Export Settings

Export Settings

Export settings allow you to configure how data is exported from EquiBillBook to various file formats. Proper export configuration ensures data is exported in the correct format with appropriate formatting and structure.

What are Export Settings?

Export settings include:

• Export Format: File formats for export (Excel, CSV, PDF, etc.)
• Export Options: What data to include in exports
• Formatting Options: How exported data is formatted
• File Naming: Default naming convention for exported files
• Column Selection: Which columns to include in exports
• Data Filtering: Filter options for exported data
• Encoding: Character encoding for text exports

Accessing Export Settings

To configure export settings:

1. Navigate to Settings → Other Settings → Export Settings
2. You'll find various export configuration options
3. Configure settings based on your export requirements

Export Format Options

1. Excel Export (.xlsx, .xls)

Export to Microsoft Excel format:

• Format: .xlsx (Excel 2007+) or .xls (Excel 97-2003)
• Include Formatting: Preserve colors, fonts, and styles
• Include Formulas: Export formulas instead of values
• Multiple Sheets: Create multiple sheets for different data
• Auto-fit Columns: Automatically adjust column widths

2. CSV Export (.csv)

Export to comma-separated values format:

• Delimiter: Comma, semicolon, tab, or custom
• Encoding: UTF-8, ASCII, or other encoding
• Quote Fields: Quote all fields or only when needed
• Include Headers: Include column headers in first row
• Date Format: Date format in CSV

3. PDF Export (.pdf)

Export to PDF format:

• Page Size: A4, Letter, or custom
• Orientation: Portrait or Landscape
• Include Formatting: Preserve colors and formatting
• Compression: File size vs quality balance

4. Other Formats

Additional export formats:

• JSON: For data integration
• XML: For structured data exchange
• Text: Plain text format

Key Configuration Areas

1. Default Export Format

Set default export format:

• Preferred Format: Excel, CSV, PDF, or other
• Format by Module: Different formats for different modules
• User Preference: Remember user's last used format

2. Export Options

What to include in exports:

• Include Headers: Column headers in first row
• Include Summary: Summary rows and totals
• Include Filters: Apply current filters to export
• Include Hidden Columns: Export hidden columns
• Include Formulas: Export formulas or calculated values
• Include Formatting: Preserve colors and styles

3. Column Selection

Which columns to export:

• Default Columns: Columns included by default
• Column Order: Order of columns in export
• User Selection: Allow users to select columns
• Required Columns: Columns that must be included

4. Data Formatting

How data is formatted in exports:

• Date Format: Date format in exported file
• Number Format: Number formatting (decimals, separators)
• Currency Format: Currency symbol and format
• Text Encoding: Character encoding (UTF-8 recommended)

5. File Naming

Default file naming convention:

• Naming Pattern: Template for file names
• Include Date: Add date to file name
• Include Time: Add time to file name
• Include Module: Add module name to file name
• Example: "Sales_Report_2024-03-15.xlsx"

Step-by-Step Configuration

Step 1: Set Default Export Format

1. Navigate to Export Settings
2. Choose default export format (Excel is most common)
3. Set format preferences by module if needed
4. Enable "Remember user preference" if desired

Step 2: Configure Export Options

1. Go to Export Settings → Export Options
2. Enable "Include Headers" (recommended)
3. Configure summary and totals inclusion
4. Set filter application options
5. Configure formatting preservation

Step 3: Configure Column Selection

1. Navigate to Export Settings → Column Selection
2. Set default columns to export
3. Configure column order
4. Set required columns that must be included
5. Enable user column selection if needed

Step 4: Configure Data Formatting

1. Go to Export Settings → Data Formatting
2. Set date format for exports
3. Configure number formatting
4. Set currency format
5. Choose text encoding (UTF-8 recommended)

Step 5: Configure File Naming

1. Navigate to Export Settings → File Naming
2. Set file naming pattern
3. Enable date/time inclusion
4. Configure module name inclusion
5. Preview file name format

Step 6: Save Settings

Click "Update" or "Save" to apply your export settings.

Export Settings by Format

Excel Export Settings

• Format: .xlsx (recommended) or .xls
• Include formatting: Yes (for professional appearance)
• Auto-fit columns: Yes
• Multiple sheets: Yes (for complex data)
• Include formulas: Optional (usually export values)

CSV Export Settings

• Delimiter: Comma (standard) or semicolon (for some regions)
• Encoding: UTF-8 (recommended for international characters)
• Quote fields: Yes (for data with commas)
• Include headers: Yes
• Date format: ISO format (YYYY-MM-DD) or regional format

PDF Export Settings

• Page size: A4 or Letter
• Orientation: Portrait (most documents)
• Include formatting: Yes
• Quality: High (for professional documents)

Best Practices

• UTF-8 Encoding: Use UTF-8 for CSV exports to support international characters
• Consistent Formatting: Use consistent date and number formats
• File Naming: Use descriptive file names with dates
• Column Selection: Export only necessary columns to reduce file size
• Test Exports: Test export settings before bulk exports
• Format Selection: Choose format based on use case (Excel for analysis, CSV for import)
• Data Validation: Verify exported data accuracy

Troubleshooting

Exported file cannot be opened?

• Verify file format is correct
• Check if file is corrupted (try exporting again)
• Verify application supports the file format
• Check file extension matches format
• Try different export format

Special characters not displaying correctly?

• Verify encoding is set to UTF-8
• Check if application supports UTF-8
• Try different encoding if needed
• Verify source data encoding

Dates formatted incorrectly in export?

• Check date format setting in export options
• Verify date format matches import requirements
• Use ISO format (YYYY-MM-DD) for compatibility
• Check application date format settings

Excel file too large?

• Export only necessary columns
• Apply filters to reduce data volume
• Export to CSV for large datasets
• Split data into multiple files
• Remove formatting if not needed

Important Notes

• Export settings affect all exports - configure carefully
• Some settings may be format-specific
• Test exports before using for important data
• Verify exported data accuracy
• Keep backups before bulk exports
• Consider file size limits for large exports

Additional Resources

For related information, see:

• Data Import article
• Report Configuration article
• Display Settings article
• Data Export article

Proper export settings configuration ensures data is exported correctly and can be used effectively in other applications. Configure settings based on your export requirements and target applications!