Export
Export your notebooks and notes as CSV or TXT files — for a backup you keep yourself, for moving data into another app, or for handing a colleague a copy they can open without Neatbase.
Export is available on every plan, and works on Mac. (There's no export on iPhone or iPad.)
Export Options
To export, click the ⋯ (More) menu in the toolbar and choose Export — or use File → Export in the menu bar. The submenu is divided into two sections:
- Notebook — Export all notes in the current notebook.
- Note — Export only the currently selected note (available when a note is selected).
Each section offers two formats: CSV and TXT.
CSV Format
CSV (comma-separated values) exports your data in a format that spreadsheet apps like Excel, Google Sheets, and Numbers can open.
- Field names become column headers.
- Each note becomes a row.
- Field values are written the way they look in the app, not as raw data.
What's in an export
Most fields export exactly what you'd expect. These don't:
| Field type | What lands in the file |
|---|---|
| Checklist | a summary like 3/5 done |
| Comments | a count like 2 comments |
| Image | the word Image (the picture isn't included) |
| Reference | the linked note's ID |
| Toggle | Yes or No |
| Date | formatted for your region, not YYYY-MM-DD |
Divider, Heading, Description, and Button fields are left out, since they hold no data.
Secret fields export their real text, not the dots you see on screen — an export is your data leaving the app on purpose, and masked values would make the file useless as a backup. Store the file somewhere you'd be comfortable keeping the secrets themselves.
Ratings export as a plain number (4), so they sort and average properly in a spreadsheet and come back intact if you re-import.
Checklists, comments, and images are summaries rather than values, so those won't come back as they went out. For a faithful copy of a notebook, duplicate it in the app instead.
When exporting a single note, the file contains one header row and one data row.
A save dialog lets you choose where to save the file. The default filename is based on your notebook or note title.
CSV is the best choice when you want to work with your data in a spreadsheet or import it into another tool.
TXT Format
TXT exports your data as a readable, plain text file.
Each note is formatted with its title, field names and values, and timestamps (created and modified dates). When exporting a full notebook, notes are separated by sections with the notebook name as a header.
TXT is a good choice when you want a simple, human-readable copy of your data.
Platform Availability
Export is currently available on macOS only. It uses the standard Mac save dialog to let you choose the file location.
Shared Notebooks
If you're a participant on a shared notebook (you joined someone else's share, you didn't create it), the Export… menu is greyed out. Export is reserved for the notebook's owner. If you need a copy of the data, ask the owner to export it for you.