How to Use Export Data to CSV

Export Data to CSV is an automatic action in Willow360 that builds a running, structured report of every file processed by a workflow. Each time a file completes the action, a new row is added to a CSV file stored in your chosen cloud location. Over time, this gives you an organised, always up-to-date record without anyone having to compile it manually.

When to Use

Use Export Data to CSV when:

You need an ongoing record of documents processed by a workflow, such as invoices, expense claims, or submitted forms.
You currently find yourself re-keying information from processed documents into a spreadsheet.
You need a report that is ready to share with finance, compliance teams, or management without manual preparation.
You want to group records automatically by time period, such as by month or year.
Different teams need the same workflow data presented differently, for example a detailed operational report and a high-level summary report generated from the same processed document.

How It Works

A file reaches the Export Data to CSV action in a workflow.

Willow360 calculates the output file name, replacing any dynamic variables with their current values.

If a CSV file with that name already exists in the configured location, a new row is appended to it.

If no file with that name exists yet, Willow360 creates it and adds the first row, including a header row with your configured column names.

The file continues through the rest of the workflow as normal. The CSV report and the processed document are stored independently of each other.

Key Rules and Considerations

Export Data to CSV is an automatic action. It requires no user input and runs without interrupting the workflow.
You can include more than one Export Data to CSV action in a single workflow. This allows you to write different sets of columns to different reports for different audiences. For example, a finance team might receive a detailed payment register while a management report captures only summary figures, both generated automatically from the same processed document.
The file name you configure determines how records are grouped. A static file name means all records ever processed by the workflow accumulate in a single file. A dynamic file name, such as "Invoices [Month] [Year]", means Willow360 automatically creates a new file for each period and adds rows to the relevant one.
The first row of every CSV report is always a header row containing your column names.
The CSV report is stored separately from the documents processed by the workflow. Changing where documents are uploaded does not affect where the CSV is written.
Maximum file name length is 100 characters.
Certain characters are not permitted directly in file names: " # % * : < > ? / \ | ~ &. If you use a metadata variable in the file name and the value contains any of these characters, they are automatically replaced with a hyphen.
Maximum column name and column value length is 100 characters each.

Configuration

There are three things to configure in each Export Data to CSV action.

File Name

Set the name of the CSV output file. You can use a static name or include metadata variables to make it dynamic. Dynamic naming is the most powerful option, as it lets Willow360 automatically group records into separate files based on document content or processing dates.

Examples:

"Invoice Register [Month] [Year]" creates a new file each month.
"Expense Claims [Year]" creates a new file each year.
"Contract Register" accumulates all records in a single file indefinitely.

CSV Columns

Define which data appears as columns in the report. In Simple mode, you pick directly from the metadata available in the workflow. In Advanced mode, you can also customise column names to any text, combine static text with metadata variables in a single column value, set a specific column order, and add or remove columns freely. Column values can be left blank where a downstream system requires a field that Willow360 cannot provide.

Upload Location

Choose where the CSV file is stored. Supported destinations are SharePoint, OneDrive, Google Drive, and Dropbox. You can browse to a specific folder, create a subfolder at the location, and choose whether to use your own credentials or a default user's credentials for the upload. Each Export Data to CSV action in a workflow can write to a different cloud destination if needed.

Combining with AI Data

Export Data to CSV becomes particularly powerful when paired with the AI Data action earlier in the workflow. AI Data reads values directly from document content using OCR and AI, capturing fields like invoice totals, supplier names, dates, and reference numbers automatically. Those extracted values can then be passed directly into the CSV columns, creating a workflow that takes in a document, reads it intelligently, and records the key information into a structured report, all without anyone having to open the document or type a single value.

Practical Examples

Invoice register: AI Data extracts invoice number, supplier, total amount, and due date. Export Data to CSV records each invoice into a monthly report, grouped automatically by month and year. The finance team opens a ready-made register at the end of each month. A second Export Data to CSV action writes a summary report for management containing only the supplier name and total amount.

Expense tracking: Fill in a Form collects expense details from employees. Export Data to CSV accumulates every submission into a running report, ready for the accounting team without any manual consolidation.

Contract register: AI Data extracts contract value, parties, and key dates. Export Data to CSV adds each contract to a live register, updated automatically every time a new contract is processed.

Compliance log: Every document processed by a compliance workflow adds a timestamped row to an audit record, capturing what was processed, when, and what decisions were made.

Best Practices

Use dynamic file names to keep reports manageable. A single file that accumulates records indefinitely can become unwieldy. Grouping by month or year keeps each report focused and easier to share.

Place Export Data to CSV towards the end of the workflow, after any approval or data collection steps, so that only fully processed files contribute rows to the report.

When using multiple Export Data to CSV actions in one workflow, give each a clearly distinct file name so reports do not accidentally overwrite each other.

Choose column names that will be meaningful to whoever receives the report. If the CSV is going to a finance system or a third party, align the column names with what they expect.

If a downstream system requires specific columns that Willow360 cannot always populate, use Advanced mode and leave those column values blank rather than omitting the columns entirely.

Test the action with a small number of files before deploying the workflow widely, and open the resulting CSV to confirm the columns, values, and grouping are working as expected.

Troubleshooting

CSV file not appearing in the destination: Check that the upload location credentials are correctly configured and that the connected cloud account has write access to the chosen folder.

Rows appearing in the wrong file: Check the file name configuration. If a metadata variable used in the file name is missing or returning an unexpected value, records may be written to an unintended file. Review the file history for the processed document to see what value was used.

Column values appearing blank: If a metadata variable is used in a column value but the action that produces it was skipped due to a condition, the variable will be missing and the action will fail. Ensure the metadata source is always available before the Export Data to CSV step, or use static fallback text in Advanced mode.

Action failing with "missing required data": A metadata variable configured in the file name or a column value could not be resolved. Check which action earlier in the workflow provides that data and confirm it is not being skipped.

Related Articles

20 Ways to Unlock the Power of AI Data in Willow360

AI Data: Let Your Documents Tell You What You Need to Know

Unlocking the Power of Metadata in Willow360

FAQs

Q: Does Export Data to CSV modify the document being processed?

A: No. It is not a file-modifying action. The document itself is unchanged. The action only writes to the separate CSV report file.

Q: Can I have more than one Export Data to CSV action in a workflow?

A: Yes. You can add multiple Export Data to CSV actions to the same workflow, each writing to a different file with a different set of columns. This is useful when different teams or systems need the same data presented differently. For example, one export might capture full invoice details for the accounts team, while another records only the document name and approval date for an audit log.

Q: Can the CSV be opened in Excel?

A: Yes. CSV is a standard format that opens directly in Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, and most other spreadsheet applications.

Q: What happens if the cloud destination is unavailable when a file is processed?

A: The action will fail. The file history will record the failure. You can retry the file once the destination is accessible again.

Q: Is the CSV report affected if I edit the workflow after files have been processed?

A: Rows already written to the CSV are not changed. Only files processed after the workflow change will be affected by any updated configuration.