If you're wrangling survey data and want to actually do something with it—pivot tables, charts, even a little Python—you're in the right place. This guide is for anyone who's got survey results trapped in Alchemer and needs clean, usable data in Excel. Skip the canned reports and let's talk about what really works (and what definitely doesn't) when getting your data out.
No sales pitch here—just step-by-step help, plus a few hard-earned lessons so you don't waste hours cleaning up a mess someone else could've warned you about.
Why Export from Alchemer to Excel?
First, a quick reality check: The built-in reports in Alchemer are fine for basic charts and simple stats. But if you want to:
- Compare segments
- Build your own dashboards
- Run statistical tests
- Clean messy open-ends
- Or just avoid being boxed in by software
...you need your raw data in Excel (or, honestly, CSV). That's where the real analysis happens.
Step 1: Prep Your Survey Data (Trust Me, It Matters)
Before You Even Hit "Export"
Exporting is easy. Garbage in, garbage out is still true. Spend five minutes here, save hours later.
- Finalize Your Survey: Don’t export data from a live, changing survey. If you add questions mid-collection, your export will be a mess.
- Check for Test Responses: Remove your own tests and obvious junk. Alchemer lets you filter out test data—do it.
- Know Your Question Types: Some question types (like grids, ranking, or multi-select) export in ways that aren’t always obvious. Make a quick note of any “weird” questions before you pull your data.
Pro tip: If you plan to merge with other data sources, standardize labels or IDs now. Fixing mismatches in Excel later is a pain.
Step 2: Export Your Data from Alchemer
1. Log In and Find Your Survey
- Sign into Alchemer and go to your dashboard.
- Click on the survey you want to export.
2. Head to Results > Exports
- In the survey navigation, look for the “Results” tab.
- Under Results, click on “Exports.” (Not “Reports.” You want raw data, not pretty charts.)
3. Choose Your Export Type
Alchemer offers a few export formats. Here’s what matters:
- CSV/Excel Export: This is what you want for Excel. Don’t bother with PDF or “Summary Data” unless you need a quick snapshot.
- SPSS & Other Formats: Only use if you’re working in those tools. For Excel, stick with CSV or Excel (.xlsx).
Heads-up: CSV is safest if you’re using older Excel versions or plan to open in other tools. Modern Excel handles both fine.
4. Configure Export Settings
Here’s where you avoid “Why is my data all in one cell?” nightmares.
- Include column headers: Always on. Otherwise, you can’t tell what’s what.
- Export display text or reporting values?
- Display text shows what respondents saw (“Strongly Agree”).
- Reporting values show the coded value (like “5”).
- If you’re running stats, reporting values are easier. For basic analysis, display text is more readable.
- Handle multi-select questions:
- By default, Alchemer usually gives you one column per choice, with 1/0 or TRUE/FALSE. That’s good.
- Some exports jam it all into one cell—avoid that if possible.
- Include open-ended responses:
- If you want to analyze comments, make sure to include those columns.
Take a quick look at the advanced options, but don’t overthink it. Most defaults work for basic needs.
5. Run and Download the Export
- Click “Export.”
- Wait a few seconds—big surveys can take longer.
- Download the file (usually a .xlsx or .csv).
Reality check: If your export is huge (thousands of responses), Alchemer might email you a link instead of letting you download directly. Watch for that.
Step 3: Open and Inspect Your Data in Excel
Don’t just dive in—open your file and look at it first.
1. Check the Structure
- Are column headers clear?
- Do you see one row per respondent?
- Did multi-select questions export as separate columns?
If you see weird merged cells, all data in one column, or gibberish, close the file and try exporting as CSV instead.
2. Scan for Obvious Problems
- Are any columns blank?
- Are there columns with just IDs or timestamps you don’t need?
- Do open-ends look readable?
Pro tip: Make a copy of your file before you start editing. Excel’s “Undo” only goes so far.
3. Clean Up (Quickly)
- Delete junk columns (test data, system info you don’t need).
- Rename columns for clarity, especially if you’ll share the file.
- Fix any header issues now (Excel’s “Text to Columns” can help if something looks wrong).
Step 4: Get Ready for Advanced Analysis
You’ve got your data. Now, set it up for whatever comes next.
1. Format Data for Analysis
- Numbers as numbers, text as text: Make sure rating questions are actually numbers, not text labels.
- Dates: Excel sometimes mangles date formats. Double-check.
- Consistent coding: For things like “Yes/No” or “Male/Female,” use consistent coding (not “Y”, “Yes”, “1” all mixed together).
2. Handle Multi-Select and Grid Questions
This is where most exports get ugly.
- Multi-select: Each option should be its own column. If you get a single column with choices separated by commas, use Excel’s “Text to Columns” to split them.
- Grids/Matrix: These often export as multiple columns, one per sub-question. Check that the labels make sense.
If you get lost, go back to your original survey and match question text to column headers.
3. Save a Clean Version
Always save your cleaned data as a new file. Then you can try different analyses without losing your starting point.
Common Pitfalls (and How to Dodge Them)
- Encoding Weirdness: If you see odd characters (like “é” instead of “é”), open your CSV in Notepad first, save as UTF-8, then open in Excel.
- Multiple Surveys, Different Structures: If you’re combining exports from multiple surveys, match columns before analysis. Otherwise, merges will be a headache.
- Auto-Formatting in Excel: Excel loves to “help” by turning numbers into dates or shortening long numbers. Double-check columns that look off.
- Data Privacy: Don’t export or share personally identifiable info unless you really need it. Alchemer sometimes includes respondent emails or IPs by default—delete those if not needed.
What to Ignore (Most of the Time)
- Alchemer’s Built-in Charts: Fine for a meeting, but useless for deep dives.
- PDF Exports: Only good for printouts, not analysis.
- “Summary Data” Exports: These are just pivot tables Alchemer makes for you. Skip them if you want flexibility.
Pro Tips for Smoother Analysis
- Document Your Work: Keep a text file or sheet with what you changed after export. Saves pain when someone asks, “How did you get these numbers?”
- Learn Excel’s Filters & Pivot Tables: You don’t need fancy stats tools for most survey analysis. Master these basics first.
- Automate with Power Query: If you’re doing this regularly, Power Query can clean and transform data much faster than manual edits.
Keep It Simple—Start, Learn, Repeat
Exporting survey data from Alchemer to Excel isn’t rocket science, but the devil’s in the details. The cleaner your export, the faster you’ll get to real insights—and the less time you’ll spend cursing at your screen. Don’t overcomplicate: pull the data, scan for issues, clean it up, and get to work. If something looks off, fix it and try again. The best analysis is the one you actually finish.
Now go wrangle that data.