Exporting data from FileMaker Pro

You can export FileMaker Pro data to a new file and then open it in another application.

If your FileMaker Pro source file contains summary fields, you can group by a sorted field in order to export subsummary values, such as subtotals generated by a report with grouped data. This process exports one record for each group. For example, if you have a report that totals sales by region, you can export one summary value for each region.

You can also export the contents of a field to a file. See Exporting the contents of a field.

To export FileMaker Pro data to be used in another application:

  1. Open the FileMaker Pro file, and display a layout that shows the records you want to export.
  2. Find and sort the records to export.

    To export grouped subsummary values, include the break field in the sort order, or run the report that generates the subtotals you want. For information about finding and sorting records, see Finding records and Sorting records.

  3. Choose File menu > Export Records.
  4. In the Export Records to File dialog box, type a name and choose a location for the file.

    If you're exporting to XML and applying an XSLT style sheet during export, give the filename an extension that corresponds to the transformed file's format, such as .txt, .htm, or .xml, so that different operating systems can recognize the file correctly.

  5. Choose a file type from Save as type (Windows) or Type (macOS), then click Save.

    Use a file format supported by the application in which you plan to use the exported data. For information about file formats, see Supported import/export file formats.

  6. For After saving, choose an option.
  7. Do one of the following:
    • If you’re exporting to XML, you see the Specify XML and XSL Options dialog box. Continue with step 8.
    • If you’re exporting to any other file type, skip to step 9.
  8. In the Specify XML and XSL Options dialog box, do the following:
    • Specify the XML grammar to use by choosing either the FMPDSORESULT format or the FMPXMLRESULT format.
    • To apply an XSLT style sheet to the XML during export, select Use XSL style sheet and specify the source of the XSLT style sheet. The XSLT source may be a file or the result of an HTTP request.
  9. In the Specify Field Order for Export dialog box, indicate how you want FileMaker Pro to export the data.
    • The tables list defaults to Current Layout (LayoutName) and displays only the visible fields on the current layout. To display all field names from the current table, choose Current Table (TableName) from the list.
    • If the current layout contains panel controls, only the fields that exist on the current panel are displayed in the Specify Field Order for Export dialog box.

    To

    Do this

    Include a field in the export

    Double-click the field name to move it to the Field export order area.

    Include a related field in the export

    Choose the name of the related table from the list in the upper-left corner of the dialog box, and then move the fields you want into the Field export order area.

    Export grouped summary values instead of individual records

    In the fields list on the left, click a summary field whose values you want to summarize. In the Group by area, select each break field by which you want the values summarized. Then click Move.

    When you click Move, FileMaker Pro adds the summary field and one or more grouped summary fields to the Field export order area. (FileMaker Pro adds one grouped summary field for each break field you selected in the Group by area.) The grouped summary fields use the syntax SummaryField by GroupByField, such as "Total Sales by Region."

    Note  You can’t export grouped summary values unless you sorted the data before you started the export process. (The Group by area shows "Unsorted" instead of any fields if data is not sorted.)

    Remove a field from Field export order and prevent its data from being exported

    For Field export order, choose a field, then click Clear.

    Change the export order of the fields

    For Field export order, point to the double arrow to the left of the field name and drag it up or down.

  10. If necessary, for Output file character set, choose the character encoding you want the exported file to use.
  11. If necessary, select Apply current layout’s data formatting to exported data to format field data as it appears on the current layout.

    FileMaker Pro allows you to format fields on a layout, which makes the data look different on the layout than how it is actually stored in the database file. (See Formatting and setting up field objects in Layout mode.) Select Apply current layout’s data formatting to exported data when you want to export number, date, and time data using the field formats specified on the current layout.

    If the current layout formatting can’t be applied when you’re exporting to an Excel file, the Excel file uses the system format.

  12. Click Export.

Notes 

Related topics