---
title: "Exporting records"
canonical: "https://support.soutron.net/space/HG/3278271/Exporting%20records"
format: markdown
---
The Export function enables selected records to be either emailed, printed or exported to another application such as Word, Excel or PDF. This is all defined in [Export Administration](https://soutron.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/HG/pages/3278288).

> ℹ️ To be able to use the Export function, the browser must "allow pop-up windows from this site".

> ⚠️ *Note that the output options available depend on what has been enabled in *[*Export Administration*](https://soutron.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/HG/pages/3278288)*.*


---

# Selecting items to be exported

From the [search results table](https://soutron.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/HG/pages/3279434), tick the items that you want to export. Or, from the [full record screen](https://soutron.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/HG/pages/3278317), click **Export**. Then:

- if these are the only items that you will want, click **Export** in the Actions menu
- if you want to do more searching from which you may select further items to export, add items to the [Basket](https://soutron.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/HG/pages/3279058) as you find them by clicking **Add to Basket**. Then view the Basket and click **Export** from there.

You are then taken to the Export Wizard:

![image](media://0f9231e9-8cac-4dc4-9005-e84901b2e90b)

If a [default report](https://soutron.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/HG/pages/3279215) has been specified, it will be displayed in the first drop-down box.

# Step 1: Report Selection

1. From the drop-down list, select which report you want to use
2. Optionally, tick the check box to show the date in the report header
3. Optionally, enter a heading for the report if one has not already been [defined](https://soutron.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/HG/pages/3279211) or you can change the predefined header
4. Optionally, you can define how the records are sorted, either by Content Type, Record Type or field. Up to two levels of sort can be defined.
  Enter the following information:
  Click on the **Continue to Export Method** button to continue, or **Cancel** to return to the search results.

# Step 2: Export Method

![image](media://73055cba-439c-4171-b457-7ee54bb95a11)


> ⚠️ *Note that you may not see all the *[*output options*](https://soutron.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/HG/pages/3279211)* here, depending on what has been* *defined for this report in *[*Export Administration*](https://soutron.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/HG/pages/3278288)*.*

1. Select the required output method:
  - **File** - you do not need to enter a name for the file unless you specifically want to - otherwise the system will name the file Report File
  - **Email** - enter the email addresses and a subject as required
    
    
  - **Print** - if you select the Print option, Step 3 will disappear, because print reports are output in HTML format
2. Click on the **Continue to Export Format** button to continue, **Back to Report Selection** to go back a step, or **Cancel** to return to the search results

# Step 3: Export Format

![image](media://46aeb4d4-a4f6-4517-b578-30d364029b4b)

The default export format is displayed - this is defined in [Report Definition](https://soutron.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/HG/pages/3279211), as are which formats are available for this report.

1. Choose from Excel, PDF, Word, CSV or HTML.
2. If you select Word, PDF or CSV, these have their own additional settings tab which appears:
3. When you have defined the settings, click **Export** to start the export, **Back to Export Method** to go back a step, or **Cancel** to return to the previous screen.

If you try to export more than the pre-set limit (*which is defined in* *[System Configuration Maintenance](#)*), you will see the following message:

![image](media://1af16348-6d4b-451f-9968-b255a0a7bf07)

# Viewing the report

Once you have clicked **Export**, the report is compiled - this may take a few minutes, depending on the number of records being exported.

When the report is ready, you will see the following:

![image](media://109d0d67-74da-474e-96a9-199238affa37)

- Open or save the report as required.
- Click Cancel to return to the search results.

The system may struggle to export the records if there is a large number, due to the limitations of the web: the number of records depends on the speed of your Internet connection. There is a way round this, which is to [save the search](https://soutron.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/HG/pages/3279418), then create a task to run that search and email the results file to you. This is run directly in the database and thus bypasses the web interface.