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iCalendar conversion problem

Convert Recurring ICS Events to CSV Correctly

Decide whether to export recurrence rules or expanded event instances when converting an iCalendar file to CSV.

Use the matching tool

ICS to CSV

Open ICS to CSV

What the error actually means

A recurring calendar event may be stored as one VEVENT with an RRULE plus exception records. CSV can represent the rule as text or expand occurrences over a chosen date range. These outputs answer different questions and have different row counts.

Likely causes

  • The RRULE was treated as one ordinary event.
  • Exceptions and cancellations were ignored.
  • No expansion date range was chosen.
  • Time-zone transitions shift occurrences.

Recurrence policy

Problem

Assume one VEVENT equals one real-world occurrence

Correct pattern

Export the RRULE or expand instances over a documented date window

A safe repair workflow

  1. 1Identify recurring masters and exceptions.
  2. 2Choose rule-preserving or instance-expanded output.
  3. 3Set a finite expansion range.
  4. 4Compare several occurrences in a calendar app.

How to verify the result

A file that downloads successfully is not automatically a correct file. Check the result at both the structural and business-data levels:

  • Exceptions are respected.
  • Time zones remain correct.
  • The expansion range is documented.
  • Duplicate instances are absent.

Read the deeper guides

Convert a CSV Event List to ICS Without Shifting the TimesPrepare spreadsheet events for calendar import, handle dates and time zones safely, and check the ICS file before adding it to Google, Outlook, or Apple Calendar.How to Clean CSV Data Without Hiding the Original ProblemsLearn practical techniques to clean messy CSV files. Remove duplicates, fix formatting, and standardize data without Excel crashes or complex scripts.