How to encode a hyperlink in CSV formatted file?

For when automagicalism doesn't work, and you're definitely using Excel, use this as the field content.

=HYPERLINK("http://stackoverflow.com")

This worked for me:

1. Use the =HYPERLINK function, the first parameter is the web link, the second is the cell value.
2. Put " quotes around the entire function.
3. Escape the internal quotes within the function with two sets of quotes, i.e., ""

Here's a four-column comma-delimited example.csv:

5,6,"=HYPERLINK(""http://www.yahoo.com"";""See Yahoo"")",8

When a spreadsheet program (LibreOffice, etc.) opens this .csv, it creates an active link for you.