Export survey results (responses, reports) and understand account-level export limits

Once your survey is live and the responses start rolling in, the next step is getting that data out of SurveySparrow so you can analyze, present, or archive it. Whether you want to slice and dice the numbers in a tool like Tableau, Excel, or SPSS, or simply keep a copy on your drive, it only takes a few clicks.

SurveySparrow gives you a single hub where you can export a high-level overview, a formatted report, or the raw response data — in the format that suits your workflow. You can also fine-tune exactly which columns and fields are included, push data straight to a connected destination, share a live report link, and even schedule recurring exports to land in your inbox automatically. In this article, we'll cover everything you need to know.

Exporting responses

1. Open your survey and head to the Results section in the top navigation.

2. Click the download icon in the top-right corner of the Results page to slide open the Downloads panel.

The Downloads panel has three tabs — Overview, Report, and Responses — so you can pick the right kind of file for the job.

The Overview tab lets you download a summary of your results as a PDF or a PPTX (PowerPoint) file. The Report tab works the same way for your formatted report. Just click the download icon next to the format you want.

3. Switch to the Responses tab to export the underlying data. Choose the format that fits your analysis tool:

CSV File
XLSX File
Detailed XLSX File
SPSS File

Click any format and your file is generated within seconds.

4. Every file you generate is listed under Recent Downloads at the bottom of the Downloads panel, complete with its file size and the date it was created. Click Download next to any entry to grab it again without re-generating it.

5. If you need more control over what goes into the file, click on Advanced Options.

6. It opens a panel where you can tailor the export down to the exact columns and fields you need. Configure the following, then choose your format and click Export.

Note: Instead of downloading a file to your device, you can also send your data directly to a connected destination. Click on the share icon next to the downloads icon. Here you can choose to export your Responses (or reports), then pick where it should go:

SFTP
Google Sheets
Excel Online

Sharing reports

1. You can share a live overview of your report with as many people as you like. Click the share icon in the top-right of the Results page, then choose Reports.

2. The default access setting lets anyone with the report link access it. If that works for you, you can simply copy and share the link. But for sensitive data, switch the access setting to Anyone with link and password, set a password, and click Apply. Recipients will then need both the link and the password to view the report.

3. If you don't want to export your report manually every time, schedule it. Click Add Schedule from the share popover to set up automated, recurring delivery straight to your inbox.

4. In the Schedule Reports panel you can configure:

Schedule Name — a label so you can find it later.
Schedule Frequency — every week, month, or year, with the specific day and time it should run.
Response Collected — the time window of responses to include (for example, up to the scheduled day).
Reports — include the Overview and/or the Default Report.
Responses Format — choose which responses to send and in which format (.csv, .xlsx, or .spss).
Additional Options — such as splitting multi-value fields into columns.
Add Emails — the recipients who should receive each scheduled report.

Click Save and your reports will be delivered automatically on the cadence you set.

Tips

Export a specific date range. Use the All Time dropdown at the top of the Responses table to narrow your data to the period you need, then turn on Apply current filter in Advanced Options so only those responses are exported.
Schedule instead of repeating yourself. If you pull the same export regularly, set up a schedule once and let it land in your inbox on time, every time.
Pick the right format for the tool. Use CSV or XLSX for spreadsheets and BI tools, SPSS for statistical analysis, and PDF/PPTX when you need a presentation-ready summary.

Note

When you download a survey with more than 1000 responses, an email will be sent to the user's email address upon completion
From the day of download, the file will be available for instant download under “Recent downloads” for 14 days.

Having trouble exporting responses? If your export stays in Processing or doesn't download, don't worry! Here are a few things you can try:

Clear your browser cache and cookies, then try exporting again.
Try using a different browser.
Open the platform in an Incognito/Private window.
Switch to a different network and try again.

If your downloaded Overview or Report doesn't open, don't worry! As a quick workaround, check the downloaded file name and make sure it ends with the .pdf extension. If it doesn't, simply rename the file, add .pdf, and try opening it again.

Still not working? Reach out to us via chat or email with a screen recording of the export attempt and your browser network logs (HAR file). We'll be happy to look into it and, if needed, verify the export from our end and share the generated file.