7. Exporting your codes and codebook
Print a list of codes
You can print the list of codes visible in the List View:
- Click on "Codes" in the Navigation view, 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. - Select Share (Ribbon view) > Print > Print List.
Share a list of codes
- In the List View, select the codes you want to export.
- (Optional) Click the plus
or minus.
symbols to expand or collapse the hierarchy.
- On the Share tab, in the Export menu, select Export List.
- In the Save as type box, choose a file format.
Share a code summary
To export the list of files that are coded to a code (including information about location, references and coverage):
- Open the code and switch to the Summary tab (on the far right hand side of the interface).
- On the Share tab, in the Export menu, select Export.
- From the export options, select Summary View.
- (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 coded references
To export the content coded to a code:
- Open the code or select it in the List View.
- Switch to the Reference tab (on the far right hand side of the interface).
- On the Share tab, in the Export menu, select Export.
- 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.
- (Optional) Change the name, location or format of the exported file.
Export the codebook
As you develop your code structure, you can report 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 project) 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).
- 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:
- Open your codes in the List View.
- On the Share tab, in the Export menu, select Export Codebook.
- Under Save As, select the Browse button to specify the name, location or format of the exported file, and then click Save.
- (Optional) Select Include number of files and references check box.
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.