Export Record

17 min

The Export Records native action enables you to export records from a specified application to a CSV file. This action provides filtering capabilities, allowing you to define which records to export based on custom criteria, as well as options to limit and paginate the export. The exported data is provided as a downloadable attachment file, along with supporting metadata.

Key Benefits

Native Action: Integrated directly into the playbook builder for streamlined workflow creation.

CSV Export: Exports records to CSV format for easy import into spreadsheets or other systems.

Flexible Filtering: Build complex search queries using multiple conditions and operators.

Field Selection: Export entire records or only specific fields to optimize file size.

Pagination Support: Handle large result sets with limit and page number options.

Large Exports: Exempt from default search limit, allowing exports of more than 1000 records.

At Least Once Execution: Ensures export results are retrieved even if the playbook is retried.

Inputs

The Export Records action requires the following inputs:

Required Inputs

Application: Select an application by either:

Application ID: The unique identifier of the application

Application Name: The name of the application

Note: You must provide either applicationId or applicationName, but not necessarily both.

Filters: Filter conditions to apply to the export. Can be:

Empty/No filters: Exports all records in the application (up to the limit)

Simple filters: Array of filter conditions

Complex filters: Nested clauses with AND/OR logic

Filter Type: How multiple filter conditions are combined:

AND (default): All conditions must be true

OR: At least one condition must be true

Optional Inputs

Return Fields: Specify which fields to export:

All fields (default): Exports complete record data

Specific fields: Exports only the selected field keys

Note: If returnFields is empty or not specified, all fields are exported.

Limit: Maximum number of records to export per page:

Default: No limit (export action is exempt from default search limit)

Maximum: Limited by file size constraints

Minimum: 1 record

Note: The export action can handle larger exports than the Search Records action. However, very large exports may be limited by file size constraints.

Page Number: 0-based page offset for pagination:

Default: 0 (first page)

Use with limit to paginate through large result sets

Deprecated: The offset parameter is deprecated; use pageNumber instead.

File Format: Type of file format to export:

CSV (default): Comma-separated values format

Currently, CSV is the only supported format

Date Filter Type: Optional date filter type for date field filters (minute, hour, day, week, month, quarter, year, allTime).

Filter Operators

The Export Records action supports the same filter operators as Search Records:

equals: Field value exactly matches the specified value

doesNotEqual: Field value does not match the specified value

contains: Field value contains the specified value (for strings)

containsAny: Field value contains any of the specified values

excludes: Field value does not contain the specified value

lessThan: Field value is less than the specified value

lessThanOrEqual: Field value is less than or equal to the specified value

greaterThan: Field value is greater than the specified value

greaterThanOrEqual: Field value is greater than or equal to the specified value

exists: Field exists (has a value)

previous: For date fields, matches previous period

current: For date fields, matches current period

next: For date fields, matches next period

hour: For date fields, matches specific hour

dayOfWeek: For date fields, matches specific day of week

Note: Available operators may vary depending on the field type (text, number, date, etc.).

Returning All Records: If you want to export all records for the application you selected, do not create any filter conditions. However, be aware that very large exports may be limited by file size constraints.

Large Exports: The Export Records action is exempt from the default 1000 record search limit, allowing you to export larger datasets. However, exports are still subject to file size limits.

Configuring the Export Records Action

Step 1: Select Application

From the Inputs tab, select an application:

Choose from the dropdown list of available applications, or

Use an expression to reference an application ID or name dynamically

Step 2: Configure Filter Conditions

Click Add Condition or use the condition builder to create filter conditions.

For each condition:

Field: Click Field to choose the field you want to filter on. Only fields available in the selected application are shown.

Operator: Choose how the filter is evaluated using the Operator dropdown. Available operators depend on the field type (see Filter Operators section above).

Value: Enter or select the value to compare against the chosen field and operator. You can use:

Static values

Playbook properties from upstream actions

Playbook inputs

Expressions

Add Multiple Conditions: Add additional conditions to refine your filter.

Filter Type: Use the ALL/ANY (AND/OR) selector at the top:

ALL (AND): All conditions must be true for a record to be included (default).

ANY (OR): At least one condition must be true for inclusion.

Note: If you don't add any filter conditions, all records in the application will be exported (subject to file size limits).

Step 3: Configure Return Fields

Choose what data to export:

Find entire records: Exports all fields of the matching records (default behavior if no fields are specified).

Return specific fields: Select specific fields to export only those field values, reducing file size and improving performance.

Example: If you only need the tracking ID and status, select only those fields instead of exporting all record data.

Step 4: Configure Limit and Pagination

Include Limit: Enable/disable the limit on the number of records exported.

Default: No limit (export action can handle larger exports)

Maximum: Limited by file size constraints

Minimum: 1 record

Number of records: Set the maximum number of records per export.

Include Page Number: Enable/disable pagination for large result sets.

Page Number: Specify which page of results to export (0-based index).

Page 0: First page (records 1 to limit)

Page 1: Second page (records limit+1 to 2*limit)

And so on...

Example: To export records 1001-2000:

Set Limit to 1000

Set Page Number to 1

Step 5: Configure File Format (Optional)

File Format: Select the export format:

CSV (default): Comma-separated values format

Currently, CSV is the only supported format

Step 6: Apply Changes

Click Apply to save your configuration.

