Export Settings
Export Settings allow you to create predefined mappings between your Table's data and Excel templates. This is essential for generating reports in specific formats required by regulators, partners, or internal processes.
Why Use Export Settings?
Insurance reporting often requires data in specific formats:
- Regulatory submissions (Lloyd's bordereaux, state filings)
- Partner reports (wholesaler summaries, MGA reports)
- Internal dashboards (management reports, portfolio reviews)
- Standardized templates (industry-standard formats)
- Custom branded reports (your company's own formats)
Rather than manually reformatting data for each export, you can configure mappings once and reuse them whenever you need to generate a report.
How Export Settings Work
Export Settings create a mapping between:
- Template columns — The column structure of an Excel template
- Table columns — Your Decode Table's columns (identifier, detail, attribute, metric)
When you export data using a configured mapping, Decode takes your cleaned data and reorganizes it to match the template's structure.
Accessing Export Settings
- Navigate to Data → Select your Table → Settings
- Expand the Export Settings accordion
Template Types
Decode supports two types of templates:
Global Templates
Global templates are pre-built templates provided by Decode and available to all users. These include:
- Lloyd's bordereaux formats
- Regulatory reporting templates
- Industry-standard formats
Global templates are maintained by Decode and updated as standards evolve. You cannot modify or delete global templates, but you can create mappings that use them.
Custom Templates
Custom templates are templates you upload specifically for your company. These are only visible to users within your organization. Custom templates are useful for:
- Branded company report formats
- Partner-specific templates provided to you
- Internal reporting formats unique to your workflows
- Legacy templates your organization has used historically
Managing Custom Templates
Viewing Custom Templates
The Custom Templates section at the top of Export Settings displays all templates your company has uploaded:
- Name — The template's display name
- Period — The time period type (monthly, quarterly, etc.)
- Header rows — Which rows in the Excel file contain column headers
- Delete — Remove the template
Uploading a Custom Template
- Click Upload Template in the Custom Templates section
- Complete the upload form:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Choose Excel File | Select your .xlsx template file |
| Template Name | A descriptive name for the template |
| Description | Optional notes about the template's purpose |
| First Header Row | The row number (1-based) where column headers begin |
| Last Header Row | The row number (1-based) where column headers end |
| Time Period | The granularity this template is designed for (Any, Daily, Monthly, Quarterly, Yearly) |
- Click Upload
Understanding Header Rows
Excel templates often have complex header structures. Decode needs to know exactly where your column headers are located:
- First Header Row: The row number where headers start. If your template has empty rows or a title at the top, headers may not start at row 1.
- Last Header Row: The row number where headers end. Multi-level headers (hierarchical columns) span multiple rows.
Example scenarios:
| Template Structure | First Header Row | Last Header Row |
|---|---|---|
| Headers in row 1 only | 1 | 1 |
| Headers in rows 1-2 (hierarchical) | 1 | 2 |
| Title in row 1, headers in rows 2-3 | 2 | 3 |
| Empty rows 1-2, headers in rows 3-4 | 3 | 4 |
Decode automatically calculates where data rows begin (immediately after the last header row).
Deleting a Custom Template
Click the Delete button next to any custom template to remove it. This action:
- Removes the template from your company's template library
- Does not affect any existing export mappings that used this template (though those mappings will no longer work)
Managing Export Mappings
Viewing Existing Mappings
The Existing Mappings section shows all mappings you've created for this Table:
- Name — Your descriptive name for the mapping
- Template — Which template it maps to (shows "Custom" label for custom templates)
- Edit — Modify the mapping
- Delete — Remove the mapping
Creating a New Mapping
- Click Add New Mapping
- Enter a Name (e.g., "Lloyd's V52 Premium Export" or "Partner Monthly Report")
- Select a Template from the dropdown
The template dropdown organizes templates into two groups:
- Global Templates — Pre-built templates from Decode
- Custom Templates — Templates your company has uploaded
Editing an Existing Mapping
Click Edit on any mapping to modify:
- The mapping name
- Which template it uses
- The field mappings
Field Mapping
Once you select a template, the Field Mapping section shows all columns from the template. For each template column, you select which Table column should populate it.
