Help Center / Reporting

Exporting Reports

Light exports report data as CSV so you can open it in a spreadsheet application, import it into a BI tool, or share it with auditors and stakeholders.

Exporting a report

  1. Open any report in Planning & Reports → Reports
  2. Apply your filters (entity, date range, currency, comparison period)
  3. Click the Export button
  4. Light downloads a CSV file to your browser's default downloads folder

Filename format:

  • Period reports: {reportName}_{startDate}_to_{endDate}.csv
  • Snapshot reports (e.g. Balance Sheet): {reportName}_as_of_{endDate}.csv

Large exports (ledger transactions)

If you're exporting a large number of ledger transactions, Light may prepare the file in the background instead of downloading it immediately. When this happens:

  1. You'll see a message: "Your export is being prepared. You'll be notified when it's ready."
  2. Continue working in Light - the export runs in the background
  3. When the file is ready, a notification appears in your notification panel (top right)
  4. Click the notification to download the CSV. The download link expires in 7 days, so download the file within that time

Smaller exports download instantly as before. Background processing applies only when the dataset is large enough that preparing the file would otherwise delay your workflow.

What the CSV contains

The exported file mirrors what you see on screen:

  • Row labels in the first column (indented to reflect hierarchy)
  • One column per entity, consolidation field (Subtotal, Elimination, Total), or comparison period
  • Header rows showing entity names and period labels
  • Rows with all-zero values are excluded for standard system reports

CSV separator

The separator character (comma or semicolon) follows your organisation's locale setting. If you need to change it, update your CSV separator preference in settings.

Exporting a drilldown

The drilldown view (opened by clicking a cell in any report) also has its own Export button. This exports the underlying ledger transaction lines for that cell as a separate CSV.

Every report in Light has a stable URL. To copy the link:

  1. Navigate to Planning & Reports → Reports
  2. Click the menu (⋮) on any report
  3. Select Link — the URL is copied to your clipboard

Anyone with access to Light and the appropriate permissions can open the link directly. This is the intended way to share a report with a colleague.

Formatting and presenting exported data

After exporting, open the CSV in Excel or Google Sheets to:

  • Apply formatting, fonts, and colours for presentations
  • Build charts and visualisations
  • Add narrative commentary for board packs or management reports
  • Save as PDF for external distribution

Common export use cases

Auditor requests — Export trial balance, balance sheet, P&L, and aged AP/AR reports as CSV. Auditors can import these directly into their analysis tools.

Tax compliance — Export transaction detail by tax code to support VAT returns and income tax schedules.

BI and analytics tools — Import CSVs into Tableau, Power BI, Looker, or similar tools for advanced visualisation.

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