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How to Export Data from Dynamics 365 to Excel

Cody Schneider•

Need to pull your data out of Microsoft Dynamics 365 and into an Excel spreadsheet? You’re in the right place. Getting your CRM data into Excel is a common task, whether you're creating a custom report, doing some deep-dive analysis, or sharing information with colleagues who don't have a D365 license. This guide will walk you through the primary methods for exporting your data, offering clear steps and practical tips for each one.

Why Export Dynamics 365 Data to Excel?

Before we jump into the "how," let's quickly cover the "why." While Dynamics 365 has powerful built-in reporting and dashboard capabilities, sometimes you simply need the flexibility of a spreadsheet. Here are a few common reasons people export their data:

  • Ad-Hoc Analysis: You need to quickly slice, dice, and pivot data to answer a specific business question that isn't covered by a standard report. Excel’s pivot tables and formulas are perfect for this.

  • Data Cleansing: It can sometimes be easier to identify and correct inconsistencies, duplicates, or gaps in your data using Excel's filtering and sorting tools before re-importing it back into Dynamics.

  • Custom Visualization: You might want to create highly specific charts or graphs in Excel that a standard D365 dashboard doesn't offer.

  • Sharing with Non-Users: Your stakeholders, finance department, or partners might not have access to Dynamics 365. Exporting to Excel is the easiest way to share a snapshot of your data.

  • Creating Calculation-Heavy Reports: If your reporting requires complex calculations across many different records, performing those calculations in an Excel formula environment is often more straightforward.

Understanding Your Export Options in Dynamics 365

Dynamics 365 doesn't just offer one way to export, it gives you a few options tailored to different needs. When you click the "Export to Excel" button, you’ll typically be presented with choices that fall into three main categories:

1. Static Worksheet: This is the most straightforward option. It creates a simple Excel file (.xlsx) that contains a snapshot of your data at the moment you exported it. There is no ongoing connection to Dynamics 365. If the data in your CRM changes, this exported file will not be updated.

2. Dynamic Worksheet: This method creates an Excel file that maintains a live connection back to your Dynamics 365 instance. You can open the file later and, with a click of a button, refresh the data to get the very latest information directly from the CRM without having to perform another export.

3. Dynamic PivotTable: Similar to a dynamic worksheet, this export maintains a live connection to D365. However, it pre-formats the data in Excel as a PivotTable, making it immediately ready for summarization and analysis without any setup work on your end.

Which one should you use? The answer depends entirely on your goal. For a quick, one-time data pull, a static worksheet is perfect. For a report that you will need to update regularly, a dynamic worksheet is the way to go.

Method 1: Exporting a Static Excel Worksheet

This is the most common and easiest way to get your data into a spreadsheet. It's a quick, one-time snapshot. Think of it as taking a screenshot of your data that you can then manipulate freely in Excel.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

  1. Find Your Data: Navigate to the area of Dynamics 365 containing the records you want to export. This could be a list of accounts, opportunities, leads, or contacts. For example, you might go to Sales > Leads.

  2. Select a View: Use the view selector (the dropdown menu usually near the top of the list) to choose a system or personal view that filters the data appropriately. The columns you see in your view are the columns you will get in your export. Spending a moment here to choose or create the right view can save a lot of time cleaning up your Excel file later.

  3. Export to Excel: In the command bar at the top of the list, click the Export to Excel button. It sometimes is nested under an ellipsis (...) for additional options.

  4. Choose Your Format: A menu will appear. Select Static Worksheet. If you want, you can also select "Static Worksheet (Page Only)" which will export only the records visible on the current page you're viewing.

  5. Save and Open: The file will download to your computer. Open it with Excel, and you will see all your data, nicely formatted in a table. It's now completely disconnected from Dynamics 365 and you can edit it as you see fit.

When to Use a Static Export: Use this method when you need a data snapshot from a specific point in time, need to send the data to someone without D365 access, or plan to heavily modify the file without needing to refresh it with live data.

Method 2: Exporting a Dynamic Excel Worksheet

A dynamic worksheet is your best friend for recurring reports. By creating a live link, it eliminates the need to run the same export repeatedly. Just open the saved file and refresh.

One important prerequisite: To refresh data in a dynamic worksheet, you must have the Microsoft Dynamics 365 Office add-in installed. Your administrator might have already rolled this out for your organization.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

  1. Navigate and Select View: Just like with the static export, go to the record list you want to use and select the appropriate view to define your columns and initial data filter.

