Home > Sharing data > Saving, importing, and exporting data > Supported import/export file formats

Supported import/export file formats

FileMaker Pro and many application programs that you want to exchange data with use a proprietary file format. In order to exchange data, you must export the data from one application in a format that the other application can import. If you’re exchanging data with another application program, check the documentation that came with that program to determine a common intermediary file format that both FileMaker Pro and the other program supports.

FileMaker Pro supports the import/export file formats listed in the following table. FileMaker both imports and exports most formats, but a few formats are either import/convert only or export only.

Most file formats support data conversion only and do not import or export formatting such as font, size, style, and color. Some of the formats export or convert field names and field types. For details on a particular format, click its link in the following table.

 

Supported format	Filename extension	Import/convert or export	Notes
Comma-Separated Text format	.csv or .txt	Both	• Works with BASIC programs and applications like Bento.   • Format is also called Comma-Separated Values (CSV).
FileMaker Pro format	.fp7	Both	• Import from previous versions (3.0 and later) after you convert the file to the current file format.   • Export to the current FileMaker Pro file format.   • Format retains field names.
HTML Table format	.htm	Export only	• Exports data as an HTML table for use as a static web page.
Merge format	.mer	Both	• Good export format for creating form letters in a word processor.   • Format retains field names.
Microsoft Excel format	.xls or .xlsx	Both	• Microsoft Excel 2008 for the Mac OS X supports the same file format (.xlsx) as Microsoft Excel 2007 for Windows.
Tab-Separated Text format	.tab or .txt	Both	• Works with most applications. If you aren't sure which format to use, try this one first.
XML format	.xml	Both	• In addition to XML files, you can import the XML data result of an HTTP request.

You can also do the following:

•	Import image files or text files from a folder all at once. See Importing a folder of files all at once.

•	Mac OS: Import photos from a digital camera. See Importing photos from a digital camera or other device (Mac OS).

•	Mac OS: Import from Bento data sources. See Importing Bento data (Mac OS).

•	Import from ODBC data sources and use FileMaker Pro as ODBC data source to serve FileMaker Pro data. See Querying an ODBC data source from FileMaker Pro and Sharing FileMaker Pro data via ODBC or JDBC.

•	Publish FileMaker Pro database files to a web page. See Publishing databases on the web.

•	Save a layout as a PDF file that can be used later as a blank form. See Saving and sending records as a PDF file.