# Collecting data in other then English Language

**URL:** <https://forum.getodk.org/t/collecting-data-in-other-then-english-language/25369>\
**Category:** Support\
**Tags:** odk-collect, odk-xlsform\
**Created:** [March 9, 2020, 8:01am UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/collecting-data-in-other-then-english-language/25369 "2020-03-09T08:01:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Faryah\_Saeed](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/faryah_saeed/32/10717_2.png) [@Faryah\_Saeed](https://forum.getodk.org/u/Faryah_Saeed)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2020, 8:01am UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/collecting-data-in-other-then-english-language/25369/1 "2020-03-09T08:01:38Z")

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**1. What is the problem? Be very detailed.**  
I had enterd the data in urdu language, while downloading it it displaying symbols

**2. What app or server are you using and on what device and operating system? Include version numbers.**  
I am using through web  
**3. What you have you tried to fix the problem?**  
I was not aware how to solve it  
**4. What steps can we take to reproduce the problem?**  
Inform me the relevant steps I should take  
**5. Anything else we should know or have? If you have a test form or screenshots or logs, attach below.**  
 ![SS](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/uploads/default/original/2X/2/249d5f95b8a92a64c8d235b3550f71a39911a9c9.png)

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**Author:** ![elmps2018](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/elmps2018/32/2063_2.png) [@elmps2018](https://forum.getodk.org/u/elmps2018)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2020, 1:46pm UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/collecting-data-in-other-then-english-language/25369/2 "2020-03-09T13:46:48Z")

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Welcome to the ODK forum, @Faryah_Saeed ! We're glad you're here. When you get a chance, please [introduce yourself on this forum thread](https://forum.getodk.org/t/-/6671).

I am not sure which tools you are using, but in general downloads with complex characters need to be in UTF-8 or similar. See:

> [@Text responses appearing as ? in raw data - Amharic Questionnaire on ODK collect](https://forum.getodk.org/t/text-responses-appearing-as-in-raw-data-amharic-questionnaire-on-odk-collect/25258/3):
>
> I am not sure for Amharic, but for Arabic we have to make sure we download/open everything with UTF-8 encoding. Excel tends to make a mess of this kind of formatting, so we tend to open in something else (I usually just import directly into STATA which can retain UTF-8).