Export a Drinking Log: CSV vs JSON, Spreadsheet Checks and Privacy

Choose the format around the next task

CSV represents a table of rows and columns. It is usually the convenient choice for sorting entries, checking totals or creating your own spreadsheet view. JSON represents structured values and can preserve nested relationships when the exporting application includes them. It is more suitable for scripts and data-processing tools than for casual reading in a spreadsheet.

The exact fields come from the app's current export format. Do not assume that a generic sample found online matches AlcoList's column names or JSON structure. Inspect your own file before building formulas or a script around it.

Neither extension guarantees encryption, synchronization or restoration. A file can be perfectly valid and still not be accepted by an app as an import. Treat readability, completeness and restore support as separate questions.

Export and inspect before changing anything else

Use the export option in your installed AlcoList app and choose CSV or JSON. Menu placement can vary by platform and version, so this guide does not rely on an unverified button path. If you cannot find the option, contact support with your platform and app version. You do not need to attach a personal log to ask where export is located.

Save the result somewhere you control and note the export date. If the app offers a date-range choice, confirm that it matches your intended period. If it does not, inspect the included range after export. Open the file and verify a few known entries before deleting an installation or changing devices.

Keep one original file unchanged. Make a copy for editing, filtering or formulas, and give it a different name. A clear name such as "drink-log-2026-09-09-original.csv" distinguishes the source from later work without putting personal details in the filename.

Import CSV carefully into a spreadsheet

If a double-click puts everything in one column or displays dates unexpectedly, use the spreadsheet application's text or CSV import flow. Select the delimiter and encoding that match the file, then preview the columns before accepting. Do not assume your computer's regional defaults match the export.

Check three representative rows: one ordinary entry, one with a decimal value and one near the beginning or end of the period. Confirm that a decimal point or comma has not changed the amount. For dates, check which value is the day and which is the month. If the file includes timestamps, inspect any time-zone information before comparing daily totals.

Spreadsheet software may interpret text beginning with an equals sign as a formula. Treat free-text fields as text when importing, especially before opening a file received from someone else. Work from a copy and do not enable macros or external content merely because a file contains familiar-looking data.

Check totals without changing the meaning

Identify what each column measures before summing it. Drink count, volume, UK units and standard drinks are not interchangeable. If prices are optional, blanks should not silently become confirmed zero-cost entries. If multiple currencies are present, separate them or use a documented conversion method in your own analysis.

Compare the earliest and latest included dates, check for duplicate rows, and verify a total against the same period in the app where possible. A mismatch can come from a date boundary, filtering, rounding or a repeated import. Investigate the difference before concluding that the export lost data.

Keep raw values in one sheet and derived calculations in another when practical. That makes it easier to revise a formula without losing the original information. The purpose is a transparent working copy, not a second record whose edits you can no longer explain.

Share the minimum useful information

A drink log can reveal routines and other details you consider personal. Before sending it, check the recipient, the date range and the included fields. If a smaller period or a few columns answer the question, prepare that subset in a separate copy. Removing a column from the visible view is not always the same as removing it from the file.

Review the attachment itself, not just the name. Check whether a link gives access to one file or an entire folder, and whether it is public or restricted. Do not paste private entries into a public forum to troubleshoot a formatting issue; a fictional example with the same structure is usually more appropriate.

Remember that downloaded files may be included in your computer's backups or cloud folders. Decide where you want the export to live and remove unneeded temporary copies after checking them. Privacy continues after the file leaves the app.

Do not confuse a readable copy with a restore plan

An export is valuable because you can inspect and keep it independently. That does not establish how to restore the app's internal state, preferences or all relationships between records. Before switching devices or deleting an installation, verify the transfer options supported by your current versions.

If restore support is uncertain, preserve the original installation and ask support first. A few minutes of verification is easier than discovering later that the readable file and the app expect different formats.

The short version

Choose the format for the task, preserve an original, verify dates and values, and inspect what you share. Confirm restore support separately before deleting an app or changing devices.