Exporting a Review File to Excel (Create Lists)

Owned by Tammy Poquette, created
Last updated: Nov 01, 2021
6 min read

Create Lists enables you to export selected fields from a review file to a delimited file sent to the client PC. You can import the file into many PC applications, such as spreadsheets and databases.

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Exporting a Review File

Click on Create Lists from the Function menu.

Find the review file to be exported and click on the file to highlight it. In this example, we are using an Item Type Review file. Items have the i in the Type box. A patron review file will have the letter p. A bibliographic review file will have the letter b. Click on Export Records.

Decide what fields to export. This will be the way the review file will be displayed in Excel. Double-click in the box under Type to get the Select Me box. The review file is an item review file, so pick ITEM for Type. Click OK. 

The Type is now ITEM. Double click in the box under Field, this will bring up the Select Me box again. Pick the information to be shown about the item. For example, CALL #. Click OK.

Repeat this process until all the information is included that will be exported. Click on Append to put a line at the bottom. Click Insert to put a line above wherever your cursor is located. Delete will delete the line that is highlighted.

Note: The title of the item can only be found in BIBLIOGRAPHIC.   

   

Tip: use Marc Tag 245 for the title. This will narrow down the choices to just the original title instead of including the alternative titles. Type in the 245 in the MARC FIELD box.

Once all the Fields have been chosen to be exported, click Browse. 

 

This will open the Choose output file located on the computer or laptop. We are going to save this file with a .csv extension to save a few steps when exporting to Excel. Pick where to save the file from the Save In: dropdown. Change the Files of Type to All Files. Make sure to name the file ending in .csv. Click Save.

This will automatically put the file in the file box next to Browse. Click OK.

This will bring up the Exporting message. The message will go away as soon as the file has exported to the destination on the computer or laptop.

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Using a Saved Export

The Export records dialog has Apply Saved Export and Save This Export buttons

Saving Exports

Save This Export allows you to save your export settings to easily apply to another list in the future. When you click this you will be required to give the saved export a name:

IMPORTANT: Start your export name with your library code and include your name and the date

Example: MARMOT(Lloyd) Export Name 10-14-21

This will make it easier to maintain the export list in the future.

Applying an Export

Apply Saved Export will apply a previously saved export to the current list.

Select an export from the list (Sort by export name first to find them easier)

The characteristics of the selected export will appear above

Maintaining Saved Exports

Saved exports can be maintained

Viewing the Excel Spreadsheet

There might be few problems with the display of the BARCODE and DATE fields on the spreadsheet.

 

Tip: to fix the CREATED DATE or any other date field widen the column by putting the cursor on the side edge of the column and dragging it until the entire date can be seen, or double-clicking will widen the column.

Excel does not automatically change your BARCODE field from General to Number. Highlight the BARCODE column.    

The BARCODE has changed from 1.03E +12 to a number. However, it will probably have a few extra decimals at the end.     

The BARCODE column looks normal now.

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Sorting an Excel File

Sorting the spreadsheet helps to find important information about the items in the review file. Highlight the top row of your columns to begin the sorting process.  

 

Go to the Editing box on the HOME.

 

Click on the Sort & Filter dropdown arrow. One option is to use the Custom Sort to sort columns.  

 

Once the Custom Sort is chosen, the Sort box will appear. This will sort of any one of the columns by any of the fields that have been exported. Change the order for A to Z or Z to A. Click OK.

Another option is the Filter instead of the Custom Sort. Filters sort each column individually.

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Saving an Excel Spreadsheet

Click File and Save.  Depending on what version of Windows, change the CSV (Comma delimited) to either Excel Workbook or Excel 97-2003 Workbook. Click Save.

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