> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.billpal.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Export documents

> Export documents and contacts as Excel, CSV, ZIP or for DATEV, BMD and DVO.

An export gives you your documents or contacts as a file: as a spreadsheet, as a bundle of the originals or as an import file for your accounting software. Billpal doesn't post anything itself; you or your accountant import the file.

## Export a date range

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the export">
    Click **Export** at the top right. It works from any page.
  </Step>

  <Step title="What and how">
    Under **Dataset**, choose **Documents** or **Contacts**, and under **Format** the file type. For documents, also set the **Start** and **End** of the range. The invoice date decides what's included.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add the originals">
    If you need the PDFs too, turn on **Also download files (.zip)**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Export">
    Click **Export**. Your browser downloads small exports right away.
  </Step>
</Steps>

To export only certain documents, select them under **Documents** and click **Export** in the bar at the bottom. Then there's no date range to set.

## Formats

| Format | For | Good to know |
| - | - | - |
| **Excel** | Analyzing and sharing as a spreadsheet | One row per document, with amounts, account, tax, payment status and [tags](/en/tags). |
| **CSV** | Importing into other software | Like Excel, plus line items and booking lines. You choose the delimiter: comma, semicolon, pipe or tab. |
| **DATEV**, **BMD** or **DVO** | Importing into your accounting software | Only shows up once you've connected the software (see below). |

You can add the ZIP of originals to Excel and CSV. For DATEV, the toggle is called **Include files with "Beleglink"**, because DATEV links booking and document through the Beleglink.

## Connect your accounting software

For DATEV, BMD or DVO to show up as a format, an admin connects the software once under **Settings > Accounting**, on the **Integrations** tab, and enters details such as the client number or account length. A workspace can have only one accounting system connected. To switch, disconnect the current one first.

What each one needs and how to import the file there:

<Columns cols={3}>
  <Card title="DATEV" href="/en/datev">
    For Germany.
  </Card>

  <Card title="BMD" href="/en/bmd">
    For Austria.
  </Card>

  <Card title="DVO" href="/en/dvo">
    For Austria.
  </Card>
</Columns>

If a document can't go into the accounting file, for example because an account is missing, Billpal leaves it out and tells you after the export which documents they were and why.

## Which documents are included

* **Excluded documents** are never exported. How to exclude documents or include them again is described in [Find and edit documents](/en/documents).
* **Documents in Review** are exported too. The export window shows how many there are first. It's best to resolve them beforehand, see [Review documents](/en/review).
* Exported documents then show up under **Documents** on the **Exported** tab.

## Large exports and export history

Billpal prepares large exports in the background. You can keep working; Billpal lets you know once the file is ready.

Every export is listed under **Exports** in the sidebar. There you see who exported what and when, download files again, and open an export to see the documents in it. Only admins can delete exports from the history. That removes only the files; the documents stay, and you can export again at any time.

<Note>
  A document's cost center isn't in any export file yet.
</Note>


This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.