BusinessObjects: Export Data to Excel, CSV, or PDF

Overview

This procedure describes how to:

Important Information

  • Data in the report header or footer does not convert to Excel.
  • Edit report tab names that contain more than 31 characters or any of the following characters: space, colon (:), backslash (\), forward slash (/), question mark (?), asterisk (*), left bracket([) and right bracket (]). Report names with these characters may not convert properly.

Format a Report for Export

To avoid extra columns and rows in the Excel file, follow these steps before exporting a report.

Notes:

  • These instructions use the Properties Panel to access functions. You can also click on the report/table, then right-click to select the needed option, click Format Report/Table and select the function.
  • To retain a copy of the original report, right-click or click the More Report Actions drop-down arrow on the report tab and select Duplicate. Make your changes to the duplicate.
  1. Open the report and verify Design is selected in the upper right-hand corner.
    • If the report is in Reading mode, click the Reading button to toggle to Design.
  2. If the report includes title cells, do the following:
    1. Right-click on a title.
    2. Select Delete.
    3. Repeat for each title cell.
  3. If the report includes a header and/or footer, do the following with nothing selected in the report:
    1. Click the Properties Panel icon Property Panel icon to open the panel.
    2. Click the Report Element Format icon Report Element Format icon to open the tab.
    3. Click the Display Settings icon Display Settings icon to open the tab.
    4. Uncheck the Report header and Report footer box(es).

    Screenshot of the Display Settings tab showing the header and footer checkboxes

  4. To align the table at the top of the page, do the following:
    1. Click the table once to select it.
    2. If the Properties panel is not open, click the Properties Panel icon Property Panel icon, then the Report Element Format icon Report Element Format icon.
    3. Click the Layout Settings icon Layout Settings icon to open the tab.
    4. Edit the Place left side of the table field to 0 inches.
    5. Edit the Place top of the table field to 0 inches.

    5. Screenshot of the Layout Settings tab showing the left side and top inches field

Export the Report

  1. Click the More three-dot menu in the File section of the toolbar and select Export.

    2. Screenshot of the File section of the toolbar showing the More three-dot menu open

  2. Click the export format:
    • Excel
    • PDF
    • HTML - exports a .zip file
    • TXT
    • CSV - exports a .zip file

    3. Screenshot of the Export To window showing the export options

  3. Configure all settings on the Content and Options tabs.
    • The settings differ based on the export format selected. These control options such as pages to export and delimiter values.
  4. Click Export. Reports are automatically downloaded and saved in your browser's default download location.