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Exports

Arthalekha allows you to export your financial data to CSV format for external analysis, backup, or sharing. Exports work with your current filters, letting you download exactly the data you need.

Import Data Too

You can also import data from CSV files. See Imports for details.

Why Export Data?​

Detailed Analysis​

Export to spreadsheet software for:

  • Pivot tables and charts
  • Custom calculations
  • Advanced filtering and sorting
  • Trend analysis

Record Keeping​

Keep external copies for:

  • Tax documentation
  • Financial records
  • Backup purposes
  • Historical reference

Sharing​

Share financial data for:

  • Family budget discussions
  • Accountant review
  • Loan applications
  • Expense reports

What Can Be Exported?​

Incomes​

Export income records including:

  • Description
  • Amount
  • Date
  • Account
  • Person
  • Tags

Expenses​

Export expense records including:

  • Description
  • Amount
  • Date
  • Account
  • Person
  • Tags

Transfers​

Export transfer records including:

  • Description
  • Amount
  • Date
  • Source account (debtor)
  • Destination account (creditor)
  • Tags

How to Export​

Basic Export​

  1. Navigate to the list (Incomes, Expenses, or Transfers)
  2. Apply any desired filters (date range, account, etc.)
  3. Click the "Export" or "Download CSV" button
  4. The file downloads to your computer

Filtered Exports​

Exports respect your current filters:

  • Only filtered transactions are included
  • Use filters to export specific subsets
  • Combine filters for precise exports

Export Examples​

All expenses for the month:

  1. Go to Expenses
  2. Set date filter to the month
  3. Export

Food expenses for the quarter:

  1. Go to Expenses
  2. Set date filter to the quarter
  3. Filter by "Food" tag
  4. Export

One person's transactions:

  1. Go to Expenses (or Incomes)
  2. Filter by person
  3. Set date range
  4. Export

CSV Format​

What is CSV?​

CSV (Comma-Separated Values) is a simple text format that:

  • Opens in Excel, Google Sheets, Numbers
  • Can be imported into any spreadsheet software
  • Is human-readable in text editors
  • Works with most data analysis tools

File Structure​

Exported CSV files include:

  • Header row with column names
  • One row per transaction
  • Comma-separated values
  • Proper quoting for special characters

Sample CSV Content​

Description,Amount,Date,Account,Person,Tags
"Monthly Salary",75000,"2024-01-01","HDFC Salary","Dad","Salary"
"Freelance Project",15000,"2024-01-15","HDFC Salary","Dad","Freelance,Income"

Using Exported Data​

In Microsoft Excel​

  1. Open Excel
  2. Open the downloaded CSV file
  3. Data appears in columns
  4. Use Excel features for analysis

In Google Sheets​

  1. Go to Google Sheets
  2. File → Import → Upload
  3. Select the CSV file
  4. Data imports into a new sheet

In Other Tools​

CSV files work with:

  • Apple Numbers
  • LibreOffice Calc
  • Data analysis tools (Python pandas, R)
  • Database import utilities

Analysis Ideas​

Category Breakdown​

After exporting:

  1. Import into spreadsheet
  2. Create pivot table by tag/category
  3. Sum amounts per category
  4. Create pie chart

After exporting several months:

  1. Combine exports or export longer range
  2. Group by month
  3. Create trend charts
  4. Compare month-over-month

Person Comparison​

After exporting:

  1. Create pivot table by person
  2. Sum amounts
  3. Compare spending across family members

Vendor Analysis​

After exporting:

  1. Filter or sort by description
  2. Group similar vendors
  3. See where money goes

Best Practices​

Regular Exports​

Consider regular exports for:

  • Monthly backup of transactions
  • Quarterly detailed analysis
  • Annual tax preparation

Consistent Naming​

Name export files descriptively:

  • expenses-january-2024.csv
  • income-q1-2024.csv
  • food-expenses-2024.csv

Secure Storage​

Store exported files securely:

  • Financial data is sensitive
  • Use encrypted storage if needed
  • Don't share carelessly

Keep Filters Noted​

Remember what filters were applied:

  • Note in the filename
  • Keep a record of export parameters
  • Helps when reviewing later

Limitations​

What's NOT Exported​

Exports may not include:

  • Calculated totals (you calculate in spreadsheet)
  • Charts and graphs (data only)
  • Account balances (transactions only)

Format Limitations​

CSV format:

  • Is plain text (no formatting)
  • Doesn't include formulas
  • May need cleanup for some special characters