getting started 5 save and export

Step 5: Save and export

Getting started ▸ Step 5 of 5

How qrate saves

qrate saves your edits to the .qrate file automatically. By default, it saves after a short pause in your typing. Column settings and other project settings save when you change them.

A dot in the title bar means that some changes are not saved yet. To save at once, press Ctrl+S or choose File ▸ Save.

To change when qrate saves, open Settings ▸ Table ▸ Saving. Autosave turns automatic saving on or off. Method chooses After a short pause or On every edit.

If a save fails, qrate tells you why and keeps your changes. Before qrate closes, it asks about unsaved changes: Save, Don't Save, or Cancel.

To move the project, copy the .qrate file. If you also move the files folder, set its new location in Settings ▸ Project.

Export the project

1. Choose File ▸ Export.
2. Choose a format, for example CSV… or Excel (.xlsx)….
3. Select a folder and a file name. qrate suggests a name from the project name.
4. Click Save.

qrate writes the file in the background. A notice tells you when the export is done, or why it failed.

Choose the format that the next system needs:

Format	Use it to
CSV	Load the catalog into almost any other system.
Excel (.xlsx)	Share the catalog as a workbook. Cell notes become comments.
JSON-LD	Give the records and their hierarchy to a linked-data system.
CSL-JSON	Load the records into a reference manager.
ZIP Archive	Keep the data as CSV and JSON-LD, together with the linked files.

An export always includes every row, including the rows that a filter hides. To export to a Google Sheet, first turn on Settings ▸ Google ▸ Enable Google Sheets. See Export and Google Sheets for the CSV options and for Google Sheets.

Next steps

You now know the full path, from a new project to an export. These reference pages explain each part in detail:

• Projects: open, import, and save projects, and the project settings
• The grid: rows, columns, groups, search, filters, the gallery, and notes
• Keyboard shortcuts: every shortcut in one table
• Files and photos: linking, missing files, and the viewer
• Visual search: find records by what their pictures show
• Diagnostics: the checks, the Problems panel, and fixes
• Columns: column types, authority lists, and per-column settings
• Export and Google Sheets: every export format and Google Sheets sync
• The Agent panel: let a local AI agent review the project
• Plugins: add checks, commands, and export formats

Back to Getting started

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