By Alpit Patel and the aibrevo team · October 22, 2026 · 5 min read
How Do You Export Data From SugarCRM?
Quick answer
In SugarCRM (now branded SugarAI), open a module's list view, select records or Select All, and choose Export from the Actions menu to download a CSV. Select All covers only the first 1,000 records, so larger sets need filtered batches or a report export. Reports can include related modules and handle bigger volumes.
Key takeaways
- SugarCRM has two documented export routes: a list view export (select records, then Actions, Export) and a report export (open a report, Actions, Export). Both download a CSV file that opens in Excel or a text editor.
- List view export includes every stock and custom field of the module but no related records or subpanel data. Select All covers the first 1,000 records, so bigger sets must be filtered and exported in batches.
- Report export lets you choose the fields, can include data from related modules and tolerates larger record counts before timing out. Reports above 100,000 cells offer only the CSV download.
- Large exports can time out because of PHP memory limits. The fix in both cases is to export in smaller batches.
- Admins can restrict export under Admin, Locale, and can create a role that blocks regular users from exporting. SugarCRM is now branded SugarAI, and its documentation has moved to support.sugarai.com.
To export data from SugarCRM, open a module’s list view, select the records (or Select All), and choose Export from the Actions menu. A CSV file downloads to your computer. Select All covers only the first 1,000 records, so larger sets need filtered batches or a report export, which can also include related-module data. SugarCRM is now branded SugarAI, and the steps below come from its documentation, checked on October 22, 2026.
What are the ways to export data from SugarCRM?
Sugar’s export guide describes two ways, and picks between them by purpose.
| List view export | Report export | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Module list view, Actions, Export | Open report, Actions, Export |
| Fields | Every stock and custom field of the module | The fields you chose for the report |
| Related records | Not included (no subpanel data) | Can include related modules |
| Volume | Select All covers the first 1,000 records | Tolerates larger counts before timing out |
| Sugar’s suggestion | Data migration and comprehensive updates | Anything needing chosen fields or related data |
Source: Sugar documentation, “Export” application guide, version 14.0, checked Oct 22, 2026.
The output in both cases is a CSV file that opens in a spreadsheet tool such as Excel or in a text editor.
How do you export records from a SugarCRM list view?
The steps differ slightly for the two module types the guide names.
- Open the module’s list view from its module tab, for example Accounts.
- Find your records. In sidecar modules use Module Search. In legacy modules such as Projects use Basic or Advanced Search.
- Select records with the row checkboxes, or use Select All. In legacy modules the checkbox dropdown has the options.
- Choose Export from the Actions menu.
The file includes only records matching any search you ran first. Because Select All covers the first 1,000 records, a larger set needs a filter in Module Search, and you export each slice in turn. Slicing by a date range or an owner keeps the batches distinct and easy to count.
How do you export a SugarCRM report to CSV?
Open an existing report from the Reports module’s list view, or create a new one. Open the report’s Actions menu, choose Export and, in the dialog, choose CSV. The file downloads to your browser’s download location. A report gives you control over which fields appear and can pull data from related modules, which list view exports cannot.
The reports documentation adds numbers worth knowing: reports with 30,000 to 100,000 cells offer a simplified on-screen table or a CSV download, and reports with more than 100,000 cells offer only the CSV download. Scheduled CSV or PDF reports do not include charts. You can also export a report with Record IDs, edit the data and re-import it to update existing records.
| Report size | What Sugar offers |
|---|---|
| Under 30,000 cells | Not described in the part of the page we read |
| 30,000 to 100,000 cells | Simplified on-screen table or CSV download |
| Over 100,000 cells | CSV download only |
Source: Sugar documentation, “Reports”, checked Oct 22, 2026.
Why does a SugarCRM export fail, time out or come out short?
| Symptom | Documented cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Export option missing | Admin restriction under Admin, Locale, or a role that blocks export | Ask the administrator to adjust the role or the Locale setting |
| Time-out on a big export | PHP memory limits | List view: export smaller batches. Report: split into smaller batches |
| Only 1,000 records downloaded | Select All covers the first 1,000 records | Filter in Module Search and export in batches |
| Related data missing | List view excludes related records and subpanels | Export through a report that includes the related modules |
| Fewer rows than the module holds | Search or filter was active | Clear the search before exporting |
| Extra Selected Teams columns | Module uses team-based permissions | Expected: Selected Teams and Selected Team Set ID are added |
Source: Sugar documentation, “Export” and “Reports”, checked Oct 22, 2026.
After any export, compare the row count with the count in Sugar and spot-check a few records. Our CRM data migration security checklist covers where to store files that contain personal data.
Can you export SugarCRM data through the API?
Yes. The Sugar Developer Guide (version 13.0) documents a REST route for exporting a saved list: you first create a record list with POST /<module>/record_list, passing a records array of record IDs, then call GET /<module>/export/:record_list_id. The response is a CSV file, sent as an attachment, whose first row holds the column labels. The call needs an OAuth token from /oauth2/token. The page states no maximum number of records for the endpoint, and it does not describe pacing, so confirm the rate your instance allows before looping over thousands of IDs.
Is SugarCRM now called SugarAI?
Yes, per the vendor’s own site. The pricing page is titled “SugarAI (formerly SugarCRM)” and the footer says “SugarCRM is now SugarAI”. The old sugarcrm.com addresses redirect to sugarai.com and the documentation to support.sugarai.com. The pages we read still use the product names Sugar and Sugar Sell, and the 9.1 and 14.0 export guides carry the same export text in the search results we saw. If you search for help under the old name, you will land on the same documentation.
How does a SugarCRM export fit into a migration?
A list view export per module, plus report exports for related data, is the standard route for a move. Export accounts, contacts, opportunities and activities separately, keep every ID column so relationships can be rebuilt, and count rows per file. The guide to exporting data from eight CRMs lists comparable steps for other platforms, how to export data from Zoho CRM covers one common destination, and the CRM migration guide covers planning. Clean the files before importing: duplicates, missing emails and inconsistent picklists carry over unless you fix them, as the CRM data cleaning guide explains.
When to get help
One module export is a short job. Help pays off when the export feeds a migration: related data across modules, team-based permissions, custom fields and a cut-over date. SugarCRM is quoted per project and aibrevo does not implement it. Migrating SugarCRM data into Salesforce, HubSpot, Dynamics 365, Zoho CRM, Pipedrive, monday.com, Airtable or GoHighLevel is a common request. Book a short call or send a message, and see the Salesforce service page for one destination.
Sources
- Sugar documentation, Export (version 14.0 application guide), checked Oct 22, 2026.
- Sugar documentation, Reports (version 14.0 application guide), checked Oct 22, 2026.
- Sugar Developer Guide 13.0, How to export a list of records, checked Oct 22, 2026.
- SugarAI, Pricing, checked Oct 22, 2026.