Short answer
Choose the export format by who — or what — will read it. PDF is for people: a laid-out document to print, file or send, which cannot easily be edited. CSV is the simplest, most widely readable table format, for spreadsheets and other software. Excel (XLSX) is a spreadsheet file that preserves columns and types for people who will work with the data. JSON is for machines: structured, complete data for backup, archiving or moving between programs. Whatever the format, open the export and check it before relying on it.
The four formats compared
| Format | Best for | Strengths | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Printing, filing, sending to people, records for a safety file | Looks the same everywhere; hard to alter accidentally | Not meant for re-importing; data is locked in the layout | |
| CSV | Moving tables between programs; quick analysis | Universally readable; plain text | One flat table; no formatting; encoding and separator pitfalls |
| Excel (XLSX) | Sharing data with people who use spreadsheets | Multiple sheets, column types, widely used | Easy to edit and drift from the source |
| JSON | Backup, archiving, moving to other software | Can hold nested, complete records | Not designed for reading by eye |
PDF: for people and for the file
Use a PDF when the reader is a person: a formula for your own archive binder, a document for a safety assessor, an approved version to accompany a batch. A good formula PDF names the formula code and version, lists every entry with its dilution, shows totals, and is dated. Because a PDF is hard to edit, it is also a useful snapshot of what a formula was on a given day — but it is a poor way to move data, because getting the numbers back out is unreliable.
CSV: the lowest common denominator
CSV (comma-separated values) is a plain-text table that nearly every program can read and write. It is ideal for getting a list of materials or formula entries into a spreadsheet, or from one program to another. Two pitfalls are worth knowing:
- Encoding. Names with accented characters (Ō, é, ñ) can be garbled if the exporting and importing programs disagree on the text encoding. UTF-8 is the safest choice.
- Separators. In locales that use a comma as the decimal mark, programs may use semicolons as separators, and decimals can be misread. Check numbers after opening.
Excel: for people who will work with the data
An XLSX file preserves columns and number types and can hold several sheets, which makes it the friendliest format for a colleague or client who wants to analyze or annotate data. The risk is the same as any spreadsheet: once it is edited, it is no longer the same as your records. Treat it as a copy, not a source.
JSON: for machines, backups and moving software
JSON holds structured data — a formula with its entries, each entry with its material and dilution — without flattening it into one table. That makes it the best format for a complete archive and for moving to new software, because nothing has to be squeezed into columns. It is not meant to be read by eye. Why formula data portability matters explains why having a complete, documented export is one of the most important things to check in any tool.
Export is not backup
An export of some formulas is a copy of those formulas. A backup is a complete copy of your data that can be restored as a whole, tested, and stored somewhere else. They overlap — a complete JSON export can be part of a backup strategy — but exporting a PDF of each formula now and then does not protect your library. See how to back up perfume formulas.
Check every export
- Open it in the program that will receive it.
- Check the row count and the totals against the source.
- Check that dilutions came through, not just weights.
- Check accented names and decimal numbers.
- For a formula, check the version and date are included.
- Re-import a JSON or CSV export into a test copy at least once, to prove it round-trips.
Exports for other people
A formula sent to a manufacturer, assessor or client is a disclosure. Send the approved version only, in the format they need, and record what you sent and to whom — see how to prepare a perfume formula for production handover and how to protect confidential perfume formulas. When bringing data in the other direction, see how to import and clean up existing formula data.
In RUŌOD Lab
RUŌOD Lab exports materials, formulas and collections as PDF, CSV, Excel or JSON. Each export states its scope — the open record, your current selection, or the whole library — and the formula PDF is a typeset document with the ingredient table, dilutions, totals and the measures you chose to show. It imports CSV, Excel and JSON. A complete backup is a separate function, in its own section of Settings. The broader structure of formula records that these exports carry is in the perfume formula template.
Frequently asked questions
Which format should I use to archive my formulas?
Keep two: a complete structured export (JSON or similar) that can be re-imported, and PDFs of approved versions that any person can read in twenty years without special software.
Why does my CSV look wrong in Excel?
Usually encoding (garbled accented characters) or separators (everything in one column, or decimals misread). Use the program's import function and choose UTF-8 and the right separator, rather than double-clicking the file.
Written and reviewed by the RUŌOD Lab team. This article is general education about perfume formulation and record-keeping; it is not legal, regulatory or safety advice, and the examples are illustrations, not validated commercial formulas. How we write and check these guides.