Export codes

Print a list of codes

You can print the list of codes visible in the List View (NVivo prints what you can see—collapsed code hierarchies are printed collapsed, and expanded hierarchies are printed expanded):

  1. Open a code folder to display the codes in the List View.
    NOTE: Be sure to widen the columns in the List View to see all text—truncated text is also truncated in the print.
  2. Select File > Print List.

Share a code summary

To export the list of files that are coded to a code (including information about location, references and coverage):

  1. Open the code and switch to the Summary tab. Click in the tab.
  2. On the Share tab, in the Export menu, select Export List.
  3. (Optional) Change the name, location or format of the exported file.

NOTE  If you export a parent code with code aggregation turned on, the exported code summary includes files coded to the parent and files coded to all of the child codes.

Share code references

To export the content coded to a code:

  1. Select the code in the List View.
  2. On the Share tab, in the Export menu, select Export Items.
  3. From the export options, select Reference View, and select any linked items that you want to export with the reference text—e.g. if you select annotations they become endnotes in the exported file.
  4. (Optional) Change the name, location or format of the exported file.

Export the codebook

As you develop your thematic code structure, you can report on the codes and their descriptions by generating a codebook. A codebook lets you work with your list of codes and their descriptions outside of NVivo, so you can review or share them with others. A codebook can clarify the meaning of the thematic codes so that you (or members in your team) can apply them to your data in a consistent manner.

You can export your codebook as:

  • A table in a Microsoft Word document (.docx)
  • An Excel spreadsheet (.xlsx, .xls)
  • A spreadsheet (.csv)
  • An XML file in the Codebook Exchange Format (.qdc) that can be opened in other Qualitative Data Analysis tools

Before you export your codebook, it is a good idea to check that you have added information about the meaning of your codes in the Description field in code properties.

To export a codebook:

  1. On the Share tab, in the Export menu, select Export Codebook.
  2. (Optional) If you have code folders in your project, you can choose which folders you want to include in the codebook.
  3. Click Select.
  4. You can now change the name, location or format of the exported codebook, then click OK.

The codebook exists outside of your NVivo project. If you want a copy of your codebook in NVivo, export the codebook in Microsoft Word format, and then import it as a document or memo.

NOTE   Importing a coding structure (empty codes) from a codebook in .qdc format allows you to reuse a code structure on multiple NVivo projects. Import the codes from just one, or from several, code folders and you can duplicate a code structure without needing to copy an entire project.