Heratio Help Center article. Category: Import/Export.

Exporting Your Data

A Guide for Archivists and Collection Managers

Why Export Data?

You might need to export data from your system to:

• Share records with other institutions
• Create backups
• Generate reports
• Migrate to another system
• Publish online

Export Formats Explained

Quick Export: Single Records

Exporting One Record

┌──────────────────┐
│  View any record │
└────────┬─────────┘
         │
         ▼
┌──────────────────┐
│  Click "Export"  │
│  button          │
└────────┬─────────┘
         │
         ▼
┌──────────────────┐
│  Choose format:  │
│  • EAD           │
│  • Dublin Core   │
│  • PDF           │
└────────┬─────────┘
         │
         ▼
┌──────────────────┐
│  Download file   │
└──────────────────┘

Steps

1. Navigate to any archival description
2. Look for the Export button (usually top right)
3. Select your format
4. File downloads automatically

Export Dashboard

Accessing the Export Dashboard

Navigate to /export to access the export dashboard with format options.

┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    EXPORT DASHBOARD                           │
├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                              │
│   ┌────────────────┐   ┌────────────────┐                   │
│   │  CSV Export    │   │  EAD Export    │                   │
│   │  Spreadsheet   │   │  Finding Aid   │                   │
│   └────────────────┘   └────────────────┘                   │
│                                                              │
│   Export archival descriptions in standard formats           │
│   with filtering by repository, level, and scope.           │
│                                                              │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

CSV Export

Export archival descriptions as ISAD-G compliant CSV:

1. Go to Export → CSV Export
2. Select Repository (optional) to filter records
3. Choose Level of Description (optional)
4. Enter Parent Record Slug to export a specific branch
5. Check Include descendants for hierarchical export
6. Click Export CSV

EAD Export

Export finding aids in EAD 2002 XML format:

1. Go to Export → EAD Export
2. Select a top-level record (fonds or collection)
3. Check Include all descendants for complete hierarchy
4. Click Export EAD XML

Bulk Export: Multiple Records

Using the Clipboard

The clipboard lets you collect records and export them together.

┌──────────────────┐
│  Browse records  │
└────────┬─────────┘
         │
         ▼
┌──────────────────┐
│  Click "Add to   │
│  Clipboard" on   │
│  each record     │
└────────┬─────────┘
         │
         ▼
┌──────────────────┐
│  Go to Clipboard │
│  (top menu)      │
└────────┬─────────┘
         │
         ▼
┌──────────────────┐
│  Review your     │
│  selections      │
└────────┬─────────┘
         │
         ▼
┌──────────────────┐
│  Click "Export"  │
│  Choose format   │
└────────┬─────────┘
         │
         ▼
┌──────────────────┐
│  Download file   │
└──────────────────┘

Steps

1. Search or browse for records
2. Click the clipboard icon on each record you want
3. Click Clipboard in the top menu
4. Review your selection
5. Click Export All
6. Choose format (CSV, EAD, Dublin Core)
7. Download

Sector-Specific Exports

Archives

Museum Objects

Library Items

Digital Assets

Understanding Export Files

CSV Files

Opens in Excel or Google Sheets. Each row is one record.

┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  A           │  B        │  C                │  D          │
├──────────────┼───────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────┤
│  Identifier  │  Title    │  Date             │  Creator    │
├──────────────┼───────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────┤
│  F001        │  Smith    │  1920-1950        │  John Smith │
│              │  Papers   │                   │             │
├──────────────┼───────────┼───────────────────┼─────────────┤
│  F001/S1     │  Corres-  │  1920-1935        │             │
│              │  pondence │                   │             │
└──────────────┴───────────┴───────────────────┴─────────────┘

EAD Files

XML format for archival finding aids. Opens in text editors or specialised software.

<ead>
  <archdesc>
    <did>
      <unitid>F001</unitid>
      <unittitle>Smith Papers</unittitle>
      <unitdate>1920-1950</unitdate>
    </did>
  </archdesc>
</ead>

Dublin Core Files

Simple XML format for sharing metadata.

<record>
  <dc:identifier>F001</dc:identifier>
  <dc:title>Smith Papers</dc:title>
  <dc:date>1920-1950</dc:date>
</record>

Export Settings

What Gets Exported

Field Selection

Some exports let you choose which fields to include:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│        SELECT FIELDS TO EXPORT          │
├─────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  ☑ Identifier                           │
│  ☑ Title                                │
│  ☑ Date                                 │
│  ☑ Creator                              │
│  ☐ Physical description (skip)          │
│  ☑ Scope and content                    │
│  ☐ Access conditions (skip)             │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘

Tips for Good Exports

Before exporting:

• Know what format the recipient needs
• Check if they need digital objects included
• Consider file size for large exports

For sharing with other archives:

• Use EAD format
• Include hierarchy information
• Test with a small export first

For spreadsheet analysis:

• Use CSV format
• Choose only the fields you need
• Large exports may need splitting

For web publishing:

• Use Dublin Core
• Include public records only
• Check access restrictions

Troubleshooting

For technical support, contact your system administrator.