no integration to configure, no access to manage. If you can export a file, you can bring it into askFinz and start asking questions about it.
askFinz Knowledge with CSV upload is on the roadmap. See what Knowledge can do and join the waitlist to be among the first to try it.