Outputs

The Export Records action provides the following outputs:

Success Output

When the export completes successfully, the action returns:

result.exportFile: An attachment object containing the exported CSV file. This can be:

Downloaded directly

Used in downstream actions (e.g., sent via email, uploaded to cloud storage)

Referenced using attachment properties

result.count: The total number of records exported in this operation.

result.limit: The limit that was applied to this export result.

result.pageNumber: The page number (0-based) that was requested.

result.hasNextPage: A boolean indicating whether there are more pages of results available for export.

Example: Access export results in downstream actions:

# Access the export file attachment
$actions.exportRecordsName.result.exportFile

# Access file name
$actions.exportRecordsName.result.exportFile.file_name

# Access file ID
$actions.exportRecordsName.result.exportFile.file

# Get total count
$actions.exportRecordsName.result.count

# Check if more pages exist
$actions.exportRecordsName.result.hasNextPage

Error Output

If the export fails, the action returns:

error: Error information containing details about why the export failed.

Common Error Scenarios:

Application not found

Invalid filter syntax

Invalid field references

Permission errors

File size limit exceeded

Invalid limit or page number values

CSV File Format

The exported CSV file includes:

Header Row: Contains field keys/names as column headers

Data Rows: Each row represents one record with field values

Encoding: UTF-8 encoding

Quoting: Values containing commas, quotes, or newlines are automatically quoted

Field Formatting:

Dates are formatted according to system timezone settings

Array/multiselect fields are formatted as comma-separated values

Reference fields show formatted record references

Attachment fields show attachment metadata

Use Cases

Example 1: Export All Records

Scenario: Export all records from an application for backup or analysis.

Configuration:

Select the application.

Do not add any filter conditions.

Optionally specify Return Fields to limit exported columns.

Optionally set Limit if you want to paginate large exports.

Result: A CSV file containing all records (or up to the limit) is generated.

Example 2: Export Filtered Records

Scenario: Export only high-priority cases created in the last 30 days.

Configuration:

Select the application.

Add filter conditions:

Condition 1: priority equals "High"

Condition 2: created-date greaterThanOrEqual (30 days ago)

Set Filter Type to AND.

Optionally specify Return Fields to export only relevant columns.

Result: A CSV file containing only matching records is generated.

Example 3: Export Specific Fields

Scenario: Export only essential fields for reporting.

Configuration:

Select the application.

Configure filters as needed.

Select Return specific fields.

Choose only the fields you need (e.g., tracking-id, status, assigned-to, created-date).

Result: A smaller CSV file with only the selected fields, making it easier to work with in spreadsheets.

Example 4: Paginated Export

Scenario: Export large datasets in manageable chunks.

Configuration:

Add an Export Records action.

Set Limit to 5000 (or appropriate chunk size).

Set Page Number to 0 for the first page.

Check result.hasNextPage to determine if more pages exist.

Use a Loop or conditional logic to export additional pages:

If hasNextPage is true, increment pageNumber and export again.

Result: Multiple CSV files are generated, each containing a manageable chunk of records.

Example 5: Export and Send via Email

Scenario: Export records and email them to stakeholders.

Configuration:

Add an Export Records action to generate the CSV file.

Add a Send Notification or HTTP Request action to send an email.

Attach the export file:

Use $actions.exportRecordsName.result.exportFile as the attachment

Result: The CSV file is automatically attached to the email and sent to recipients.

Best Practices

Use Specific Return Fields: When you only need certain fields, specify them in returnFields to reduce file size and improve export performance.

Filter Before Exporting: Use filters to narrow results before exporting to reduce file size and processing time.

Use Pagination for Large Exports: For very large datasets, use pagination to export in manageable chunks and avoid file size limits.

Test Export Size: Test your export configuration with sample data to ensure the resulting file size is manageable.

Handle File Size Limits: Be aware that exports are subject to file size limits. If your export exceeds the limit, use pagination or filters to reduce the export size.

Optimize Filter Conditions:

Use specific filters to narrow results.

Place the most selective filters first.

Use exists operator to check for non-null values.

Consider Field Types: Some field types (attachments, references) may increase file size significantly. Consider excluding them if not needed.

Use Export for Reporting: Export Records is ideal for generating reports, backups, or data transfers to external systems.

Troubleshooting

Export File Not Generated:

Verify filter conditions are correct.

Check that the application contains records matching your criteria.

Review error output for specific error messages.

File Size Limit Exceeded:

Add more specific filter conditions to reduce the number of records.

Use returnFields to export only essential fields.

Use pagination to export in smaller chunks.

Consider splitting the export into multiple actions.

Missing Fields in Export:

If you specified returnFields, ensure the field keys are correct.

Check that fields exist in the application.

Verify field keys match the application's field definitions.

Pagination Not Working:

Ensure pageNumber is 0-based (0 = first page, 1 = second page).

Check that limit is set appropriately.

Verify hasNextPage to determine if more pages exist.

Application Not Found:

Verify the application ID or name is correct.

Ensure the application exists and is accessible.

Check that application references are properly formatted.

Filter Errors:

Verify filter syntax is correct.

Ensure field IDs/keys match application field definitions.

Check that operator is appropriate for the field type.

Validate that filter values match the expected data types.

CSV Formatting Issues:

CSV files automatically handle special characters (commas, quotes, newlines).

Values containing special characters are automatically quoted.

Date formats follow system timezone settings.

Export Feature Not Available:

The Export Records feature must be enabled for your account.

Contact support if you believe this feature should be available.