> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.agenticflow.ai/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.agenticflow.ai/reference/nodes/export_data_to_file.md).

# Export Data to File

**Action ID:** `export_data_to_file`

## Description

Export data to a file. The file will be stored in S3 and the URL will be returned.

## Input Parameters

| Name            | Type   | Required | Default | Description                          |
| --------------- | ------ | :------: | ------- | ------------------------------------ |
| data            | string |     ✓    | -       | Data to export to the file           |
| file\_extension | string |     -    | txt     | File extension for the exported file |

<details>

<summary>View JSON Schema</summary>

```json
{
  "description": "Export Data to File action input.",
  "properties": {
    "data": {
      "title": "Data to export",
      "type": "string"
    },
    "file_extension": {
      "default": "txt",
      "title": "File extension",
      "type": "string"
    }
  },
  "required": [
    "data"
  ],
  "title": "ExportDataToFileActionInput",
  "type": "object"
}
```

</details>

## Output Parameters

| Name      | Type   | Description                            |
| --------- | ------ | -------------------------------------- |
| file\_url | string | URL of the exported file in S3 storage |

<details>

<summary>View JSON Schema</summary>

```json
{
  "description": "Export Data to file action output.",
  "properties": {
    "file_url": {
      "title": "File URL",
      "type": "string"
    }
  },
  "required": [
    "file_url"
  ],
  "title": "ExportDataToFileActionOutput",
  "type": "object"
}
```

</details>

## How It Works

This node takes your data string and writes it to a file with the specified extension. The file is then uploaded to S3 cloud storage with a unique filename. The node returns a publicly accessible URL where the file can be downloaded or referenced in subsequent workflow steps.

## Usage Examples

### Example 1: Export JSON Data

**Input:**

```
data: "{\"name\": \"John Doe\", \"email\": \"john@example.com\", \"age\": 30}"
file_extension: "json"
```

**Output:**

```
file_url: "https://s3.amazonaws.com/bucket/export-12345.json"
```

### Example 2: Export CSV Data

**Input:**

```
data: "Name,Email,Age\nJohn Doe,john@example.com,30\nJane Smith,jane@example.com,25"
file_extension: "csv"
```

**Output:**

```
file_url: "https://s3.amazonaws.com/bucket/export-67890.csv"
```

### Example 3: Export Plain Text Report

**Input:**

```
data: "Workflow Execution Report\n\nTotal Records: 150\nSuccess: 145\nFailed: 5\nExecution Time: 2.3 seconds"
file_extension: "txt"
```

**Output:**

```
file_url: "https://s3.amazonaws.com/bucket/export-24680.txt"
```

## Common Use Cases

* **Data Backup**: Export workflow data to files for backup and archival purposes
* **Report Generation**: Create downloadable reports from processed data
* **Data Sharing**: Generate files that can be shared with external systems or users
* **Batch Processing Output**: Save the results of batch processing operations to files
* **Log Exports**: Export logs and execution details for analysis and auditing
* **Configuration Files**: Generate configuration files based on workflow data
* **Data Migration**: Export data in specific formats for migration to other systems

## Error Handling

| Error Type        | Cause                                          | Solution                                                                       |
| ----------------- | ---------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Empty Data        | Data parameter is empty or null                | Ensure the data parameter contains valid content before exporting              |
| Invalid Extension | File extension contains invalid characters     | Use only alphanumeric characters for the file extension (e.g., txt, json, csv) |
| Data Too Large    | Data size exceeds maximum allowed size         | Break large data into smaller chunks and export multiple files                 |
| S3 Upload Failed  | Unable to upload file to S3 storage            | Check S3 connectivity and permissions, then retry the operation                |
| Encoding Error    | Data contains characters that can't be encoded | Ensure data is properly encoded in UTF-8 format                                |
| Permission Denied | Insufficient permissions to write to S3        | Verify that the workflow has proper S3 write permissions configured            |
| Network Error     | Connection to S3 storage failed                | Check network connectivity and S3 service status                               |

## Notes

* **File Extension**: The file extension determines the file type but doesn't validate the data format—ensure your data matches the extension.
* **Default Extension**: If no file extension is provided, the file will be saved with a .txt extension.
* **Unique Filenames**: Each export generates a unique filename to prevent overwrites and conflicts.
* **Storage Location**: Files are stored in S3 with configurable retention policies based on your setup.
* **URL Accessibility**: The returned URL is publicly accessible—avoid exporting sensitive data without encryption.
* **Data Format**: The node accepts string data, so ensure complex data structures are serialized (e.g., JSON.stringify).
* **File Size Limits**: Be aware of S3 upload limits and workflow data size constraints.
* **Cost Considerations**: S3 storage and bandwidth usage may incur costs depending on your plan and usage volume.