Exporting data

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of Exporting data

    The ServiceNow AI Platform provides flexible options for exporting data from your instance in multiple formats, directly supporting various business needs such as reporting, sharing, and integration. You can export individual records or multiple records from lists and tables, either interactively or programmatically, depending on your role and permissions.

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    Key Features

    • Export Individual Records: Export a single record to PDF or XML directly from a form. PDF export is available to all users; XML export requires admin role.
    • Export Multiple Records from Lists: Export records from a list in formats including CSV, Excel, PDF, XML, JSON, or Google Sheets. Most formats are accessible to all users except XML (admin only) and Export Set (requires exportsetadmin or admin roles).
    • Export via URL or Web Services: Export data using URL parameters or automate exports using REST or SOAP web services, enabling integration with external applications.
    • Export Sets: Push data to external files by creating export sets, useful for bulk exports and integration scenarios.
    • Role-Based Access Control: Export capabilities vary by user role, ensuring secure data handling aligned with organizational policies.

    Export Formats and Practical Use

    • CSV: Export currently displayed fields as comma-separated values, ideal for text-based data exchange and manipulation. Supports configuration of fields and uses Windows-1252 encoding by default (can be changed to UTF-8 for translated data).
    • Excel: Export data as Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, preserving the visible fields for easy analysis and sharing.
    • XML: Export complete table data or individual records in XML format, useful for data migration and integration. Note that image fields are not preserved.
    • PDF: Export a snapshot of displayed fields as a PDF document, suited for human-readable reports. Note that right-to-left languages may have rendering issues.
    • JSON: Export data as JSON strings, supporting integration with modern web services and APIs.
    • Google Sheets: Export directly to cloud-based Google Sheets, enabling real-time online editing and collaboration without intermediate file handling.

    Column Headers in Exported Files

    The format of column headers depends on the export file type, which affects data usability:

    • Human-readable formats (PDF, Excel) use column labels for clarity.
    • Machine-readable formats (CSV, XML, JSON) use database field names to support automation and integration.

    Export data from the ServiceNow AI Platform in a variety of formats.

    Key benefits

    • Export an individual record to a PDF or XML file directly from a form. See Export data from a record.
    • Export multiple records to a CSV, Excel, PDF, XML, or Google Sheets file directly from a list. See Export data from a list.
    • Export multiple records from a table using the CSV, Excel, PDF, or XML processor in a URL with optional parameters. See Export directly from a URL.
    You can also export data from your instance using the following options:
    • Export multiple records from a table via a web services request. For example, you can create an external application or process to automate the retrieval of data from an instance via web services such as REST or SOAP. For more information, see Web services.
    • Push all the data that you want to export to an external file by creating an export set. For more information, see Export sets.

    Associated roles

    You can export form data to PDF or XML, depending on your role.
    • The PDF options are available to all users.
    • The XML option is only available to users with the admin role.
    You can export records in a list to Excel, CSV, XML, JSON, PDF, or an Export Set depending on your role.
    • The Excel, CSV, JSON, PDF, and Google Sheets options are available to all users.
    • The XML option is only available to users with the admin role.
    • The Export Set option is only available to users with the export_set_admin or admin role.

    Export formats

    Table 1. Available export formats
    Export format Description
    CSV

    Export table records as a comma-separated value text file. Use this option to export the currently displayed fields in the list or form as a text file. Configure the list or form to add or remove fields from the export. When exported to CSV, dot-walked fields appear using their full field name, such as u_assignment_group.parent.

    Note:
    By default, ServiceNow exports all CSV files in Windows-1252 encoding. If you need to export translated data, set the glide.export.csv.charset system property to UTF-8.
    Excel Export table records as a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. Use this option to export the currently displayed fields in the list or form as an Excel spreadsheet. Configure the list or form to add or remove fields from the export.
    XML Export table records as an XML document. Use this option to export all data from a table or all data for a particular record. The XML file has an XML element for each column in the table. See Exporting and importing data via XML.
    Note:
    Image field data is not preserved when exporting to XML.
    PDF

    Export table records as a Portable Document Format file. Use this option to export the currently displayed fields in the list or form as a PDF file. Configure the list or form to add or remove fields from the export.

    Note:
    The PDF export processor prints data from left-to-right, which can produce rendering errors when displaying right-to-left language data.
    JSON Export the table records as a JSON string. The JSON file has an element for each column in the table.
    Google Sheets Export table records directly to cloud-based spreadsheets in Google Drive without going through extra steps. The exported file retains the structure of the original table, including rows and columns. You can view, edit and share these Google Sheets online in real time.

    Column headers

    The file type you export to, such as CSV or PDF, determines how column headers are exported. In general, formats meant for human consumption such as PDF display the column label, whereas formats meant for machine use, such as CSV, use the database field_name.
    Table 2. Header format by file type
    File type Column header format
    Excel Label
    PDF Label
    CSV field_name
    XML field_name
    JSON field_name