# Export Custom Field

**URL:** <https://discourse.jabref.org/t/export-custom-field/4501>\
**Category:** Help\
**Created:** [September 17, 2024, 1:31pm UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/export-custom-field/4501 "2024-09-17T13:31:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Nam\_Le](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/discourse.jabref.org/nam_le/32/2021_2.png) [@Nam\_Le](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/Nam_Le)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2024, 1:31pm UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/export-custom-field/4501/1 "2024-09-17T13:31:17Z")

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Hi All, I have a bib file with several custom fields and I want to export to csv format. I did follow the page

> **[Custom export filters | JabRef](https://docs.jabref.org/collaborative-work/export/customexports)**

but it is not clear on how as I modify the layout to include one custom field but when export it doesnt work.

I copy here as example of one reference, but i have like hundreds of entries with different types such as Contract, Lease, Memo, Letter, etc.

@CONTRACT{AVIVA2017,  
groups = {LE03},  
title = {Appointment Contract of Mechanical and Electrical Services Engineer},  
year = {2017},  
month = {#dec#},  
date = {2017-12-21},  
organization = {Aviva Life & Pensions UK Limited},  
timestamp = {2024-09-13},  
comment = {No clear title the document title has been created},  
asset = {Category A Fitout of 4th floor office},  
author = {(1) AVIVA and LIFE and PENSIONS UK and LIMITED},  
category = {Legal},  
contractor = {Watkins Payne Partnership},  
discipline = {Legal},  
file = {},  
must = {Y},  
requirement = {Legal},  
stage = {Pre-Construction},  
validity = {NA}  
}

Thanks for help.  
Nam

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Siedlerchr](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/discourse.jabref.org/siedlerchr/32/216_2.png) [@Siedlerchr](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/Siedlerchr)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2024, 12:45pm UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/export-custom-field/4501/2 "2024-09-18T12:45:06Z")

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Hi,

you need to copy the layout files to a new directory, modify the layout files to include your field  
and add them as in the documentation as new custom exporter

> **[jabref/src/main/resources/resource/layout/openoffice at...](https://github.com/JabRef/jabref/tree/7e69ef57ce1e1b66a2dfd44b9a5c0d43dfd41c3b/src/main/resources/resource/layout/openoffice)**
>
> Graphical Java application for managing BibTeX and biblatex (.bib) databases - JabRef/jabref

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Nam\_Le](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/discourse.jabref.org/nam_le/32/2021_2.png) [@Nam\_Le](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/Nam_Le)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2024, 4:38am UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/export-custom-field/4501/3 "2024-09-19T04:38:58Z")

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Thanks Christoph,  
I follow this link but found very difficult to implement as there are two files  
Appreciate if you can advise me on the step by step.  
Let say I only need to add new custom fields name Asset and Organization along with Title so what should I do in that two files, can I do smt like follow

Begin Layout

BibliographyType,Title,Organizations,Asset

ENd layout

\format[GetOpenOfficeType]{\entrytype},{\title}“,”\organization",“Asset”

After i modify that two layouts what will be next step.

I go to Preference → Custome Export Format → Add

then after I click Add, it appers 3 fields to enter

- Export Format Name → I type begin layout

- Main layout file → I choose the begin layout

- File extension → I type csv  
then I add another one

- Export Format Name → I type end layout

- Main layout file → I choose the end layout

- File extension → I type csv

Can you advise if those steps are correct?  
and Can I save those two layouts in any folder or it has to be saved under some rooted folder of Jabref.  
Thanks

Nam

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**Author:** ![Siedlerchr](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/discourse.jabref.org/siedlerchr/32/216_2.png) [@Siedlerchr](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/Siedlerchr)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2024, 7:20am UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/export-custom-field/4501/4 "2024-09-19T07:20:07Z")

