How to Export an HTML Table to CSV in WordPress

Need to create a custom CSV for export? Check out the new Table View CSV add-on that converts HTML tables to CSV.

Have you been exporting your form data to a CSV and then removing or combining columns manually? Or maybe you've been using the back-end link to export a CSV for front-end users? Creating a customized export of the data in your forms isn't easy. There are third-party plugins that allow a table to be exported to a view. The limitation here, is that all the data to export must be included on a single page. If there are hundred of rows, this simply isn't a feasible option. Exporting filtered data from the front-end while honoring permissions is just plain difficult. Until now. Now you can effortlessly add a link to export CSV data from the front-end. No need for a developer, custom code, or extra add-ons that don't cut the bill. We even added the option to schedule an automatic export of any table view on your site. You choose which views to export, how often, and where they should go. Then Formidable handles the rest. Need to export tables to Excel instead? That's no problem.

How to Create a Table View

Before CSV can be exported, you've got to have a table View. You can use the View filters to show only the data you would like, make it searchable, sortable, or whatever you'd like. With the flexibility of Formidable Views, the options are endless. The most basic version of creating a table View includes three steps.

1. Go to create a new View. Select your form if it isn't already selected.
2. Insert <table> in the Before Content box.
3. Your form data will go in the Content box. It will look something like this, with [25] and [26] replaced with your fields:

   <tr>
   <td>[25]</td>
   <td>[26]</td>
   </tr>

4. Add </table> in the After Content box.

Easily convert an HTML Table in a View to CSV

Once you've got a table View, the Table View to CSV converter plugin will add a few extra options. These settings can automatically add a link to export the table to CSV. This link will appear directly after the View. That's all there is to it. Learn more about how to use the Table View to CSV settings.

Flexible options to convert a table to CSV

Of course, we didn't stop there since our goal is to offer you simplicity without sacrificing flexibility. Need an export link on a page without the table View? Or maybe you want to include a CSV export link in an email notification? You've got it. In addition to an automatically added link, you can use a shortcode to add a link wherever you'd like. Add

[frm-export-view view=25 label="Export Now"]

in an email notification, on a page, or anywhere else a WordPress shortcode is allowed. This shortcode will convert the HTML table in the view to a CSV, even when the table to not included on the page. If that's not enough, there's a third way of converting the table to a CSV. You can set a view to automatically export to a CSV. Just select which views to export, where the exported files should go, and how often to run the export. Then it's all automatic from there. Use it for backups, daily email digests, and whatever else you dream up.

How to get started with exporting tables to CSV

Now that you know all the cool things the Table View to CSV converter plugin can do, you can get it up and running immediately. First you'll need to install Formidable Forms for WordPress. Activate the premium version of Formidable with your Business level (or higher) license. Now you have access to install the CSV exporter from the Formidable → Add-Ons page. Ready to get started? Take a look at all the great form builder features to see why Formidable Forms is the very best WordPress form builder plugin around.