Exporting Data

Export your database records to CSV or JSON for external analysis, backup, or sharing.

Overview

Simpl allows you to export data from any table, with your current filters and sort order applied.

Export panel

Opening Export

Click the Export button in the toolbar to open the export panel.

Export button in toolbar

Export Formats

CSV Export

Comma-separated values, ideal for:

Spreadsheet analysis (Excel, Google Sheets)
Data import into other systems
Simple data sharing

CSV export option

JSON Export

JavaScript Object Notation, ideal for:

Developer workflows
API consumption
Preserving complex data types (arrays, nested objects)

JSON export option

What Gets Exported

Current View

The export includes:

Records matching your current filters
Sorted in your current order
Columns based on your layout settings

All Matching Records

Unlike the paginated list view, exports include all matching records, not just the visible page.

Column Selection

Exported columns follow your layout configuration:

Visible columns are included
Hidden columns are excluded
Column order matches your layout

Performing an Export

Step 1: Set Up Your View

Before exporting:

Apply any needed filters
Set your desired sort order
Configure column visibility in layout

Step 2: Open Export Panel

Click the Export button in the toolbar.

Step 3: Choose Format

Select CSV or JSON based on your needs.

Step 4: Download

Click Export to download the file. The file downloads to your default download location.

Download confirmation

File Naming

Export files are named automatically:

{table_name}_{timestamp}.{format}

Examples:

users_2024-01-15_143022.csv
orders_2024-01-15_143022.json

CSV Format Details

Structure

column1,column2,column3
value1,value2,value3
value1,value2,value3

Special Characters

Values with commas are quoted
Quotes are escaped as double-quotes
Newlines are preserved within quotes

Data Types

Database Type	CSV Output
Text	As-is
Numbers	Numeric string
Booleans	"true" or "false"
Dates	ISO 8601 format
JSON	JSON string
Arrays	JSON array string
Null	Empty cell

JSON Format Details

Structure

[
  {
    "column1": "value1",
    "column2": 123,
    "column3": true
  },
  {
    "column1": "value2",
    "column2": 456,
    "column3": false
  }
]

Data Types

Database Type	JSON Output
Text	String
Numbers	Number
Booleans	Boolean
Dates	ISO 8601 string
JSON	Nested object/array
Arrays	Array
Null	null

Export Limits

Row Limits

For performance, exports have maximum limits:

Large exports are paginated server-side
Very large tables may be truncated
Check row count after export

Timeout

Export queries have the same timeout as regular queries (10 seconds). For very large exports:

Apply filters to reduce dataset size
Export in smaller batches
Consider direct database export for massive datasets

Use Cases

Analysis in Spreadsheets

Filter to relevant data
Export as CSV
Open in Excel or Google Sheets
Create charts, pivot tables, etc.

Backup Selected Data

Filter to critical records
Export as JSON (preserves types)
Store the export file safely

Sharing with Stakeholders

Set up view with relevant columns
Apply appropriate filters
Export as CSV
Share the file

Developer Workflows

Export as JSON
Use in scripts or tests
Import into development databases

Tips

Filter First

Always filter your data before exporting:

Reduces file size
Faster download
More focused data

Check Column Visibility

Before export, review your layout:

Only visible columns are exported
Reorder columns for desired output
Temporarily show columns if needed

Large Datasets

For tables with millions of rows:

Apply strict filters
Consider exporting in date ranges
Use direct database tools for full dumps

Current Limitations

No scheduled exports - Exports are manual, on-demand
No email delivery - Files download directly to browser
Single table - Export one table at a time
No Excel format - Use CSV and open in Excel

Next Steps

Learn about security and data protection
Return to the documentation hub
Contact support for help