Create extracts using the Extract Wizard
This feature is available in NVivo Pro and Plus editions. Learn more
An extract lets you export a collection of data to a text, Excel or XML file. You can use the predefined extracts or make your own using the Extract Wizard.
You can also make changes to an extract—refer to Manage reports and extracts for more information.
What do you want to do?
Consider the type of extract you want
Before launching the Extract Wizard it can help to think about the following:
-
What are you trying to find out?
-
What do you intend to do with the results?
-
What application are you planning to use to work with the results?
-
Can you use a predefined extract to achieve the desired results?
-
Do you want to explore source or node content? You will need to use a query instead.
It can help to draw your desired results on a piece of paper, then you can step through the wizard to implement your design.
Use the Extract Wizard
To launch the Extract Wizard:
-
On the Explore tab, in the Reports group, click New Extract.
From which view would you like to build your extract?
An extract consists of information that is pulled from the underlying data of your project. The fields you can include on your extract depend on the 'view' of the data that you choose. For example, the Node view includes most of the fields to do with nodes such as node name, description, creator and classification. Experiment by selecting a view and choosing Next to see the fields that are available. Refer to Understand views and fields for more information.
Which fields do you want on your extract?
You can choose the fields you want on your extract, for example—source name, type and coding coverage.
-
Select a field from the Available fields list and click the right arrow > to add it to the extract. The fields you can choose depend on the type of View you selected in the previous step of the wizard. Refer to Understand views and fields for more information.
-
The order of the Selected fields from top to bottom determines the order in the extract from left to right. To change the order—select a field and then click the up arrow
or
the down arrow 
.
-
You can choose Summary Options for each field in your extract. Use this option when you want to display calculations—for example, count, sum, average—rather than every record for that field. Refer to Summary and group options for more information.
Do you want to filter your extract?
You can filter the data that is displayed in the extract. For example, you can choose to build an extract based on sources created by specific users or nodes that have been assigned a specific color.
To create the filter:
-
Click the Add button.
-
Click in the first empty box and select the field you want to filter on.
-
Click in the next box and select the type of filter—do you want to filter anything that 'equals' the specified text or is 'greater than' a specified value?
-
Click the Select box to choose a parameter or leave the default if you want to prompt the user for a parameter when the extract is run.
For more information on filters, refer to Add a filter to the reports and extracts you build.
What name and description do you want for your extract?
Enter a name and description for your extract. The extract will be stored in an Extracts folder.
You can also choose the default output file type for the extract (*.txt, *.xls, *.xlsx, *.xml). What you select here will be the default whenever you run the extract. However, you can always change the output format when you run the extract.