Requesting An Up To Date CSV File Of A Report's Results

Requesting An Up To Date CSV File Of A Report's Results

What Is A CSV File?

CSV stands for comma-separated values and is a file format that can be handled by many different applications. It's usually opened in a spreadsheet programme like Excel or Numbers and contains only the data, without any formatting. It's a useful format for reports as the format can be used to upload data to a number of different sources without having to use a specific file format for the application you're using.

Why Do I Need To Request A New File Each Time?

Action Network displays a summary of your Report's results, but only generates a downloadable file when requested. This means that any previously generated CSV files will act as a snapshot of your Report results at the time it was generated. Generating files only when requested reduces the amount of work the server has to do, ultimately saving energy and reducing the environmental impact of continuously running Reports.

How Do I Generate A New CSV File With Updated Results?

1. Open up the Report you wish to download and select Refresh Targeting beneath the Report name. This will ensure your report contains the most up-to-date information available.



2. Usually the Report will refresh within a few seconds, but for larger Reports you may have to wait. You can leave this page and wait for an email confirmation to let you know the Report has finished calculating. It'll look something like this:
Your report, "All Activists", has finished calculating. It currently targets 420 activists. Click here to preview your report and perform other tasks such as requesting a download of your data.
3. One the Report has finished calculating you can click on the Generate link which can be found in the second white box on the right-hand side of the page.



4. You'll receive a confirmation message in the top right of the page.



5. You'll shortly receive an email confirming your Report is ready to download. It'll include a link to click. Clicking on this link should automatically start the download of the new CSV file.
Your report, "All Activists", targeting 0 activists, is ready to download. Click here to download your data. 
6. If the download does not begin automatically, or you're accessing the Report page via Action Network rather than the link in the email you can just click on the Download link in the first white box on the right-hand side of the page.










Remember, you have an obligation to handle Activist data securely. Before downloading any data ask yourself if it is necessary to do so, and never share this information with anyone.