  2. Initiate the Export: Click the Export to Excel button in the command bar.

  3. Choose the Dynamic Option: From the menu, select Dynamic Worksheet.

  4. Select Columns (Optional): A new window will appear allowing you to edit the columns for your export. You can add, remove, or reorder them here. This is a very useful step to ensure you're getting exactly the data you need. Once you’re happy with the columns, click Export.

  5. Save the File: Save the downloaded Excel file to a location you can easily access later. Give it a descriptive name (e.g., "Monthly Open Opportunities Report").

  6. Refreshing the Data: The first time you open the file, Excel may show a security warning. You'll need to click "Enable Editing" and "Enable Content" to activate the connection. To refresh the data, go to the Data tab in Excel's ribbon and click Refresh from CRM or Refresh All. The worksheet will then be populated with the latest information from Dynamics 365.

When to Use a Dynamic Export: This is ideal for weekly or monthly reports, sales pipeline tracking, or any analysis that you regularly perform using up-to-date information.

Method 3: Exporting a Dynamic PivotTable

This is the most advanced of the standard options and a real time-saver for anyone who loves working with PivotTables in Excel. It exports the raw data and immediately presents it in a ready-to-use PivotTable.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

  1. Navigate and Select View: Again, start by navigating to your data and selecting the view you wish to export.

  2. Find the Export Option: Click on Export to Excel in the command bar.

  3. Choose Dynamic PivotTable: In the dropdown menu, select Dynamic PivotTable.

  4. Customize Your Columns: A configuration window will appear, just like with the dynamic worksheet, allowing you to fine-tune the columns included in your export. Make your selections and click Export.

  5. Save and Open the File: Save the downloaded file. When you open it, again be sure to enable editing and external data connections if prompted.

  6. Analyze Your Data: You will see a blank PivotTable with the "PivotTable Fields" pane open on the right side. All of your exported columns are available to be dragged into the Filters, Columns, Rows, or Values areas. You can immediately start building your analysis without any tedious setup.

When to Use a Dynamic PivotTable Export: Use this when your primary goal is to summarize and aggregate data. It's perfect for analyzing sales by territory, status, owner, or any other dimension you track in Dynamics 365.

Best Practices and Pro Tips for Smooth Exports

Following a few best practices can help prevent common headaches and make your data exporting process much smoother.

  • Mind the Export Limits: Dynamics 365 has a cap on the number of records you can export at one time. By default, this is often 100,000 records, but your administrator can change it. If you need to export more data than the limit allows, you'll need to break it down into smaller chunks by filtering it into multiple views (e.g., "Accounts A-M" and "Accounts N-Z").

  • Leverage D365 Views: Don't export everything only to filter it down in Excel. That's inefficient and leads to large, slow files. Use the Advanced Find feature or the view editor in Dynamics 365 to pre-filter your data so you are only exporting the records you truly need.

  • Check Your Security Role: The ability to export data is controlled by permissions in your security role. If the "Export to Excel" button is grayed out or missing, you likely don't have the necessary privileges. Speak with your system administrator.

  • Be Careful When Re-Importing: If you export data with the intention of cleaning it up and re-importing it (a great use case for static worksheets!), be very careful not to delete the first few hidden columns (A, B, and C) that Excel contains. These columns contain unique identifiers that Dynamics uses to map the updated data back to the correct records.

  • Understand Data Refresh Behavior: For dynamic worksheets, remember that upon refreshing, any data you manually added to the table will be overwritten. It's best practice to keep your D365 data on one sheet and conduct your analysis and custom calculations on a separate sheet that references the refreshed data.

Final Thoughts

Knowing how to effectively move data between Dynamics 365 and Excel puts a powerful analytics combination at your fingertips. By choosing the right method - a static file for snapshots, a dynamic worksheet for ongoing reports, or a PivotTable for quick summaries - you can extend the reach of your CRM data and uncover valuable insights for your organization.

Mastering these exports is a fantastic skill, but if you find yourself spending a significant part of your week wrestling with CSV downloads across multiple platforms, you know there has to be a better way. To eliminate the constant cycle of manual exports and report building, we built Graphed that enables you to connect directly to all your sales and marketing data sources in one place and build live, interactive dashboards just by describing what you want to see. This approach gets you from question to insight in seconds, not hours, freeing you up to focus on strategy instead of spreadsheets.