Exporting Response Data
What's on this page
About Exporting Response Data
You can export (another word for “download”) all of your participants’ responses to all the questions in your survey. When you export data from Qualtrics, you can save data to your computer for analysis in another software, to share the file with a trusted colleague, or even to import back into another survey. Each row of the file is a different respondent, and each column is a question of the survey they answered, survey metadata (e.g. Recorded Date, IP Address, etc.), contact fields, and any embedded data you may have recorded for each respondent.
Attention: If the export option is missing in your account, it may be due to one of the following:
Exporting Response Data from a Survey
Qtip: If you have a filter applied to data, you will export only the filtered data.
- CSV: A file format that can be opened in a text or spreadsheet editor. If you plan on importing this data back into a survey and your respondents primarily speak English, CSV is a compatible file format. Qtip: Note that if you choose a format other than CSV or TSV, the options presented in the next steps may vary.
- TSV: A file format that can be opened in a text editor or as a spreadsheet in Excel. This file format works better than CSV when data contains special characters or the respondents speak in languages that do not use the English alphabet (or use more characters than the English alphabet, such as à, á, â, etc.). If you plan on importing this data back into a survey, TSV is a compatible file format.
- Excel: Export the data to an XLSX format, which is the preferred format for opening files in Excel. This file format cannot be imported back into Qualtrics.
- XML: A file format that can be opened as a spreadsheet in Excel. This format cannot be imported back into a survey.
- SPSS: This file format is compatible with SPSS, one of the world’s leading statistical softwares, and a staple in many research labs and classrooms. Note that if you do not already have access to SPSS, you should not use this file format. Qtip: For more information about file formats and the differences between them, please visit the Export Formats page.
- Google Drive: Export your data to a Google Sheet in Google Drive. For more information, read our page on Exporting Response Data to Google Drive.
- User Submitted Files: If you included a File Upload or Signature question in your survey, you can use this option to download either the files users uploaded or the signatures they provided. Attention: We recommend that you keep the size of your exports under 1.8 GB.
Qtip: If this option is deselected, only columns currently displayed on the Data tab will export. See Choosing Columns for information on customizing what’s displayed in your Data tab.
Example: If you want to export the data from a single question, make sure that question is the only column displayed in the Data tab, then export the data with Download all fields deselected.
Qtip: If your dataset contains over 100,000 columns, then you will not be able to export the dataset. If you have questions about how to reduce the size of your specific dataset or how to prevent it in future, please contact Qualtrics Support.
Available File Formats
You can choose the file type of your downloaded data. The available file types include CSV, TSV, XML, SPSS, and more.
To learn about each of these file types and how they’re used, see the Data Export Formats support page.
More Export Options
As you’re going through the steps to export your data, you’ll notice that you are asked if you would like to Download all fields, and whether you’d like your data in values or labels. You’ll also notice a lot of extra options will appear when you click More Options. These options determine whether you include line breaks in open-ended feedback, how you recode seen but unanswered questions, whether your export includes randomized data, and more.
To learn more about how each of these options works, see the Data Export Options support page.
Understanding Your Exported Data File
Once you export your data to a CSV or TSV, that file is organized into rows and columns. Each row is a different respondent, and each column is a question of the survey they answered, survey metadata (e.g. Recorded Date, IP Address, etc.), contact fields, and any embedded data you may have recorded for each respondent. But what do each of these “metadata” mean? What do their values mean? What does question data look like?
To learn more, see the Understanding Your Dataset support page.
Manage Downloads
After clicking Download, the Manage Downloads window appears. The Manage Downloads window displays all of your requested downloads and their export progress. Each time you start an export, a new entry appears at the top of the list, detailing several pieces of information:
- Status: Whether the export is In Progress, Failed, or is ready to Download.
- Type: Which export file format was selected.
- Percent Complete: How far along the export has progressed.
- Last Updated: When the export status was last updated.
Large datasets may take a long time to export, but you can leave the page and return later. You can even have multiple downloads running at the same time, starting one download and then immediately beginning another.
When exports are complete, the value of the Status column changes into a download button. The data file automatically downloads to your computer. Clicking on the button also downloads the file to your computer. You can download the file as many times as you would like.
If you leave export jobs in Manage Downloads, you can return at any point by clicking Export Data, Manage Previous Downloads, and download an earlier job. You can also delete an old job from the list by clicking the X to the far right of it.
Data Export Security Measures
Qualtrics takes a few precautionary steps to protect you and your CSV/TSV files from any malicious scripts a respondent would try to type into a Text Entry response.
Your CSV/TSV export puts a single quote in front of any data field that starts with +, -, @, or =. For example, a text comment that says “@Qualtrics you’re the best!” would be exported as “‘@Qualtrics you’re the best!” Note the extra single quote before the @. This prevents Excel from automatically executing a malicious script.
However, if you predict this feature could interfere with any data retrieval scripts you run, have no fear. If Qualtrics knows that the field is a numeric field, it will not add the quote to the front of the data, even if it starts with a + or -. Numeric fields are guaranteed to be safe, since the text required to create a malicious script would be rejected by the numeric validation.
