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Exporting Data

FormVox allows you to export your form responses in multiple formats for external analysis and archiving.

Export Formats

CSV (Comma-Separated Values)

Best for: - Spreadsheet applications (Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice Calc) - Simple data analysis - Importing into other systems

Structure: - One row per response - One column per question - First row contains question titles

JSON (JavaScript Object Notation)

Best for: - Developers and programmers - API integrations - Preserving data structure

Structure: 

{
  "form": {
    "title": "Customer Survey",
    "questions": [...]
  },
  "responses": [
    {
      "submitted": "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z",
      "answers": {
        "q1": "John Doe",
        "q2": "Very satisfied"
      }
    }
  ]
}

Excel (.xlsx)

Best for: - Microsoft Excel users - Advanced analysis with formulas - Sharing with non-technical users

Features: - Formatted columns - Multiple sheets (summary + raw data) - Charts (optional)

ZIP (File Uploads)

For forms with file upload questions, download all uploaded files:

  1. Open the Results view
  2. Click Download uploads or the ZIP icon
  3. All uploaded files are downloaded as a ZIP archive

The ZIP file structure: 

uploads/
├── response_1/
│   ├── document.pdf
│   └── photo.jpg
├── response_2/
│   └── attachment.docx

Note: This option only appears for forms that have file upload questions with submitted files.

How to Export

From the Results View

  1. Open your form
  2. Click Results in the toolbar
  3. Click the Export button
  4. Choose your format (CSV, JSON, or Excel)
  5. Configure options (see below)
  6. Click Download

Export Options

Include: - [ ] Response timestamps - [ ] Response IDs - [ ] Partial responses (incomplete submissions)

Format: - [ ] Include question numbers - [ ] Use question IDs as headers (for JSON) - [ ] Flatten matrix questions

Date Range: - All responses - Last 7 days - Last 30 days - Custom range

Working with Exported Data

In Excel/Spreadsheets

After exporting to CSV or Excel:

  1. Open the file in your spreadsheet application
  2. Use filters to analyze subsets
  3. Create pivot tables for summaries
  4. Build charts for visualization

Tip: For CSV files, use "Data > Text to Columns" if columns don't separate correctly.

In Programming Languages

Using the JSON export:

Python: 

import json

with open('responses.json') as f:
    data = json.load(f)

for response in data['responses']:
    print(response['answers'])

JavaScript: 

const data = require('./responses.json');

data.responses.forEach(response => {
    console.log(response.answers);
});

Automated Exports

Scheduled Exports

Currently, FormVox doesn't support scheduled exports. For regular exports:

  1. Set a calendar reminder
  2. Export manually at regular intervals
  3. Consider using the API for automation

API Export

For developers, use the FormVox API to export programmatically:

curl -H "Authorization: Bearer TOKEN" \
  https://your-nextcloud.com/apps/formvox/api/forms/FORM_ID/responses

See API Reference for details.

Data Privacy

Before Exporting

Consider: - Who will have access to the exported file? - Does it contain personal information? - Are you complying with data protection regulations (GDPR, etc.)?

Sensitive Data

For forms with sensitive data: - Export only what you need - Store exports securely - Delete exports when no longer needed - Anonymize data if possible

Backup and Archiving

Regular Backups

For important forms: 1. Export data regularly (weekly/monthly) 2. Store exports in a secure location 3. Keep multiple versions

Archiving Old Data

To archive and clear old responses: 1. Export all responses 2. Verify the export is complete 3. Delete responses from FormVox 4. Store the export for records

Form File Backup

Remember: The .fvform file itself contains all data: - Form structure - All responses

Backing up the file backs up everything.

Troubleshooting

Large Exports

For forms with many responses: - Use date range filters to export in batches - Choose CSV (smaller file size) - Allow extra time for download

Encoding Issues

If special characters appear incorrectly: - Ensure UTF-8 encoding when opening CSV - Use Excel's "Import" feature instead of double-clicking - Try the Excel (.xlsx) format instead

Missing Data

If responses are missing: - Check date range filters - Verify "include partial responses" if needed - Check form permissions

Next Steps