> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.gowindmill.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Export review data

> Export review packets as PDF files, review answers as a CSV file, final ratings, and calibration results.

## Choose an export format

Cycle admins can export a cycle in two formats:

* **PDF ZIP:** Creates a ZIP file with one PDF review packet for each selected employee. Windmill emails you when the file is ready.
* **CSV:** Downloads the answers for one review stage to your browser as a spreadsheet.

Managers can select **Export** on the **My Team** review page to download CSV data for their team.

Exports are available for active, paused, and completed cycles. They are not available for archived cycles.

## Export review PDFs

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the cycle export">
    From [Performance Reviews](https://app.gowindmill.com/COMPANY/performance), open the cycle. Select **Admin > Export**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose PDF ZIP">
    Select **PDF ZIP**, then select **Next**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select the review data">
    Select one or more enabled manager, self, peer, or upward stages, and the questions to include.

    Windmill selects all available stages and all employee-visible questions by default. Questions hidden from employees are not selected by default.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select the employees">
    Select all employees in the cycle, filter by manager or group, or select specific employees.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Start the export">
    Review your selections, then select **Start export**. Windmill emails you when the file is ready.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Download the ZIP file">
    Select **Download export** in the email.

    Only the cycle admin who started the export can use the link, and they must still be a cycle admin. **The link is valid for 48 hours.**
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Warning>
  Exports can contain confidential feedback. Check the files before you share them, and share them only with people who need access.
</Warning>

## PDF packet contents

Each PDF contains only the completed reviews that you selected. Draft and unsubmitted reviews are not included. For a complete record, export after all reviews and [calibration](/features/calibrations) are complete.

The PDF shows the review period, generation date, reviewer identity where visible, selected questions, and submitted answers. It marks reviews as completed but does not show submission times.

If you include yourself in an export, your packet includes your self review and any manager-review content that was shared with you. It does not include peer or upward feedback about you.

The ZIP file also contains `manifest.csv`. If the export is incomplete, use this file to find the PDF files that Windmill could not create. Start a new export for those employees or contact [support@gowindmill.com](mailto:support@gowindmill.com).

## Export a review CSV

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the cycle export">
    From [Performance Reviews](https://app.gowindmill.com/COMPANY/performance), open the cycle. Select **Admin > Export**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose CSV">
    Select **CSV**, then select **Next**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select the review data">
    Select one review stage and the questions to include. To export ratings, select the stage and question that contain the rating.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select the employees">
    Select all employees in the cycle, filter by manager or group, or select specific employees.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Download the CSV file">
    Review your selections, then select **Start export**. The file downloads to your browser.
  </Step>
</Steps>

The CSV has one row for each review assignment, including its status and submission time. An employee can therefore have several peer or upward rows.

## Export final ratings

Include the manager stage and rating questions in a **PDF ZIP** export. The PDF shows effective submitted answers. Where calibration changed an answer, it shows separate **Manager Rating** and **Calibrated Rating** values.

Recommended values become final only after the assigned manager accepts them.

## Export through the API

Use the [packet export API](/api-reference/performance-reviews/export-cycle-packets) with an API key belonging to a cycle admin. It returns one packet per included reviewee and can filter the cycle's saved reviewee list.

The response includes stage status, dates, completion totals, questions, and visibility settings. Review data includes reviewers, submission status, submitted answers, and answer submission times. Manager and self reviews also include a review submission time.

* **submittedOnly: false:** Includes incomplete review records with null submitted answers. Draft answer content is never included.
* **submittedOnly: true:** Omits incomplete reviews. Stage completion totals stay the same.

The API supports active, paused, and completed cycles. It rejects archived cycles.

## Export calibration results

Applied changes and accepted recommendations appear as effective manager answers in PDF and API exports.

PDFs show both the original manager value and calibrated value. The packet API returns the effective answer without a separate original manager value.

These exports do not include calibration comments, calibration discussions, review-sharing comments, or sharing history.