Exporting Data

This guide covers how to export report data from Shyfts in multiple formats including PDF, CSV, and Excel for external analysis, record-keeping, or payroll integration.

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Overview

Export Capabilities

Shyfts provides flexible data export options:

1. PDF Export - Formatted documents with branding for printing or sharing
2. Excel Export - Spreadsheet format for analysis and manipulation
3. CSV Export - Plain text format for system integration

Supported Reports

All 9 report types support export functionality:

Report	PDF	Excel	CSV
Overview	✅	✅	✅
Staff Performance	✅	✅	✅
Scheduling Analytics	✅	✅	✅
Attendance Summary	✅	✅	✅
Hours Tracking	✅	✅	✅
Leave Analysis	✅	✅	✅
Skills Matrix	✅	✅	✅
Cost Analysis	✅	✅	✅
Compliance Report	✅	✅	✅

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Exporting Reports

Export Button Location

The export button is located in the report dashboard header:

// Source: src/components/reporting/ReportingDashboard.tsx:620-650
<div className="flex items-center gap-2">
  <button
    onClick={() => handleExport('PDF')}
    className="form-button secondary flex items-center gap-2"
  >
    <FileText className="w-4 h-4" />
    PDF
  </button>
  <button
    onClick={() => handleExport('EXCEL')}
    className="form-button secondary flex items-center gap-2"
  >
    <Table className="w-4 h-4" />
    Excel
  </button>
  <button
    onClick={() => handleExport('CSV')}
    className="form-button secondary flex items-center gap-2"
  >
    <Download className="w-4 h-4" />
    CSV
  </button>
</div>

Export Process

1. Navigate to the Reports dashboard
2. Select a report tab (Performance, Scheduling, etc.)
3. Configure date range and filters
4. Click Refresh to load data
5. Click the desired export button (PDF, Excel, or CSV)
6. File downloads automatically

Export Handler

// Source: src/components/reporting/ReportingDashboard.tsx:402-485
const handleExport = async (format: 'PDF' | 'EXCEL' | 'CSV') => {
  setExportStatus(null)

  let reportData: unknown
  let reportTitle = ''

  // Get current report data based on active tab
  switch (activeTab) {
    case 'overview':
      reportData = {
        performance: performanceData,
        scheduling: schedulingData,
        attendance: attendanceData,
        skills: skillsData,
        hours: hoursData,
        leave: leaveData,
        cost: costData,
        compliance: complianceData,
        meta: { dateRange, filters }
      }
      reportTitle = 'Overview_Report'
      break
    case 'performance':
      reportData = performanceData
      reportTitle = 'Staff_Performance_Report'
      break
    // ... other cases
  }

  const result = await ReportingService.exportReport(reportData, format, reportTitle)

  if (result.success) {
    setExportStatus({
      success: true,
      message: `Successfully exported as ${format}. File: ${result.file_name}`
    })
  }
}

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PDF Export

Features

• Formatted Layout - Professional document structure
• Company Branding - Coral accent colours (#FFB5B0)
• Tables - Auto-formatted data tables with headers
• Multi-page Support - Automatic pagination for large datasets

PDF Generation

// Source: src/services/reportingService.ts:1529-1642
private static exportToPDF(reportData: unknown, reportTitle: string): ExportResult {
  try {
    const doc = new jsPDF()
    const pageHeight = doc.internal.pageSize.getHeight()
    const pageWidth = doc.internal.pageSize.getWidth()
    const marginX = 14
    const contentWidth = pageWidth - marginX * 2
    let y = 35

    const ensureSpace = (minY: number) => {
      if (y > pageHeight - minY) {
        doc.addPage()
        y = 20
      }
    }

    // Add title
    doc.setFontSize(16)
    doc.setTextColor(255, 181, 176)  // Coral accent
    doc.text(reportTitle.replace(/_/g, ' '), marginX, 25)

    // Add timestamp
    doc.setFontSize(8)
    doc.setTextColor(128, 128, 128)
    doc.text(`Generated: ${new Date().toLocaleString('en-GB')}`, marginX, y)
    y += 10

    // ... table rendering logic

    // Save and download
    const fileName = `${reportTitle}_${formatForFilename(new Date())}.pdf`
    doc.save(fileName)

    return {
      success: true,
      file_name: fileName
    }
  } catch (error) {
    return {
      success: false,
      error: error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'PDF export failed',
      file_name: ''
    }
  }
}

PDF Document Structure

Section	Content
Header	Report title with coral styling
Metadata	Generation timestamp (DD/MM/YYYY HH:mm)
Data Tables	Auto-generated from report data
Footer	Page numbers

PDF Use Cases

Use Case	Benefit
Printable Reports	Professional format for meetings
Email Attachments	Shareable document format
Audit Records	Official documentation
Board Presentations	Branded visual reports

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Excel Export

Features

• Multiple Sheets - Overview exports create separate sheets per section
• Data Formatting - Numbers, dates, and text properly typed
• Pivot-Ready - Data structured for pivot table analysis
• Formula Compatible - Ready for Excel calculations

