How to export your data from Tally

Tally lets you export form responses as a CSV file from each form's Submissions tab, download any single submission as a branded PDF, or auto-sync responses to a spreadsheet via the Google Sheets integration; there is no single 'export entire workspace' button, so backups are done form by form.

Formats: CSV, PDFPlan: CSV and PDF export of submissions: any plan, including Free. Exporting partial (unfinished) submissions: Tally Pro only.Role: Not specified in Tally's docs beyond having access to the form in your workspace; no separate 'export' permission is documented.

✓ Verified against Tally's official documentation, June 2026

Step by step

1Open the form you want to back up in your Tally dashboard and go to the Submissions tab.
2Click Download CSV to export all response data collected for that form; repeat this for each form in your workspace since there is no single workspace-wide export.
3To export unfinished responses, open the Partial tab inside Submissions and click Download CSV (requires Tally Pro; partial submissions can't be exported via integrations).
4To grab a single response as a document, hover over its row in the Submissions table and click the Download PDF icon; the PDF keeps your form's theme and includes any e-signature.
5For an ongoing backup instead of a one-time file, open the Integrations tab and connect Google Sheets so new submissions sync to a spreadsheet automatically.
6If a CSV download stalls or arrives incomplete, try a different browser (ad blockers/privacy extensions can interrupt large downloads), give large exports time to generate, and check your downloads folder for a partial file before retrying.
7If the CSV still won't complete, use the Google Sheets integration as an alternative way to pull all the data out.
8Note the timezone difference when reconciling data: the dashboard always shows submissions in your local timezone, while data exported through an integration is shown in UTC.

What the export includes

✓All submitted answers for the form, as columns/rows in the CSV
✓Submission timestamps
✓Respondent ID and Submission ID, but only when pulled through an integration or referenced on your Thank You page (not shown by default in the manual CSV)
✓For PDF export: a read-only rendering of the form with answers filled in, including page breaks, custom thank-you page content, basic payment status, and e-signatures

What it doesn't include

✗A single, one-click export of your entire workspace — CSV export is per form, not account-wide
✗Form Insights data (answer charts, NPS/CSAT scores, visit and drop-off analytics) — this is view-only in the dashboard and is not directly exportable as a file
✗Partial/incomplete submissions in the regular CSV export — these have a separate, Pro-only export and are excluded from integrations and email notifications
✗Actual uploaded files inside a PDF export — only filenames appear; you must open the submission and use the file download action to get the files themselves
✗Hidden fields, calculated fields, and conditional-logic blocks in the PDF export — these are left out to keep the PDF focused on the respondent's answers

Before you start

⚠Large CSV exports take time to generate and can get stuck or download as a partial file; switching browsers or disabling ad blockers often fixes it
⚠There's no built-in search/filter inside the Submissions tab — export to CSV and use your spreadsheet app, or sync via Google Sheets/Notion for a searchable copy
⚠Respondent ID and Submission ID aren't included unless you export via an integration or expose them on your Thank You page
⚠CSV/export timestamps are shown in UTC when pulled via an integration, but in your local timezone inside the dashboard itself
⚠Partial submissions can't be exported through integrations and don't trigger email notifications — CSV download from the Partial tab is the only route, and it's Pro-only
⚠Insights dashboards (charts, NPS/CSAT) can't be shared or exported as a file yet; your options are a screenshot, the raw CSV, or individual PDF exports

Where to take your data

Free and cheaper tools that can take a Tally export. See all Tally alternatives →

Tally Free

Alternatives

Tally itself is free for unlimited forms and responses, so if you're just avoiding a paid plan there's no migration needed — your CSV/PDF exports mainly serve as an external backup rather than something you re-import into a new form.

Google Forms

Alternatives

Google Forms has no bulk submission-import feature, so historical Tally responses (from your downloaded CSV) are kept as a reference spreadsheet in Google Sheets rather than imported back into live form data; you'd rebuild the questions manually in a new Google Form going forward.

Exporting from Tally: common questions

Can I export all my Tally data in one go?+

No. Export is done per form from that form's Submissions tab by clicking Download CSV; there's no single workspace-wide export button, so back up each form individually.

Does exporting my data cost anything?+

No. CSV export and PDF export of submissions are available on Tally's free plan. Only exporting partial/unfinished submissions requires Tally Pro.

Why is my CSV download stuck or incomplete?+

Large exports take time to generate, and ad blockers or privacy extensions can interrupt the download. Try a different browser, wait, check your downloads folder, or use the Google Sheets integration as a fallback.

Can I export unfinished (partial) form submissions?+

Yes, but only on Tally Pro: open the Partial tab under Submissions and click Download CSV. Partial submissions can't be exported through integrations or trigger email notifications.

Can I export my Insights charts and NPS/CSAT scores?+

Not directly — Insights isn't exportable as a file yet. You can screenshot the charts, export your raw submissions as CSV and recalculate yourself, or export individual submissions as PDF.

What happens to uploaded files when I export?+

In a PDF export, uploaded files show up as filenames only, not the actual files — open the individual submission and use the file download action to get the real files.