Mapping Options
For each template field, you can map to:
| Source Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Identifier | Your Table's unique record key | Policy_Number |
| Attribute Column | Context added during upload | Wholesaler_Name, Contract_ID |
| Detail Column | Fixed record attributes | Policyholder_State, Class_of_Business |
| Metric Column | Time-series data (Time Series tables only) | period.Gross_Premium, period.Net_Premium |
| Period | The reporting period itself (Time Series tables) | period |
| (blank) | Leave the template column empty | — |
Hierarchical Template Columns
Templates with multi-level headers display columns using the > separator to show the hierarchy:
Premium > Gross— The "Gross" column under the "Premium" parent headerPremium > Net— The "Net" column under the "Premium" parent headerClaims > Paid > Amount— A three-level hierarchy
Example Mapping
| Template Column | Table Column |
|---|---|
| Policy Reference | Policy_Number |
| Insured Name | Insured_Name |
| Inception Date | Inception_Date |
| Premium > Gross | month.Gross_Premium |
| Premium > Commission | month.Commission |
| Reporting Period | month |
Per-Time-Period Templates
The current export system supports per-time-period templates. This means:
- The export generates output for each reporting period (month/quarter) in your data
- Dynamic columns are mapped to a single template column that repeats per period
- The
periodfield identifies which period each row represents
This format is ideal for bordereaux-style reports where each row represents a policy-period combination.
Using Export Mappings
Once you've configured an export mapping, you can use it to generate reports from the Data view or through Data Functions.
From the Data View
- Navigate to your Table's data
- Apply any desired filters
- Click Export and select your configured mapping
- Download the generated Excel file (or ZIP file if multiple periods)
From Data Functions
Export mappings can be referenced in Data Functions for automated report generation.
Tips and Best Practices
Naming Conventions
Use clear, descriptive names that identify:
- The template format (e.g., "Lloyd's V52" or "Internal Quarterly")
- The data type (e.g., "Premium" vs "Claims")
- Any specific configuration (e.g., "Monthly" vs "Quarterly")
Examples:
- "Lloyd's V52 Premium - Monthly Submission"
- "Partner ABC - Quarterly Bordereau"
- "Internal Management Report - Monthly"
Organizing Custom Templates
When uploading custom templates:
- Use consistent naming conventions across your organization
- Include the intended time period in the template name
- Add descriptions to help other users understand the template's purpose
Multiple Mappings
You can create multiple mappings for the same Table:
- Different templates for different recipients
- Variations for different time periods
- Customized formats for specific partners
Unmapped Fields
Template columns that you leave unmapped will be empty in the export. This is useful when:
- Your Table doesn't have data for certain template fields
- You'll fill in those fields manually after export
- The template includes optional fields you don't use
Testing Custom Templates
After uploading a custom template:
- Create a test mapping with a few fields
- Export a small dataset
- Verify the data appears in the correct columns
- Check that header rows are correctly identified
If data appears in the wrong columns, you may need to delete and re-upload the template with corrected header row settings.
Validation
After creating a mapping, test it with a small export to verify:
- All required fields are mapped correctly
- Data types match expectations (dates formatted correctly, numbers not truncated)
- The output matches your recipient's requirements
- Hierarchical columns are correctly populated
Saving Changes
Click Save Mapping after configuring your field mappings. The mapping is saved to your Table and can be used immediately for exports.
Troubleshooting
Template columns don't match expected structure
If the template columns shown in the mapping editor don't match what you expect:
- For custom templates: The header row settings may be incorrect. Delete the template and re-upload with the correct First Header Row and Last Header Row values.
- For global templates: Contact Decode support if you believe the template schema is incorrect.
Export produces empty or misaligned data
- Verify your field mappings are correct
- Check that the template's time period matches your Table's time period type
- Ensure you have data within the date range you're exporting
Custom template not appearing in dropdown
- Refresh the page to reload the template list
- Verify the template's time period is compatible with your Table (e.g., a "Monthly" template won't appear for a "Quarterly" Table unless set to "Any")