Excel Generation

// Source: src/services/reportingService.ts:1648-1717
private static exportToExcel(reportData: unknown, reportTitle: string): ExportResult {
  try {
    const workbook = XLSX.utils.book_new()

    if (Array.isArray(reportData)) {
      // Array-based reports - convert to worksheet
      if (reportData.length === 0) {
        return {
          success: false,
          error: 'No data to export',
          file_name: ''
        }
      }

      const worksheet = XLSX.utils.json_to_sheet(reportData)
      XLSX.utils.book_append_sheet(workbook, worksheet, 'Report Data')
    } else if (typeof reportData === 'object' && reportData !== null) {
      // Object-based reports - create sheet per section
      const entries = Object.entries(reportData as Record<string, unknown>)

      for (const [key, value] of entries) {
        const safeName = String(key).slice(0, 31) || 'Sheet'

        if (Array.isArray(value)) {
          const rows = value.length > 0 ? value : [{ note: 'No data' }]
          const worksheet = XLSX.utils.json_to_sheet(rows)
          XLSX.utils.book_append_sheet(workbook, worksheet, safeName)
        }
      }
    }

    // Generate and download
    const fileName = `${reportTitle}_${formatForFilename(new Date())}.xlsx`
    XLSX.writeFile(workbook, fileName)

    return {
      success: true,
      file_name: fileName
    }
  } catch (error) {
    return {
      success: false,
      error: error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Excel export failed',
      file_name: ''
    }
  }
}

Overview Report Sheets

When exporting the Overview report, each section gets its own sheet:

Sheet Name	Content
performance	Staff performance metrics
scheduling	Scheduling analytics data
attendance	Attendance summary records
skills	Skills matrix data
hours	Hours tracking records
leave	Leave analysis data
cost	Cost analysis breakdown
compliance	Compliance report data
meta	Date range and filter info

Excel Use Cases

Use Case	Benefit
Payroll Integration	Import into payroll systems
Data Analysis	Create pivot tables and charts
Custom Reports	Build on exported data
Historical Tracking	Archive for comparison

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CSV Export

Features

• Universal Compatibility - Works with any spreadsheet or database
• System Integration - Import into payroll and HR systems
• Lightweight - Small file sizes for quick transfer
• Plain Text - Human-readable format

CSV Generation

// Source: src/services/reportingService.ts:1468-1524
private static exportToCSV(reportData: unknown, reportTitle: string): ExportResult {
  try {
    let csv = ''

    if (Array.isArray(reportData)) {
      // For array-based reports (staff performance, attendance, etc.)
      if (reportData.length === 0) {
        return {
          success: false,
          error: 'No data to export',
          file_name: ''
        }
      }

      // Get headers from first item
      const headers = Object.keys(reportData[0])
      csv = headers.join(',') + '\n'

      // Add data rows
      reportData.forEach(item => {
        const row = headers.map(header => {
          const value = this.getNestedValue(item, header)
          return typeof value === 'string' && value.includes(',')
            ? `"${value}"`
            : value
        })
        csv += row.join(',') + '\n'
      })
    } else if (typeof reportData === 'object' && reportData !== null) {
      // For object-based reports (cost analysis, scheduling analytics)
      csv = this.objectToCSV(reportData as Record<string, unknown>)
    }

    // Create and download file
    const fileName = `${reportTitle}_${formatForFilename(new Date())}.csv`
    const blob = new Blob([csv], { type: 'text/csv' })
    // ... download logic

    return {
      success: true,
      file_name: fileName
    }
  } catch (error) {
    return {
      success: false,
      error: error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'CSV export failed',
      file_name: ''
    }
  }
}

CSV Format Example

staff_name,role,attendance_rate,punctuality_rate,shifts_completed,total_hours
"Sarah Johnson",Nurse,98.5,95.2,22,176.5
"James Wilson",Doctor,94.0,88.5,20,160.0
"Emma Brown",Receptionist,100.0,97.8,23,184.0

CSV Use Cases

Use Case	Benefit
Payroll Systems	Direct import compatibility
Database Import	Load into SQL databases
Data Migration	Transfer between systems
Simple Analysis	Open in any spreadsheet app

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Export File Naming

Filename Convention

All exports follow a consistent naming pattern:

{ReportType}_{Timestamp}.{extension}

Examples

Report	PDF	Excel	CSV
Overview	Overview_Report_20250114_143052.pdf	.xlsx	.csv
Performance	Staff_Performance_Report_20250114_143052.pdf	.xlsx	.csv
Scheduling	Scheduling_Analytics_Report_20250114_143052.pdf	.xlsx	.csv
Attendance	Attendance_Summary_Report_20250114_143052.pdf	.xlsx	.csv
Hours	Hours_Tracking_Report_20250114_143052.pdf	.xlsx	.csv
Leave	Leave_Analysis_Report_20250114_143052.pdf	.xlsx	.csv
Skills	Skills_Matrix_Report_20250114_143052.pdf	.xlsx	.csv
Cost	Cost_Analysis_Report_20250114_143052.pdf	.xlsx	.csv
Compliance	Compliance_Report_20250114_143052.pdf	.xlsx	.csv

