---
key: data-export-guide
title: Export your data from Nova
audience: staff
section: administration
routes: ["/settings/org/exports", "/settings/org/exports/create", "/settings/org/exports/jobs"]
permissions: ["exports.create"]
features: ["settings.org.exports"]
since: 0.0.1
updated: 0.0.1
status: published
summary: Create an export of your Nova records, choose the format and what to include, download the zip from Export jobs before it expires, and find past exports.
keywords: [backup, download my data, export customers, spreadsheet, csv, excel, zip, copy of records, archive, export jobs]
related: [data-portability-import-export-guide, data-import-guide, data-import-migration-examples]
---

In the sidebar, open **Administration**, then choose **Exports** under **Data**. The **Create Export** page opens at `/settings/org/exports/create`. Past runs are on the **Export jobs** tab at `/settings/org/exports/jobs`, and the short address `/settings/org/exports` opens that tab too.

## Before you start

- Your role needs the export permission. Without it you land on **Export jobs** and the **Create export** tab is not offered.
- Including the files themselves (documents, photos, attachments) also needs permission to download files.
- Plan the smallest export that answers the need. Fewer record groups mean a smaller zip and, often, no approval step.

## Steps

1. Under **Format**, pick **CSV** (the default), **XLSX**, **JSON** or **NDJSON**. CSV and XLSX open in a spreadsheet; the other two keep richer structure for another system.
2. Decide on **Include deleted**. It starts switched on and adds archived and removed records. Switch it off for a plain copy of your live records.
3. Switch on **Include file contents** only when whoever receives the export needs the documents and photos themselves. It adds a zip of file data and makes the export much larger.
4. Under **Record groups**, open an area and switch on each group you want. Type in **Search record groups** to find one by name, use **Select all** to take every group currently shown, or **Clear** to start again.
5. Check **Selection summary**. It counts the chosen groups, flags **Sensitive content** or **Archival history**, and says whether your organization's policy needs an approval before the run starts.
6. Press **Create export run**. When an approval is needed the button reads **Request export approval** instead. If the selection holds restricted or archival records, the **Export restricted or archival data?** dialog asks you to confirm with **Create export**.
7. Nova opens **Export Jobs** with the new run selected. Wait for the run to finish (its status chip turns green and reads completed), then press **Download export zip**. **Download details** saves the small restore-details file Nova reads if you restore this export later.

## What you see

- Each record group in the list shows tags such as **Can restore**, **Can match on restore**, **Includes assets**, **Sensitive** or **Feature disabled**. A group you cannot switch on names the permission or feature it needs.
- **Export presets** lists Nova's recommended bundles of record groups and how many groups each holds, so you can tell whether your selection matches one.
- On **Export jobs**, the buttons **All jobs**, **Queued**, **Running**, **Awaiting approval**, **Completed**, **Failed** and **Canceled** narrow the list. **Refresh** reloads it while a run is still working.
- The selected run shows **Created**, **Current records**, **Rows exported** and **Data processed**, then four tabs: **Overview** (progress for each record type), **Files** (every file with its own download button), **Approvals** (a **Decision note** with **Approve** and **Deny** for the person who decides) and **Audit** (who created, approved or changed the run).
- Every run carries an **Expires** tag. Download the files before that date.

## If something looks different

- The run sits under the **Awaiting approval** filter: the **Export approval policy** at the top of **Export jobs** requires an approval. The approver opens the run's **Approvals** tab, writes a **Decision note** and presses **Approve** or **Deny**.
- **Include file contents** is greyed out: your role cannot download files, so the export can list files but not include them.
- The run's status reads failed, or its zip has expired: do not keep working on the old run. Create a fresh export and download the new file.
- You need to stop a run: press **Cancel** on a run that is still queued or running.

[[route:/settings/org/exports/create|Create an export]]