Exporting from Zotero to a Spreadsheet

Occasionally, you may want to view your saved sources in spreadsheet form. If you want to do this, select all articles that you'd like to export and right-click (on Windows) or double-tap (on Mac) over the top of them in the center column. From the menu that appears, select 'Export Items.' 

The Zotero program, with a set of articles selected in the center column and 'Export Items' highlighted in the menu.

 

You will be able to select an export format from the dropdown box that appears. Choose 'CSV.' (This is the file type that you can open in spreadsheet programs like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets.) 

The Zotero program, with the 'Export' menu appearing. A drop-down box with 'CSV' is highlighted.

 

Click 'OK' and follow the prompts to save the file somewhere on your computer.

A file manager, showing a CSV file being saved.

 

Open the file in the spreadsheet tool of your choice. Below you'll see Microsoft Excel. 

The Microsoft Excel program, with several columns and rows displaying citation data exported from Zotero.

 

You'll notice a lot of columns that contain information you probably don't need. However, all information that you do need (like the title, author, abstract, and more) is there. You can delete any extra columns that you don't want to keep. 

If you're working in Microsoft Excel, save it as a .xlsx file for most flexibility manipulating the data.