Timestamp Format

// Filename timestamp format: YYYYMMDD_HHmmss
function formatForFilename(date: Date): string {
  return date.toISOString()
    .replace(/[-:]/g, '')
    .replace('T', '_')
    .slice(0, 15)
}

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Export Status Feedback

Success Message

// Source: src/components/reporting/ReportingDashboard.tsx:468-473
if (result.success) {
  setExportStatus({
    success: true,
    message: `Successfully exported as ${format}. File: ${result.file_name}`
  })
}

Error Handling

// Source: src/components/reporting/ReportingDashboard.tsx:474-483
if (!result.success) {
  setExportStatus({
    success: false,
    message: result.error || 'Export failed'
  })
}

Status Display

// Export status banner
{exportStatus && (
  <div className={`p-4 rounded-xl ${
    exportStatus.success
      ? 'bg-green-500/20 border-green-500/30'
      : 'bg-red-500/20 border-red-500/30'
  }`}>
    {exportStatus.success ? (
      <CheckCircle className="w-5 h-5 text-green-400" />
    ) : (
      <AlertCircle className="w-5 h-5 text-red-400" />
    )}
    <span>{exportStatus.message}</span>
  </div>
)}

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Data Formatting

Value Formatting for Export

// Source: src/services/reportingService.ts:1768-1784
private static formatValueForExport(value: unknown): string {
  if (value === null || value === undefined) {
    return ''
  }
  if (typeof value === 'boolean') {
    return value ? 'Yes' : 'No'
  }
  if (typeof value === 'number') {
    return value.toFixed(2)
  }
  if (typeof value === 'object') {
    return JSON.stringify(value)
  }
  return String(value)
}

Type Conversions

Data Type	Export Format
Numbers	2 decimal places
Booleans	"Yes" / "No"
Dates	DD/MM/YYYY format
Objects	JSON string
Arrays	Separate rows/sheets
Null/Undefined	Empty string

Currency Formatting

Cost and financial data is formatted in GBP:

Field	Example
Total Labour Cost	£12,450.00
Overtime Cost	£1,250.50
Average Cost/Hour	£18.75
Budget Variance	-£500.00

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Export Considerations

Performance

Report Size	Recommendation
< 100 rows	Any format suitable
100-1000 rows	CSV or Excel preferred
> 1000 rows	Use pagination, export in batches

Data Freshness

Exports include data as of the export time:

1. Check date range - Verify correct period selected
2. Apply filters - Ensure filters match requirements
3. Refresh data - Click Refresh before exporting
4. Note timestamp - File includes generation time

Privacy Considerations

Exported files may contain sensitive information:

Data Type	Consideration
Staff Names	Personal data - handle appropriately
Hours/Attendance	HR records - secure storage required
Cost Data	Financial information - restricted access
Compliance Violations	Sensitive - limited distribution

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Best Practices

For Regular Reporting

Frequency	Recommended Format	Use Case
Daily	CSV	System integration
Weekly	Excel	Analysis and review
Monthly	PDF	Management reports
Quarterly	PDF + Excel	Board presentations

For Data Analysis

1. Use Excel - Better for pivot tables and charts
2. Export Overview - Gets all data in one file
3. Check Filters - Ensure correct data scope
4. Save Originals - Archive for comparison

For Payroll Integration

1. Use CSV - Universal compatibility
2. Export Hours - Hours Tracking report
3. Include Staff IDs - For matching records
4. Verify Totals - Cross-check with system

For Compliance Audits

1. Use PDF - Official record format
2. Include Date Range - Clear reporting period
3. Note Filters Applied - Document scope
4. Archive Securely - Retain for required period

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Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Issue	Cause	Solution
No data to export	Empty report	Load data before exporting
Export failed	Large dataset	Use pagination, export smaller batches
File not downloading	Browser blocking	Check download permissions
Wrong data exported	Wrong tab selected	Switch to correct report tab

Error Messages

Error	Meaning	Action
"No data to export"	Report has no records	Adjust date range or filters
"PDF export failed"	Document generation error	Try CSV instead
"Excel export failed"	Workbook creation error	Try CSV instead
"CSV export failed"	Data conversion error	Check data format

Browser Compatibility

Browser	PDF	Excel	CSV
Chrome	✅	✅	✅
Firefox	✅	✅	✅
Safari	✅	✅	✅
Edge	✅	✅	✅

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Related Documentation

• Available Reports - Report types and metrics
• Generating Reports - How to run reports
• Time Tracking Reports - Detailed time analytics

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Source Files:

• src/components/reporting/ReportingDashboard.tsx - Export UI and handlers
• src/services/reportingService.ts:1435-1784 - Export implementation
• src/lib/utils/csv-parser.ts - CSV utilities