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Hi,

1. Copy the existing layout files from [jabref/src/main/resources/resource/layout/openoffice at 7e69ef57ce1e1b66a2dfd44b9a5c0d43dfd41c3b · JabRef/jabref · GitHub](https://github.com/JabRef/jabref/tree/7e69ef57ce1e1b66a2dfd44b9a5c0d43dfd41c3b/src/main/resources/resource/layout/openoffice) to a new folder on your computer, doesn’t matter where e.g. `mycustomcsvexporter`
2. Modify the `begin.layout`, add your new column headings for the fields e.g. “Asset”
3. Modify the `openoffice-csv.layout` add the new field command e.g. `\asset`
4. Add a new custom exporter in JabRef `MyCustomCSVExporter` with file extension `csv`
5. As main layout file select the `openoffice-csv.layout`
6. Now you can use your new exporter

JabRef automatically checks for optional begin.layout and end.layout files in the folder.  
The begin.layout usually contains some fixed “header” stuff, for example the first line in csv or the beginning of a html document.  
And end.layout often contains some “footer” stuff, e.g, the document end tag of a HTML document.

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**Author:** ![Nam\_Le](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/discourse.jabref.org/nam_le/32/2021_2.png) [@Nam\_Le](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/Nam_Le)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2024, 12:24pm UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/export-custom-field/4501/5 "2024-09-19T12:24:08Z")

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I follow the step you mentioned but it seems I miss a critical step somewhere.  
I decided to record the video in the following link and appreciate if you can give me advice.

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/sAyuikbQcK4/hqdefault.jpg "Export Custome Field to CSC with Jabref") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAyuikbQcK4)

I copy as well here the content of bib file

% Encoding: UTF-8

@Po{Display2023,  
asset = {Mill Lane Industrial Estate},  
category = {Operational},  
date = {14},  
discipline = {FDAS},  
groups = {NA},  
month = {December},  
must = {N},  
organization = {Midland Fire Solutions Limited},  
requirement = {Best Practice},  
stage = {Maintenance},  
timestamp = {2024-09-12},  
title = {Fire Extinguisher 2024},  
year = {2023},  
author = {Premier Display},  
}

@TechReport{Garment2024a,  
asset = {New Star Road State},  
category = {Operational},  
discipline = {Civil},  
groups = {NA},  
must = {N},  
organization = {Hexa Consulting Limited},  
requirement = {Best Practice},  
stage = {Design},  
timestamp = {2024-09-13},  
title = {RAAC Inspections Charles Street Buildings Group},  
year = {2024},  
author = {James Garment},  
}

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Siedlerchr](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/discourse.jabref.org/siedlerchr/32/216_2.png) [@Siedlerchr](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/Siedlerchr)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2024, 1:29pm UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/export-custom-field/4501/6 "2024-09-19T13:29:16Z")

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Two things:  
When Exporting chose your custom exporter “MyCustomExporter” for file type!

abd he field must be lowercase `\asset`

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Nam\_Le](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/discourse.jabref.org/nam_le/32/2021_2.png) [@Nam\_Le](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/Nam_Le)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2024, 2:56pm UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/export-custom-field/4501/7 "2024-09-19T14:56:42Z")

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Many thanks Christoph, it works now. 😀 When you visit Vietnam, I own you a well treat. Please contact. This is the best software and I have used it for the last 10 years.

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**Author:** ![Siedlerchr](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/discourse.jabref.org/siedlerchr/32/216_2.png) [@Siedlerchr](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/Siedlerchr)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2024, 5:40pm UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/export-custom-field/4501/8 "2024-09-19T17:40:25Z")

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Thanks for the kind words! I will keep that in mind 😀

> This is the best software and I have used it for the last 10 years.

Thanks again!

PS: If you like to give something back, you could consider a donation: [donations.jabref.org](https://donations.jabref.org).

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**Author:** ![Nam\_Le](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/discourse.jabref.org/nam_le/32/2021_2.png) [@Nam\_Le](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/Nam_Le)\
**Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 12:10pm UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/export-custom-field/4501/9 "2024-09-23T12:10:12Z")

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Danken Christoph,  
Already did 😀