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Exporting Reports

Admin Manager

The Sales Report supports CSV and PDF export. Other reports do not currently have export functionality. This page explains how to export the Sales Report and what to expect in the downloaded files.

Sales Report

Export Formats​

CSV (Comma-Separated Values)​

CSV files can be opened in any spreadsheet application -- Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice Calc, or Apple Numbers.

Best for:

  • Importing data into accounting software (QuickBooks, Xero, etc.)
  • Custom analysis with formulas, pivot tables, and charts
  • Merging with external data sources
  • Bulk data processing

Characteristics:

  • Plain text format, universally compatible
  • One row per record
  • Column headers in the first row
  • Numbers are unformatted (no currency symbols or commas)

PDF (Portable Document Format)​

PDF export is available for the Sales Report. PDF files preserve the report layout exactly as it appears on screen.

Best for:

  • Printing physical copies
  • Emailing to accountants, owners, or partners
  • Archiving completed reports
  • Presentations and meetings

Characteristics:

  • Fixed layout matching the on-screen report
  • Includes headers, summaries, and tables
  • Not editable (read-only)
  • Includes the date range and generation timestamp

How to Export the Sales Report​

The Sales Report has Export CSV and Export PDF buttons at the top of the report.

Step-by-Step​

  1. Navigate to Reports > Sales Report.
  2. Set the date range and any filters you want applied. The export will include exactly what you see on screen.
  3. Click Export CSV or Export PDF depending on your needs.
  4. Your browser will download the file. Check your Downloads folder.
Filter Before Exporting

Set all your filters and date ranges before clicking Export. The exported file contains exactly the data shown in the current view -- nothing more, nothing less.

Sales Report Export Details​

CSV Columns​

  • Receipt #, Date, Time, Cashier, Items Count, Subtotal, Discount, Tax, Total, Payment Method, Status, Amount Tendered, Change Given, Item Details

PDF Includes​

  • Summary section with revenue, tax, and transaction totals
  • Payment method breakdown table
  • Full transaction list

Working with CSV Files​

Opening in Excel​

  1. Double-click the downloaded CSV file. Excel should open it automatically.
  2. If columns do not align correctly, use Data > Text to Columns with comma as the delimiter.
  3. Format currency columns as Number with 2 decimal places for proper display.

Opening in Google Sheets​

  1. Go to Google Sheets.
  2. Click File > Import.
  3. Upload the CSV file.
  4. Select Comma as the separator type.
  5. Click Import data.

Common CSV Tasks​

Pivot table for payment method analysis:

  1. Select all data in the Sales Report CSV.
  2. Insert a pivot table.
  3. Set Payment Method as the row field.
  4. Set Total as the value field (Sum).

Filter for a specific date range:

  1. Open the CSV with date columns.
  2. Apply a filter to the Date column.
  3. Set conditions to show only the dates you need.

Scheduling Regular Exports​

Brother POS does not currently support automated scheduled exports. For regular reporting:

  1. Set a calendar reminder for your desired frequency (daily, weekly, monthly).
  2. Log in and generate the report for the desired period.
  3. Export and save to your preferred location.
  4. Use a consistent folder structure for easy retrieval: 
    Reports/
      2026/
        January/
          Sales_Report_Jan_2026.csv
          Sales_Report_Jan_2026.pdf
        February/
          ...
Accounting Integration

If you need automated data exports for your accounting system, consider connecting Brother POS with your accounting software through the WooCommerce integration, which can push transaction data automatically.

Troubleshooting Export Issues​

File Downloads but Is Empty​

  • Verify that your date range contains data. If there are no sales for the selected period, the export will have headers but no data rows.
  • Check that your filters are not excluding all records.

CSV Opens with Jumbled Columns​

  • The file may be using a different delimiter. Open it with a text editor first to check whether it uses commas, semicolons, or tabs.
  • Use your spreadsheet application's import wizard instead of double-clicking the file.

PDF Is Missing Data​

  • Ensure the report fully loaded on screen before clicking Export.
  • If the report has many pages, wait a moment for the PDF generation to complete.

Special Characters Display Incorrectly​

  • Brother POS CSV files use UTF-8 encoding. If accented characters (e.g., French names) display incorrectly, set your spreadsheet application to import with UTF-8 encoding.

What's Next?​