Getting Started: Exporting Responses to Excel, CSV or PDF

    There are 3 ways to export your responses from FormsCentral:

    • Export responses to an Excel spreadsheet, comma separated values (CSV) file or a PDF file showing tabular data
    • Export a response to a PDF file that matches the form design (Note: must have a Basic or Plus account)
    • Export the detail (record) view of a response to a PDF file

     

    Export Responses to an Excel Spreadsheet, Comma Separated Values (CSV) File or a PDF File Showing Tabular Data

     

    You can export the responses you have collected into a tabular format by opening the form file and selecting "Export Responses..." from the File menu. The below dialog will appear.

    Export - Tabular Dailog.PNG

    You can export the response table to an Excel spreadsheet, comma separated values (CSV) file or a PDF file showing tabular data. Additionally, you can choose to export all of the responses or just the ones currently showing (this is only useful if you have a column filter turned on).

     

    When you export to Excel and open the XLS file you will see something like this:

    Export - Excel file.PNG

    Click to view larger image

     

    If you want to represent textual choices as numbers for data analysis purposes you can map the text choices to numbers within FormsCentral using data values. This FAQ explains in more detail. When you do this your exported choices will be shown as numbers in the Excel, CSV and PDF file.

     

    Additionally, if you are using formulas within the response table those will be converted to Excel formulas when you export the responses to Excel.

     

     

    Export a Response to a PDF File That Matches the Form Design

    Paid users (Basic and Plus) of FormsCentral can export a single response as a PDF file. The exported PDF will contain the exported data in the original layout shown in the Design tab page view. This allows you to create a document from the data that you got back from a distributed web or PDF form – this document can be then archived, printed, or sent to others to enable some type of process (like an approval).

     

    You can save a response by going to the View Responses tab and right-clicking on the response you want exported to PDF. Select "Download Response as PDF Form" from the menu. You can also select a row and choose the same option from the File menu. Here is an example of what the exported PDF will look like:

    Export - PDF with design.PNG

    Click to view larger image

     

    If you do not like how the PDF is paginated you can change it using the Page View mode in the Design tab. The Page View mode  shows how the form will be laid out across pages when saved to PDF. You can access the page view mode by selecting it in the lower right corner of the Design tab UI:

    CreatePDF-PageView-ZoomOnChanger.PNG

    Click image to view full size

     

    Based on the paper size chosen (File menu -> Form Setup), page view mode will automatically break the fields up into pages.

    CreatePDF-PageView-ImplicitPageBreak.PNG

    Click image to view full size

     

    You can define your own custom page breaks within page view by clicking the new page button on the item toolbar

    CreatePDF-PageView-ExplicitPageBreak.PNG

    Click image to view full size

     

    Note: Page breaks created in the Web View do not show up in Page View – each view has its own independent page breaks. This allows you to better optimize your form pagination based on the form type (web vs PDF)

     

     

    Export the Detail View of a Response to a PDF File

     

    The detail view within the View Responses tab allows you to see a single response in a more comprehensive summary view.

     

    Go to the View Responses tab and click the View menu in the upper right corner of the UI. Select "Detail View" from the menu.

    1-Menu.png

    On the right side of the screen a panel will appear showing the detail view of a response. There is a toolbar at the bottom of the Detail View panel. Click the left most print button to print it or click the right most button at the bottom of the panel named “Export” to create a PDF. If you choose Export, click OK to export a PDF of the selected response

    2-Detail View.PNG

     

    The PDF created will look like this:

    3-Reader.PNG