What are special characters?
Special characters are symbols that aren't letters or numbers. They often have specific functions in computer systems and programming.
Examples of special characters include:
!(exclamation mark)@(at symbol)#(hash)$(dollar sign)%(percent)^(caret)&(ampersand)*(asterisk)((left bracket))(right bracket)-(hyphen)+(plus)=(equals){}(curly brackets)[](square brackets)\(back slash)/(forward slash):(colon);(semicolon)"(double quote)'(single quote)<(less than)>(greater than)?(question mark)
Why do they cause problems?
In systems like Force24 and others, special characters can be reserved for specific system functions or commands. Including them in file names, form values, or custom fields can lead to:
Errors during file upload or download
Unexpected behaviour in queries or logic
Failed form submissions or data imports
Breakage in code or integrations
Incorrect reporting or search results
For example, characters like \, /, :, *, ?, ", <, >, and | should be avoided in file names, as many operating systems or platforms interpret these in special ways.
Best practice
Where possible, use only standard letters (A–Z), numbers (0–9), spaces, underscores or hyphens when naming files or storing data in custom fields. If you’re not sure whether a character will cause issues, feel free to check with the Force24 support team via live chat.