CSV Export

What is CSV Export?

• overview: Export your plan to a spreadsheet‑friendly CSV for backups, analysis, or migration.
• standard format: Works with Excel, Google Sheets, and common data tools.
• round‑trip: Files export in the same schema our importer understands.

How to Export CSV

Step 1: Open Export Dialog

1. Click "Tools" in the toolbar
2. Select "Export Tasks"
3. CSV file downloads automatically

Step 2: File Download

The export creates a file named:

plan-{project-slug}-{YYYYMMDD}.csv

Example: plan-my-project-20250124.csv

The file downloads to your default Downloads folder.

Export Format

Headers and fields

Exported headers match our import schema exactly (case and spacing):

Data Formatting

Dates: YYYY-MM-DD

• 2025-10-21
• 2025-12-03

Duration: Numeric string representing working days

• 0 for milestones
• 1 for same‑day tasks
• 5 for 5‑day tasks

Booleans: Exported as Yes or empty

• milestone: Yes if a milestone
• deliverable: Yes if deliverable

Status: One of

• Not Started
• In Progress
• Completed

What gets exported

Included

• All tasks: Every task currently in your plan
• Dependencies: Predecessor links as a delimited list
• Dates: Start and finish dates (no times)
• Progress: % complete and status
• Metadata: owner, notes, effort, milestone, deliverable

Scope and order

• Scope: The export uses the plan’s task list, not just visible rows
• Order: Tasks are exported in the plan’s current row order

Use cases

Backup and Restore

Scenario: Save a snapshot of your plan before major changes

1. Export current plan to CSV
2. Make changes in Plan Builder
3. If needed, re-import CSV to restore previous state

Analysis in Spreadsheets

Scenario: Analyze plan data in Excel or Google Sheets

1. Export plan to CSV
2. Open in spreadsheet application
3. Create pivot tables, charts, or custom analysis
4. No re-import needed; analysis is read-only

Porting to Other Tools

Scenario: Migrate plan to another project management tool

1. Export plan to CSV
2. Map columns to target tool's format
3. Import into new tool

Note: Column mapping may be required based on target tool.

Sharing with Stakeholders

Scenario: Share plan data with team members who don't have Plan Builder access

1. Export plan to CSV
2. Share CSV file via email or shared drive
3. Recipients can open in Excel/Google Sheets

Round‑trip compatibility

Import → Export → Import

CSV files exported from Plan Builder can be re-imported with:

• Fields preserved: All data round-trips correctly
• Hierarchy preserved: Parent-child relationships maintained
• Dependencies preserved: Predecessor links work correctly
• Dates preserved: Start/finish dates maintained

What may change

Minor formatting changes may occur:

• Date precision: Time components removed (dates only)
• ID regeneration: External IDs preserved; internal IDs may regenerate
• Order: Row order may differ based on sort settings

Tips & best practices

Regular Exports

• Schedule backups: Export weekly or before major changes
• Version naming: Include date in filename for easy identification
• Archive old exports: Keep historical snapshots for comparison

Excel analysis

Common analysis:

• Filter by owner to see workload
• Sort by finish date to see schedule
• Calculate duration percentages
• Create charts for progress visualization

Formulas:

• SUMIF() for effort by owner
• COUNTIF() for tasks by status
• AVERAGE() for duration statistics

CSV editing

Before re-importing:

• Keep date format as YYYY-MM-DD
• Don't remove or rename columns
• Ensure predecessor IDs match task IDs
• Maintain Level column for hierarchy

Handling large plans

• Performance: CSV exports handle 1000+ tasks efficiently
• File size: Typical plan (100 tasks) ~10-20 KB
• Loading: Large CSVs may take a few seconds to download

Troubleshooting

Export file won't download

Answer: Check browser download settings. The file may be blocked or saved to an unexpected location.

CSV looks garbled in Excel

Answer: Open the CSV with UTF‑8 encoding. In Excel: Data → Get Data → From File → From Text/CSV → choose UTF‑8.

Can I export specific columns only?

Answer: Not currently. Export includes all headers listed above. Use spreadsheet filters to hide unwanted columns.

Does export include deleted tasks?

Answer: No. Export includes only the tasks currently in the plan.

Can I export to other formats?

Answer: CSV is the standard format. Use your spreadsheet app to convert to Excel (.xlsx) or PDF.

Last updated: 2025-10-24