The following fields are considered numeric:
- A text entry question with the Content Validation set to Number
- Embedded data set to Number, Number Set, or Date
Exporting Data in Different Project Types
You can export response data in many different types of projects. The steps and options described on this page apply to the following project types:
There are a few other types of projects where you can export response data. However, there are important differences to keep in mind:
- For Imported Data projects, see Data & Analysis in Imported Data Projects.
- For 360 projects, see Exporting Response Data (360).
- For all other Employee Experience projects, see Exporting Response Data (EX).
- For Conjoint, see Exporting Raw Conjoint Data.
- For MaxDiff, see Exporting Raw MaxDiff Data.
- For Online Reputation Management, see Data & Analysis with Online Reputation Management.
Qtip: While other projects, like dashboards and directories, may also allow you to export data, this support page is solely focused on how to export survey response data from Data & Analysis. For steps on exporting other kinds of data across the XM platform, try narrowing your support site search.
FAQs
How do I filter my responses?
How do I filter my responses?
How can I export an individual response report to PDF? Is it possible to download them all at once?
How can I export an individual response report to PDF? Is it possible to download them all at once?
Unfortunately, exporting all individual responses to PDF at once is not possible. However, you can export all of your responses to a variety of formats (CSV, SPSS, etc.) by using our Export Data feature.
What responses actually count toward my license?
What responses actually count toward my license?
Licensed responses are any completed responses that are not Survey Previews or Survey Tests. Completed responses can include imported responses, finished surveys, and partial surveys that were moved out of responses in progress and recorded. If you ever want to know the exact number of interactions you’ve used, reach out to your Brand Admin. You can also view your response usage by going to Account Settings to view the legacy Account Usage report.
Contact Account Services or your Account Executive prior to importing historical responses, as this may require an update to your license.
What is the difference between downloading the data as numeric values and downloading as choice text?
What is the difference between downloading the data as numeric values and downloading as choice text?
Choice text is the answer choice text participants see when they take the survey. Downloading your data as choice text will give you the text the participants clicked on, rather than a number associated with that option.
For example, in your survey you might ask “Are you willing to participate in this study?” and the answers might be “Yes” and “No”. If you download the numeric values, the data file might show a “1” for anyone who selected Yes and a “2” for anyone who selected No. If you download the choice text, the data file will show the actual text “Yes” and “No” instead
How can I better understand the values I am seeing in my downloaded data file?
How can I better understand the values I am seeing in my downloaded data file?
There are also columns for for scoring categories and Embedded Data fields. Note that if an Embedded Data field is not set in the Survey Flow of the survey, it will not appear in the downloaded data.
Questions each get their own column with results listed underneath. Columns are headed with the question numbers and the first few lines of the question text. Simple questions (Text Entry, Multiple Choice - Single Answer, etc.) will be contained in one column, but more complex questions (Matrix Table, Side by Side, etc.) will be broken across columns. Examine a question’s label and recode values to better navigate and understand these results.
See our Understanding Your Data Set page for more information.
Why is my contact list information not appearing in the downloaded data?
Why is my contact list information not appearing in the downloaded data?
If you forgot to put Embedded Data in the Survey Flow, you can add it to your data retroactively, so long as there are values in the contact list. See the Embedded Data support page for further instruction.
Note that if the contact list information you’re trying to download was not included in the contact list at the time the members took the survey, retroactively adding the Embedded Data fields to the Survey Flow will not add that information to the downloaded data later.
What do the different columns in my downloaded data mean (Status, Finished, External Data Reference)?
What do the different columns in my downloaded data mean (Status, Finished, External Data Reference)?
How do I export my data into a CSV or SPSS file?
How do I export my data into a CSV or SPSS file?
I have a lot of questions in my survey and I would rather not export data for the entire survey. Is there a quick way I can see the entire response for an individual?
I have a lot of questions in my survey and I would rather not export data for the entire survey. Is there a quick way I can see the entire response for an individual?
What are the numbers in my exported data file, and can I change them?
What are the numbers in my exported data file, and can I change them?
How do I export either the answer choice text or the recode values my respondent selected in the survey?
How do I export either the answer choice text or the recode values my respondent selected in the survey?
Why is my exported data file not showing all of my columns of data?
Why is my exported data file not showing all of my columns of data?
Data can also be excluded from the export if you you have a filter applied when you export the data.
If you are missing information that is stored in a contact list, you will want to make sure that you added Embedded Data to your Survey Flow so that your survey knows to collect this information. This Embedded Data can be added retroactively if you forgot the first time. You can find instructions for this on the Embedded Data support page.
How does account usage differ from recorded responses?
How does account usage differ from recorded responses?
Think of recorded responses as the total number of complete responses collected for a survey. This can include individual responses, anonymous responses, imported responses, and more.
Imported responses are billable under the new simplified pricing and packaging plans. If your license is on the new pricing plan, you can check your license’s usage with the Interaction Usage Report. If you are on multiple suites, imports are not currently included in the usage report. If you are not on a new plan, imports are not included in your usage report. Contact Account Services if you have questions about your license.
Account Usage shows you how many responses you’ve collected, labeled as “Allowed Responses.” This excludes imported responses because they are considered separate. If you have questions about pricing for imported responses, reach out to your Account Executive.
That's great! Thank you for your feedback!
Thank you for your feedback!