Exporting data from FileMaker Pro

Exporting data from FileMaker Pro

You can export FileMaker Pro data to a new file and then open it in another application. For example, you can export FileMaker Pro data in the merge (.mer) format and use it for a Microsoft Word Mail Merge.

You can also save records as a spreadsheet for use in Microsoft Excel. For more information, see Saving and sending records as an Excel file. Use export when you want to export records in the current found set or export in a format other than an Excel spreadsheet. Use Save as Excel when you want to create an Excel spreadsheet that contains all the fields you have access to on the current layout.

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. For more information, 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.

If another file with the same name already exists in the same location, the exported file replaces the existing file.

5.

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

Use a file format supported by the application in which you plan to use the exported data. Popular formats include comma-separated text (.csv), tab-separated text (.tab), merge format (.mer), and HTML (.html). For information about file formats, see Supported import/export file formats.

6.

For After saving, choose one or both of the following options:

Choose

To

Automatically open file

Open the file after it is saved

Create email with file as attachment

Create an email with the saved file attached

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.

•

When the Specify Field Order for Export dialog box opens, 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 tab panels, then only the fields that exist on the current tab 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.

To include all fields in the export, click Move All.

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. (You can include related fields before, after, or between other fields being exported.)

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.

To move all fields from the list, click Clear All.

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.

You may not need to change the character set selection. FileMaker Pro automatically selects a suitable character set based on the file format you’re exporting to and the operating system you’re using.

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. (For more information, 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. Clear this option to export number, date, and time data exactly as it is stored in the field. (If you’re exporting to DBF format, this option is not available.)

12.

Click Export.

Notes

•

To use an exported file, open an application that can read the file format, and then open the exported file.

•

To use FileMaker Pro as a data source to serve FileMaker Pro data via ODBC or JDBC, see Sharing FileMaker Pro data via ODBC or JDBC.

•

If you want to save the records as an Excel file instead of exporting them, choose Save/Send Records As > Excel. When you save records as an Excel file, all the fields that you have access to and can see on the current layout are saved. When you export to Excel, you must specify which fields to export.

•

To append data to exported records, you need to use the Save Records As PDF script step.

•

Mac OS: To export FileMaker Pro data to the Address Book application, export your contacts as tab-separated text. Import the contacts in Address Book in the text file format.

Related topics

Saving and sending records as a PDF file

Sending one email message

Sending multiple email messages

Choose	To
Automatically open file	Open the file after it is saved
Create email with file as attachment	Create an email with the saved file attached

To	Do this
Include a field in the export	Double-click the field name to move it to the Field export order area. To include all fields in the export, click Move All.
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. (You can include related fields before, after, or between other fields being exported.)
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. To move all fields from the list, click Clear All.
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.

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