Create actions that download and export data

Workbooks support actions that initiate direct downloads and exports to email, Slack channels, webhooks, and cloud storage.

This document explains how to create actions to download and export workbook content to specific destinations. For more information about actions in Sigma, see Intro to actions.

User requirements

📘

The following requirements apply to users who configure actions. Users who access and interact with a workbook can typically trigger all existing actions within it. Any restrictions are noted in this document.

The ability to configure actions requires the following:

  • You must be assigned an account type with the Full explore or Create, edit, and publish workbooks permission enabled.

  • You must be the workbook owner or be granted Can explore1 or Can edit workbook permission.

1 If you’re granted Can explore workbook permission, you can configure actions but cannot save changes to the workbook’s published version.

Initiate direct download

Create an action that downloads an entire workbook, a specific page, or an individual element directly to the interacting user’s device.

📘

This action can only be configured and triggered by users assigned an account type with the Download or Send Now permission enabled.

  1. Open a workbook in Explore or Edit mode.

  2. Select the element you want to trigger the action, then click Actions in the side navigation.

  3. In the Actions panel, click Add action within an existing sequence, or click Add action sequence to start a new sequence.

  4. In the Action modal, configure the required fields to define the response:

    ActionSelect Download and export.
    DestinationSelect Download.
    AttachmentSelect the workbook content to download, then choose a file type.
  5. If your trigger element is a table, pivot table, or input table, select a column in the When selecting cells in field. The action sequence triggers only when the user selects cells in that column.

  6. [optional] If you want the action sequence to execute only in certain circumstances, click More, then click Add condition. See Make an action conditional for more information about action conditions.

Export to email

Create an action that emails an entire workbook, a specific page, or an individual element to selected recipients.

📘

This action can only be configured and triggered by users assigned an account type with the Download or Send Now permission enabled.

  1. Open a workbook in Explore or Edit mode.

  2. Select the element you want to trigger the action, then click Actions in the side navigation.

  3. In the Actions panel, click Add action within an existing sequence, or click Add action sequence to start a new sequence.

  4. In the Action modal, configure the required fields to define the response:

    ActionSelect Download and export.
    DestinationSelect Email.
    RecipientEnter one or more comma-separated email addresses for the export recipients.
    SubjectEnter text to include in the email subject line.
    Message[optional] Enter a message to include in the email body.
    AttachmentSelect the workbook content to export, then choose a file type.
    More options[optional] Select the Include link to workbook checkbox to allow the export recipient to open the workbook directly from the email.
    [optional] Select the Run queries as recipient checkbox to run workbook queries as the recipient of the email. If deselected (default), queries run as the user who performs the action.
    [optional] Select the Send as .zip file checkbox to send attachments as a compressed zip file.
  5. If your trigger element is a table, pivot table, or input table, select a column in the When selecting cells in field. The action sequence triggers only when the user selects cells in that column.

  6. [optional] If you want the action sequence to execute only in certain circumstances, click More, then click Add condition. See Make an action conditional for more information about action conditions.

Export to Slack

Create an action that exports an entire workbook, a specific page, or an individual element to Slack.

📘

This action can only be configured and triggered by users assigned an account type with the Export to Slack permission enabled.

  1. Open a workbook in Explore or Edit mode.

  2. Select the element you want to trigger the action, then click Actions in the side navigation.

  3. In the Actions panel, click Add action within an existing sequence, or click Add action sequence to start a new sequence.

  4. In the Action modal, configure the required fields to define the response:

    ActionSelect Download and export.
    DestinationSelect Slack.
    ToEnter the name of a Slack channel that must receive the export.
    Message[optional] Enter a message to include in the Slack notification.
    AttachmentSelect the workbook content to export, then choose a file type.
    More options[optional] Select the Include link to workbook checkbox to allow channel members to open the workbook directly from the Slack message.
  5. If your trigger element is a table, pivot table, or input table, select a column in the When selecting cells in field. The action sequence triggers only when the user selects cells in that column.

  6. [optional] If you want the action sequence to execute only in certain circumstances, click More, then click Add condition. See Make an action conditional for more information about action conditions.

Export to a webhook

Create an action that exports an individual element’s data to another application with a webhook.

📘

This action can only be configured and triggered by users assigned an account type with the Export to webhook permission enabled.

  1. Open a workbook in Explore or Edit mode.

  2. Select the element you want to trigger the action, then click Actions in the side navigation.

  3. In the Actions panel, click Add action within an existing sequence, or click Add action sequence to start a new sequence.

  4. In the Action modal, configure the required fields to define the response:

    ActionSelect Download and export.
    DestinationSelect Webhook.
    EndpointEnter the receiving application’s endpoint.
    AttachmentSelect an element to export, then choose a data format.
  5. If your trigger element is a table, pivot table, or input table, select a column in the When selecting cells in field. The action sequence triggers only when the user selects cells in that column.

  6. [optional] If you want the action sequence to execute only in certain circumstances, click More, then click Add condition. See Make an action conditional for more information about action conditions.

Export to cloud storage

Create an action that exports an individual element’s data to cloud storage.

📘

This action can only be configured and triggered by users assigned an account type with the Export to cloud permission enabled.

  1. Open a workbook in Explore or Edit mode.

  2. Select the element you want to trigger the action, then click Actions in the side navigation.

  3. In the Actions panel, click Add action within an existing sequence, or click Add action sequence to start a new sequence.

  4. In the Action modal, configure the required fields to define the response:

    ActionSelect Download and export.
    DestinationSelect Cloud Storage.
    Storage integrationEnter an integration name.
    Cloud Storage URIEnter a file path for the export destination.
    ElementSelect an element to export, then choose a file format.
    More options[optional] Select the Prefix file name with current date and time checkbox to include the export date and time (in ISO format) in the file name.
  5. If your trigger element is a table, pivot table, or input table, select a column in the When selecting cells in field. The action sequence triggers only when the user selects cells in that column.

  6. [optional] If you want the action sequence to execute only in certain circumstances, click More, then click Add condition. See Make an action conditional for more information about action conditions.