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Supported import/export file formats

FileMaker Pro and many application programs that you want to exchange data with use a proprietary file format. In order to exchange data, you must export the data from one application in a format that the other application can import. If you’re exchanging data with another application program, check the documentation that came with that program to determine a common intermediary file format that both FileMaker Pro and the other program supports.

For information on how to import or export data, see Importing data into FileMaker Pro or Exporting data from FileMaker Pro.

FileMaker Pro supports the import/export file formats listed in the following table. FileMaker both imports and exports most formats, but a few formats are either import/convert only or export only.

Most file formats support data conversion only and do not import or export formatting such as font, size, style, and color. Some of the formats export or convert field names and field types. For details on a particular format, click its link in the following table.

 

Supported format	Filename extension	Import/convert or export	Notes
Comma-Separated Text format	.csv or .txt	Both	• Works with BASIC programs and applications like Bento.  • Format is also called Comma-Separated Values (CSV).
dBASE III and IV DBF format	.dbf	Both	• Does not support dBASE II DBF format.  • Format retains field names.
FileMaker Pro format	.fmp12	Both	• Import from the current file format.  • Export to the current FileMaker Pro file format.  • Format retains field names.
HTML Table format	.htm	Export only	• Exports data as an HTML table for use as a static web page.
Merge format	.mer	Both	• Good export format for creating form letters in a word processor.  • This export format works well for Microsoft Word Mail Merge.  • Format retains field names.
Microsoft Excel format	.xlsx	Both
Tab-Separated Text format	.tab or .txt	Both	• Works with most applications. If you aren't sure which format to use, try this one first.
XML format	.xml	Both	• In addition to XML files, you can import the XML data result of an HTTP request.

You can also do the following:

•	Import image files or text files from a folder all at once. See Importing a folder of files all at once.

•	OS X: Import from Bento data sources. See Importing Bento data (OS X).

•	Import from ODBC data sources and use FileMaker Pro as ODBC data source to serve FileMaker Pro data. See Querying an ODBC data source from FileMaker Pro and Sharing FileMaker Pro data via ODBC or JDBC.

•	Set up recurring imports so FileMaker Pro updates data automatically the first time you view imported data in a file or lets you use a script to update data on demand. Data imported via recurring import is read-only in FileMaker Pro. See Setting up recurring imports.

•	Publish FileMaker Pro database files to a web page. See Publishing databases on the web.

•	Save a layout as a PDF file that can be used later as a blank form. See Saving and sending records as a PDF file.