Custom templates for exporting
Last updated: June 9, 2026
Pro feature: This feature is available on Pro plans only. If you’d like to upgrade your plan, please contact our support team.
Overview
Custom export templates let you tailor any export in Found to fit exactly what you (or the system you're importing into) need. Instead of downloading a stock CSV and reshuffling it in a spreadsheet afterwards, you set the shape of the file once and reuse it every time.
You'll find them under Settings > Exports & Downloads > Custom templates.
Each template is tied to a specific export type (for example, Enquires, Bookings, Transactions). Once saved, the template appears in the export dialog for that export type, grouped under "Custom" alongside the built-in "Stock" templates.
What you can do
Pick your columns — only export the fields you actually need.
Reorder columns — drag fields into the order your downstream system expects.
Rename columns — set the exact header your accounting, payroll, or other tool requires.
Add static values — drop in a fixed value (for example, a ledger code) that appears on every row.
Combine columns — merge two or more fields into a single cell with a separator you choose (for example, joining first name and last name, or stitching address lines together).
How to set one up
Go to Settings > Exports & Downloads > Custom templates.
Click Create to open the template builder.
Give the template a name (up to 128 characters) and choose the export type it applies to. The export type is locked once the template is created.
Choose a visibility:
Public — anyone with the right permission in your workspace can use and edit it.
Private — only you can edit it.
Add your fields, one at a time:
Column — pick a field from the export and, if you like, rename its header.
Static — type a fixed value and a header. Every row in the export will carry that value.
Combine — choose two or more columns and a separator (up to 8 characters, for example a space, comma, or hyphen). The values are joined into a single cell.
Drag the fields into the order you want them to appear in the CSV.
Save the template.
How to use it
When you trigger an export of that type, the export dialog shows a template picker grouped into Stock (built-in templates) and Custom (templates you've created). Select your custom template and download. The CSV uses your chosen columns, headers, order, static values, and combined fields.
Rules and limits
A template name must be unique within your workspace for that export type.
Each template can hold between 1 and 200 fields.
Headers within a template must be unique (case-insensitive).
A "combine" field needs at least two source columns.
Headers, static values, and separators can't start with
=,+,-, or@, and can't contain control characters or line breaks. This protects the CSV from formula injection when it's opened in a spreadsheet.If a column your template references is later removed from the underlying export, the template is flagged as invalid and shows which columns are missing. Edit the template to remove or replace them before using it again.
Templates can be archived when you no longer need them, and restored later from the "Archived custom templates" view.
Private templates can only be edited or archived by the person who created them. Public templates can be edited or archived by anyone with the custom templates permission.
You can only create, edit, or archive a template for an export type you're allowed to run.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Where do I find custom templates? A: Settings > Exports & Downloads > Custom templates.
Q: What export types can I build a custom template for? A: Most exports in Found, including Funders, Contacts, Invoices (headers and line items), Bookings, Service users, Enquiries, Rooms, Deposits, Billable extras, Contribution changes, Day care sessions, Personal allowance (transactions and balances), Petty cash (transactions and balances), Weekly fee changes, Billing adjustments, Billing contract subscriptions, and FNC applications.
Q: Can I change the export type after I've saved a template? A: No. The export type is fixed once the template is created. If you need a different export type, create a new template.
Q: What's the difference between public and private templates? A: Public templates are available to everyone in your workspace with the custom templates permission, and any of them can edit it. Private templates are only editable by the person who created them.
Q: How do I rename a column header? A: When you add a column field in the builder, set the header text to whatever your downstream system expects. That's the value that appears in the CSV.
Q: What is a static value for? A: A static value is a fixed string that appears on every row of the export. It's useful when the system you're importing into requires a column that Found doesn't track — for example, a ledger code, a department name, or a constant tag.
Q: How does combining columns work? A: Pick two or more columns and choose a separator (up to 8 characters). For each row, the chosen columns are joined together with the separator into a single cell. A common use is concatenating address lines into one cell, or joining last name and service user reference for an accounting export.
Q: Is there a limit to how many fields I can add? A: Yes — between 1 and 200 fields per template.
Q: Why can't I start a header or static value with =, +, -, or @? A: Those characters are treated as formulas by spreadsheet applications and can be used to run unwanted commands when a CSV is opened. Found blocks them to keep your exports safe.
Q: My template says it's invalid — what happened? A: A column your template referenced has been removed or renamed in the underlying export. Open the template, remove or replace the invalid fields, and save it again.
Q: Can I archive a template I no longer use? A: Yes. Archive it from the row actions menu. You can restore it later from the "Archived custom templates" view.
Q: I can't see Custom templates in settings — why? This is a Found Pro feature, if you cannot see it you may need to upgrade your Found plan.
Q: Can staff users create custom templates? A: Yes, provided the custom templates permission is enabled for their role and they're allowed to run the underlying export.
Q: Do custom templates replace the stock templates? A: No. Stock templates remain available. When you open the export dialog, you'll see both groups — Stock and Custom — and you can pick whichever you need for that download.