Export registrant data

Applies to: Social Registry, SP-MIS

What you will do

Export registrant data from OpenSPP to CSV or Excel files for analysis, backup, or preparing data updates.

Before you start

• You need Administrator access (export requires admin permissions)

• Know which fields you need to export

Understanding export

Export serves several purposes:

Purpose	Description
Record keeping	Archive or backup registrant data
Analysis	Analyze data in Excel, Google Sheets, or other tools
Import templates	Get correct headers for importing new data
Update preparation	Get IDs needed to update existing records

Export data

Step 1: Navigate to records

Go to Registry > Browse All (Audit) > All Individuals or All Groups.

Step 2: Select records to export

Select the records you want to export using one of the options below.

Export specific records

Use the search box to find the record(s), then click the checkbox next to the registrant.

Export current page

Click the checkbox in the header row to select all records on the current page.

Export all records

Click the checkbox in the header row, then click the Select all link.

Tip

To see the total number of records, click 10000+ (or the displayed count) in the pagination bar at the top left of the page. This reveals the actual record count.

Step 3: Open export dialog

1. Click the Action button

2. Select Export

Step 4: Choose export format

Select your preferred format:

Format	Best for
CSV	Data analysis tools, programming, universal compatibility
XLSX	Excel users, preserves formatting

Step 5: Select fields to export

The export dialog shows available fields and fields to export:

Section	Description
Available fields	All fields you can add to export
Fields to export	Currently selected fields

To add a field:

• Click the + icon next to a field

To remove a field:

• Click the trash icon in the "Fields to export" list

To see nested fields:

• Click the arrow > next to a field to expand it

Common export fields

The following are among the most commonly exported fields. Use the export dialog to add or remove them from Fields to export.

Individual fields

Field	Description
name	Full name (auto-generated from family/given name)
family_name	Last name / surname
given_name	First name
addl_name	Middle name
birthdate	Date of birth
gender_id	Gender
address	Physical address
email	Email address
phone	Primary phone number
registration_date	Date of registration

Group fields

Field	Description
name	Group name
group_type_id	Type of group (Household, etc.)
address	Physical address
email	Email address
phone	Primary phone number
registration_date	Date of registration

Nested fields

Some fields have nested data. Click the arrow to expand:

• reg_ids > Shows all ID documents

• phone_number_ids > Shows all phone numbers

• tags_ids > Shows all tags

Step 6: Export

Once the format is set and the fields are selected, click Export to download the file.

The file downloads to your computer.

Export for specific purposes

Depending on what you want to achieve with the export, there are different settings to take into consideration. The settings for the most common scenarios are described below.

For analysis or reporting

Export all the fields you need for your analysis:

1. Select all relevant records

2. Add all fields you want to analyze (ex: Created on, Created by, etc..)

3. Choose CSV (for data tools) or XLSX (for Excel)

4. Click Export

For creating import templates

Get a template with correct headers for importing new data:

1. Select just one record (to get the headers)

2. Check "I want to update data (import-compatible export)"

3. Add the fields you will need for import

4. Export the file

5. Open the exported file, delete the ID column, then delete all data rows, keeping only the header row.

6. Fill in your new data

For updating existing records

When you need to update records and import them back:

1. Select the records you want to update

2. Check "I want to update data (import-compatible export)"

3. Click Export

This option:

• Includes the ID column (required for updates)

• Shows only fields that can be imported

• Hides calculated fields (like Age)

After export:

1. Open the file

2. Modify the values you want to change

3. Keep the ID column unchanged

4. Import the file back to update records

Export templates

Save time by creating templates for exports you run frequently. This saves you the work of selecting which exact fields to include and what format to select.

Create a new template

1. Configure your export (select all the fields you need)

2. Click the dropdown arrow next to template selection

3. Click New template

4. Enter a name for your template

5. Click the save icon

Use an existing template

1. Open the Export dialog

2. Click the template dropdown

3. Select your saved template

4. Fields are automatically selected

Are you stuck?

Export option not visible?

• You need Administrator access

• Contact your administrator to request export permissions

Cannot find a field?

• Some fields may be nested (click arrows to expand)

• Some calculated fields are not exportable

• Check if the field is available for the record type (Individual vs Group)

Exported dates look wrong?

• Dates export in YYYY-MM-DD format

• Excel may reformat them based on your regional settings

• Format the column as Text to preserve the original format

Phone numbers missing leading zeros?

• Format the column as Text in Excel after opening

• Or open the CSV in a text editor to see raw values

Export takes too long?

• Export fewer records at a time

• Select fewer fields

• Try CSV format (faster than XLSX)

Need to export more than shown on page?

• Click the header checkbox, then click Select all link

• This selects all records matching your current search/filter

Template not saving?

• Make sure you clicked the save icon after naming the template

• Refresh the page and check if the template appears

Next steps

• Import registrant data - Import data back into OpenSPP

• Search and filter registrants - Filter records before exporting

• Register an individual - Register individuals manually