Exporting Data

After you have reviewed and verified your documents, you can export the processed data in various formats suitable for your accounting software or record-keeping needs.

Before you export

Before running an export, confirm the following:

• Review cases are complete. Only documents that have been approved or marked as complete appear in exports. If a document still needs review, return to the Review Hub to verify the extracted fields.
• Fields are verified. Check that key fields such as SSN, EIN, and amounts have been confirmed. Low-confidence fields should be manually corrected before export.
• Export preferences are configured. Your firm administrator sets default export formats in workspace settings. You can override these per client if needed.
• You have export permissions. Preparer and Admin roles can trigger exports. Reviewer roles may have view-only access depending on firm configuration.

If you encounter issues with permissions or missing documents, see the Frequently Asked Questions for common solutions.

Export formats

TidalForms supports multiple export targets to integrate with your existing tax preparation workflow. Your firm administrator configures which formats are available.

Format	File Type	Best For	Tax Software
Simple Workpaper (PDF)	PDF	Client files, audit trails, printable summaries	General documentation
Simple Workpaper (Excel)	XLSX	Spreadsheet review, custom formatting, data manipulation	Excel-based workflows
Detailed Workpaper (Excel)	XLSX	Comprehensive field-by-field breakdown with source annotations	Complex returns, audit prep
Drake XML	XML	Direct import into Drake Tax software	Drake Tax
UltraTax XLS	XLS	Import into UltraTax tax preparation software	UltraTax CS

Simple Workpaper provides a clean summary of extracted data organized by form type. It is suitable for most standard workflows and client delivery.

Detailed Workpaper includes additional context such as confidence scores, source field locations, and validation notes. Use this for complex cases or when you need a full audit trail.

Run an export

1. Open Review Hub. Open Review Hub, select your completed documents, and click Export. Use the filters to show only completed cases, or select specific documents from the queue.

2. Choose your format. Select from the available formats configured for your firm. You can export individual documents or batch export multiple forms at once.

3. Confirm the export. Review the summary showing which documents will be included. Click Confirm to start the export process.

4. Download the files. When the export completes, a download link appears. Exports are also saved to your export history for later retrieval. The download link remains valid for 48 hours.

Expected result: You receive a compressed archive containing your exported files in the selected format. Each form type generates its own file when exporting multiple documents.

Verify exported output

After downloading your export, take a moment to verify the output:

• Check file integrity. Open each file to confirm it loads correctly. Corrupted exports can be regenerated from export history.
• Spot-check field values. Compare a few key fields against the original documents to ensure accuracy.
• Review the export summary. The summary file lists all included documents and any warnings such as skipped forms or fields below confidence thresholds.
• Confirm formatting. For Excel exports, verify that columns align correctly and currency values display as expected.

If you notice discrepancies between the exported data and what you reviewed, the original review case remains available in the Review Hub for re-verification.

Export troubleshooting

Export shows no documents

Symptoms: Export summary indicates zero documents, or the download archive is empty.

Solutions:

• Verify that selected documents have Completed or Approved status
• Check that the review cases belong to the current client filter
• Confirm your firm has export permissions enabled for your role

Export fails to generate

Symptoms: Export process shows an error or never completes.

Solutions:

• Refresh the page and check export history for status updates
• Large batches may take several minutes to process
• If the error persists, try exporting fewer documents at once
• Contact support if exports consistently fail for specific document types

Download link expired

Symptoms: Clicking the download link shows an error or invalid link message.

Solutions:

• Export download links expire after 48 hours for security
• Regenerate the export from export history to get a fresh download link
• Check that you are logged into the correct firm workspace

Exported values differ from reviewed data

Symptoms: Field values in the exported file do not match what you verified in the Review Hub.

Solutions:

• Confirm you are viewing the most recent export for that client
• Check if another team member made corrections after your review
• Re-open the review case to verify the current field values
• Report persistent discrepancies to support for investigation

Format not available

Symptoms: The export format you need does not appear in the export options.

Solutions:

• Your firm administrator controls which export formats are enabled
• Contact your administrator to request additional format support
• Some formats require specific firm-level configuration before they become available