WhenDid.io allows Premium users to export individual action button history as CSV files for analysis in spreadsheet applications like Excel, Google Sheets, or Numbers. This feature makes it easy to perform advanced data analysis, create charts, or integrate your tracking data with other tools.

The CSV export includes all historical click data with proper formatting for immediate use in analytical applications.

How to Export History as CSV

  1. Click the menu icon on the action button and select History. The History task pane will open.

View an Action Button's History step 1

  1. Click "Export CSV" to start the download

Export to CSV button

  1. Your browser will download a CSV file automatically. The filename follows the pattern: buttonname_history_timestamp.csv
    • Example: exercise_history_2024-08-06_14-30-15.csv.

Working with CSV Files

Opening in Spreadsheet Applications

Microsoft Excel:

  • Double-click the CSV file to open directly in Excel
  • Or use File → Open → Select your CSV file

Google Sheets:

  • Go to sheets.google.com
  • File → Import → Upload → Select your CSV file
  • Choose "Import data" to create a new spreadsheet

Apple Numbers:

  • Double-click the CSV file to open in Numbers
  • Or drag the file into Numbers

LibreOffice Calc:

  • File → Open → Select your CSV file
  • Accept the default import settings

Data Analysis Examples

Once opened in a spreadsheet application, you can:

Track Trends:

  • Create line charts showing clicks over time
  • Use pivot tables to summarize by week/month
  • Calculate averages and totals

Analyze Numeric Data:

  • Sum total values (exercise weight, expense amounts, etc.)
  • Calculate averages and trends
  • Create scatter plots for correlation analysis

Time Pattern Analysis:

  • Group by hour to find optimal timing
  • Compare weekdays vs. weekends
  • Identify streak patterns and gaps

Advanced Processing:

  • Import into business intelligence tools
  • Combine with other data sources
  • Create automated reports## What's Included in CSV Exports

When you export an action button's history to CSV, the file contains five columns of data:

CSV Columns

  1. Date: The date when the button was clicked (YYYY-MM-DD format)

    • Automatically adjusted for your Personal Midnight setting if configured
    • Ensures dates align with your custom day boundaries

  2. Time: The exact time the button was clicked (HH:MM:SS format in 24-hour time)

    • Shows the actual time of the click regardless of Personal Midnight settings
    • Precise to the second for detailed analysis

  3. Notes: Any notes that were entered with the click

    • Empty if no notes were recorded
    • Properly escaped for CSV compatibility (commas, quotes, line breaks handled automatically)

  4. Numeric Value: The numeric value entered if the button has numeric tracking enabled

    • Empty if no numeric tracking or no value was entered
    • Shows the exact number entered for each click

  5. Unit: The unit label configured for the button's numeric field

    • Empty if no numeric tracking is configured
    • Consistent across all rows for the same button

Data Organization

  • Most recent first: Clicks are sorted with the newest entries at the top
  • All history included: Every recorded click is exported, regardless of date
  • Personal Midnight aware: Date calculations respect your Personal Midnight setting
  • CSV compatible: All special characters are properly escaped for spreadsheet import

Example Use Cases

Fitness Tracking

Export exercise button history to:

  • Track weight progression over time
  • Analyze workout frequency patterns
  • Calculate total volume lifted

Expense Monitoring

Export spending button history to:

  • Categorize expenses in accounting software
  • Create monthly budget reports
  • Analyze spending patterns

Habit Analysis

Export habit tracking button history to:

  • Calculate success rates and streaks
  • Identify optimal timing for activities
  • Share progress with coaches or doctors

Research Data

Export research tracking button history to:

  • Prepare data for academic analysis
  • Import into statistical software
  • Generate publication-ready datasets

File Format Details

Filename Convention

Files are named using this pattern:

{button_name}_history_{timestamp}.csv

Where:

  • {button_name}: Button name with special characters replaced by underscores
  • {timestamp}: Date and time of export (YYYY-MM-DD_HH-MM-SS format)

Character Encoding

  • Files use UTF-8 encoding for international character support
  • Compatible with all major spreadsheet applications
  • Handles emoji and special characters properly

CSV Standards

  • Comma-separated values following RFC 4180 standards
  • Fields containing commas, quotes, or line breaks are properly quoted
  • Double quotes within fields are escaped as double-double quotes

Managing Multiple Exports

  • One file per button: Each export contains history for a single action button only
  • All-time data: Every export includes the complete history for that button
  • No date filtering: Current exports include all historical data (filtering can be done in your spreadsheet application)
  • Consistent format: All exports use the same column structure for easy comparison

CSV exports provide a powerful way to take your WhenDid.io tracking data beyond the application for detailed analysis, reporting, and integration with other tools in your workflow.