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Exporting Data from Daylite

Daylite provides several ways to export your data, from individual contact cards and calendar entries to full spreadsheet exports and complete database dumps. The right method depends on what you need: a vCard for complete contact records, an ICS file for calendar data, a CSV or TSV for spreadsheet-friendly output, or a raw database export for migration and archival purposes. All export features are available on Mac only.

Key facts:

  • Daylite offers four export paths via File > Export: vCard (contacts), ICS (calendar), CSV/TSV (spreadsheet), and a separate full database export via Settings

  • CSV/TSV export requires multi-column list view and exports only the columns and rows you select

  • Multi-column list view supports a maximum of two phone numbers, one address, and one company ID per record — use vCard export when you need complete data

  • You can copy records directly from multi-column list view and paste them into Apple Numbers without exporting to a file

  • Full database export produces raw, machine-readable database tables — not human-readable spreadsheets

  • All export features are Mac only

How Do You Export Contacts as vCards in Daylite?

A vCard is a standard virtual contact card format that captures all of a contact's data, including all phone numbers, email addresses, and multiple addresses — with no column limitations.

To export People as vCards:

  1. Go to File > Export > Export People as vCards.

  2. Choose a save location and file name in the dialog that appears.

  3. Click Save.

vCard export is the recommended method when you need complete contact records. Unlike CSV/TSV export, vCard captures every phone number, email address, and address on a record regardless of how many exist.

How Do You Export Your Calendar from Daylite?

Daylite exports calendar data as ICS files — the standard format used by Apple Calendar, Google Calendar, and other calendar applications. Each Category in your calendar produces its own separate ICS file.

To export your calendar:

  1. Go to File > Export > Export Calendar to Apple iCal.

  2. Choose a date range — select All Dates to export everything, or set a Start and End date.

  3. Choose an export location or click Browse to select a folder.

  4. Optionally, check Export each category as a separate calendar to produce one ICS file per Category. When unchecked, the export produces a single ICS file.

  5. Click Export.

You can access this menu item from any section of Daylite — you do not need to navigate to the Calendar view first.

How Do You Export Records to a CSV or TSV File in Daylite?

A CSV (Comma Separated Values) or TSV (Tab Separated Values) export creates a spreadsheet-compatible file containing the records and fields you select. This is the most common export method for working with Daylite data in a spreadsheet application.

CSV/TSV export requires multi-column list view. The menu item File > Export > Visible Columns and Selected Rows to File is grayed out in any other view. Multi-column list view is required because it lets you add, remove, and rearrange columns, giving you control over exactly which data gets exported.

To export records to a CSV or TSV file:

  1. In the Daylite sidebar, select the section containing the records you want to export (for example, People, Companies, or All Projects).

  2. Switch to multi-column list view by going to View > Multi-Column List.

  1. Adjust the visible columns by right-clicking any column header to show or hide columns. You can also drag column headers to reorder them.

  2. Select the records you want to export.

  1. Go to File > Export > Visible Columns and Selected Rows to File.

  1. Enter a file name.

  2. Choose where to save the file.

  3. Select the export format. The dialog defaults to tab delimited (TSV). You can switch to CSV (Comma Delimited). File encoding and line ending options are also available but the defaults work for most situations.

  4. Click Save.

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Tip: You can skip the export dialog entirely by copying records from multi-column list view directly into Apple Numbers. Select the records you want, press Cmd+C, switch to Numbers, and press Cmd+V. The data pastes with columns intact — no file export needed.

This shortcut works in Apple Numbers only. It does not work correctly in Microsoft Excel — Excel places all the data into a single column. To get data into Excel, export to a CSV or TSV file instead and open that file in Excel.

What Are the Limitations of CSV/TSV Export in Daylite?

Multi-column list view limits the number of certain fields that can appear as columns. The confirmed maximums per record are:

  • Two phone numbers

  • One address

  • One company ID

If a contact has a third phone number, for example, that number does not appear as an available column in multi-column list view and cannot be included in a CSV/TSV export.

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If you need complete records with all phone numbers, email addresses, and addresses, export your contacts as vCards instead. You can then convert the vCard file into a spreadsheet format using a third-party tool.

Can You Print Records from Daylite?

If you need a paper copy or a PDF of a record, go to File > Print. Daylite offers print templates that vary by record type (for example, Contact Summary for People records). Select a template and use the macOS print dialog to save as PDF or send to a printer.

How Do You Export Your Entire Daylite Database?

Daylite can export your complete database as a set of CSV files containing all database tables. This is a raw database export — the data is machine-readable, not human-readable. Categories, labels, and linked records appear as numeric IDs that reference other tables, not as readable names.

To start a full database export, go to Settings > Account & Subscription > Export Data. This opens the Daylite Account Manager in your browser, where you can create and download the export.

For the full walkthrough, see Export All Database Tables to CSV.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is "Export Visible Columns and Selected Rows to File" grayed out?

This menu item is only available when you are in multi-column list view. Go to View > Multi-Column List, then select the records you want to export before choosing the menu item.

How do I export a contact's third phone number or second address?

CSV/TSV export is limited by the columns available in multi-column list view. To export all data including additional phone numbers and addresses, use File > Export > Export People as vCards. The vCard format captures all fields without column limitations.

Can I paste Daylite data into Microsoft Excel?

Copying from multi-column list view and pasting into Excel does not work correctly — Excel places all data into a single column. Export to a CSV or TSV file instead and open that file in Excel.

Does the calendar export include all users' Appointments in a shared database?

No. The calendar export includes only your Appointments. Other users' Appointments are not included in the export, even in a shared database.

What is the difference between CSV/TSV export and the full database export?

CSV/TSV export creates a single spreadsheet file containing the columns and records you've selected. The full database export (via Settings > Account & Subscription > Export Data) dumps every table in the database as raw CSV files with numeric IDs instead of readable names. The full export is intended for data migration or archival, not everyday use.

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