There are three formats that data can be exported in from SurvAid - PDF, CSV and Images Only.

PDFs are the most common, and include the witness diagrams and manhole cards many companies produce using SurvAid.

For manhole data, if you want to import your data into some other system like CAD or GIS for example, then there's the option to export to a CSV file as well.

Also for manholes, there is the option to export all the images (i.e. photographs and any sketches or diagrams) to a zip file. All files are placed in folders with the names based on the Manhole ID.

There are three categories of PDF template built in to SurvAid:

• Generic - these are built-in witness diagram and manhole card templates designed by us to allow you to use SurvAid straight out of the box with no setup required. They have no branding and contain the basic fields for each data type

• Global - these are also built-in for all users, but are custom designed for common use cases e.g. Network Rail and Environment Agency witness diagrams, United Utilities manhole card template etc These templates are tried and tested in the field and are in the specified format for deliverables to the relevant organisation.

• Custom - If required, we can create bespoke PDF templates based on your current designs (or help you make new ones). This means you can produce exactly the same deliverables as at present, just without the effort of manually creating them. Custom templates only appear as export options for users that have a login for your company in the web portal. See the article on customisation for more details.

If you navigate to the detail view for a particular record, at the top of the screen you'll see a row of coloured buttons.

Next to the Edit button are the Preview and Export buttons:

The pricing structure for SurvAid is based on exports, so each time a PDF file is produced, depending on the plan you choose there could be a cost associated with this.

So, to let you check that all the data and layout is correct before incurring any charges, it's possible to generate a watermarked preview of a PDF which doesn't count toward the monthly total.

Once you're happy everything is present and correct, you can then go ahead and generate the final deliverable.

When you click on either the Preview or Export button, you'll be presented with the list of PDF templates to choose from.

Taking the PGM options as an example, we can see that the list is split into three sections.

At the top are any custom templates you've had added in to the system, followed by any global templates, then at the bottom the generic SurvAid options.

Simply click on whichever option you require, and a PDF will be downloaded to your computer.

Exporting individually can be handy if you only have a few deliverables to produce, or you like to check each record and then export it when you're happy.

However, many users have a large number or records and prefer to be able to export all or most of them in one go to save time.

To do this, simply navigate to the "Batch Export" tab in the job detail view where you'll see all the records for that job listed by their ID, and the same Preview and Export buttons as with individual exports.

Select the records you'd like to export (individually or by clicking on the "Select All" button), then click on Preview or Export and choose the template you'd like to use.

When exporting multiple PDFs in one go, there are two ways the files can be produced:

A dialog will appear asking which option you prefer - as soon as you've made your choice the files will be generated and downloaded to your computer.

For users collecting manhole data, the Preview and Export buttons have additional options for exporting all the images if required (placed into folders named by the record's ID and bundled into a zip file) or exporting as a CSV file..