--- title: Column Collation (Model Object) description: Column Collation (ColumnCollation) is the collation that the generated format file declares for every column of a source file. --- [Skip to content](https://knowledge.bigenius-x.com/column-collation-model-object#main-content) [Contact us](https://knowledge.bigenius-x.com/kb-tickets/new?hsLang=en) [Go to Customer Portal](https://knowledge.bigenius-x.com/customer-portal?hsLang=en) [![TRI\_Logo\_biGENIUS\_2020\_RGB\_s](https://knowledge.bigenius-x.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Marketing/TRI_Logo_biGENIUS_2020_RGB_s.png?width=150&height=42&name=TRI_Logo_biGENIUS_2020_RGB_s.png)](https://www.bigenius-x.com/) Open main navigation Close main navigation - [Contact us](https://knowledge.bigenius-x.com/kb-tickets/new) - [Go to Customer Portal](https://knowledge.bigenius-x.com/customer-portal) How can we help you? - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. [biGENIUS-X Knowledge Base](https://knowledge.bigenius-x.com/?hsLang=en) 2. [Generators](https://knowledge.bigenius-x.com/generators?hsLang=en) 3. [Properties](https://knowledge.bigenius-x.com/generators?hsLang=en#properties) # Column Collation (Model Object) **Applies to** Platform: Microsoft SQL Server Architecture: Stage Column Collation (`ColumnCollation`) is the collation that the generated format file declares for every column of a source file. For UTF-8 files, set it to `DATABASE_DEFAULT` or leave it empty, and set Code Page to `65001`. The property exists only in the Microsoft SQL Server Stage File generator. ### Where to set it Set Column Collation when you [edit a model object](https://knowledge.bigenius-x.com/edit-a-model-object?hsLang=en) of type Source. It is a text field. Every Stage that reads the Source uses the same value. ### Values - A SQL Server collation name, for example `SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS`: the format file declares this collation for each column. - `DATABASE_DEFAULT` or empty: the format file declares no collation (`""`), and the loaded text gets the collation of the database. ### Default value `SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS`. ### Effect on the generated format file The generator writes one format file per Stage, named after the Stage, for example `load_from_raw_ansi.fmt` for the Stage `load_from_raw_ansi`, which reads the Source `CUSTOMER`. The collation is the last value of each column line: ``` 1 SQLCHAR 0 0 "|" 1 "CUSTOMER_ID" SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS 2 SQLCHAR 0 0 "|" 2 "CUSTOMER" SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS ``` With `DATABASE_DEFAULT` the same lines end with `""`. The spacing is shortened here. ### Example The UTF-8 file `CUSTOMER.csv` contains the name `Müller AG` and the city `Łódź`. The Source has Code Page `65001`, and the Stage database uses `SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS`. - Column Collation `SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS`: the Stage stores `Müller AG`. - Column Collation `DATABASE_DEFAULT`: the Stage stores `Müller AG` and `Lódz`. Characters that the code page of the database collation cannot represent are replaced, as `Ł` by `L` and `ź` by `z` in this example. ### Related articles - Reference: [Code Page (Model Object)](https://knowledge.bigenius-x.com/code-page-model-object?hsLang=en), [Column Delimiter (Model Object)](https://knowledge.bigenius-x.com/column-delimiter-model-object?hsLang=en) - See also: [Model a Stage File Solution](https://knowledge.bigenius-x.com/model-a-stage-file-solution?hsLang=en), [Microsoft SQL Server Stage Files](https://knowledge.bigenius-x.com/microsoft-sql-server-stage-files?hsLang=en) - [Getting started](https://knowledge.bigenius-x.com/getting-started?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Guidelines](https://knowledge.bigenius-x.com/getting-started?hsLang=en#guidelines) - [Start working](https://knowledge.bigenius-x.com/getting-started?hsLang=en#start-working) - [Account](https://knowledge.bigenius-x.com/getting-started?hsLang=en#account) - [General overview](https://knowledge.bigenius-x.com/general-overview?hsLang=en) - 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