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Export Columns

This guide explains how to configure which columns are included in exports and how to customize their headers.

Overview

By default, exports use the same columns defined in your DataTable's HTML configuration. However, you can customize which columns appear in exports and their display names.

Defining Export Columns

Option 1: Simple Array

Use a simple array to specify column data keys:

/**
 * Define export columns.
 * Only these columns will be included in the export.
 */
protected $exportColumns = [
    'id',
    'name',
    'email',
    'created_at',
];

Option 2: With Custom Titles

Use an array of objects to customize column headers in the export:

/**
 * Define export columns with custom titles.
 */
protected $exportColumns = [
    ['data' => 'id', 'title' => 'ID'],
    ['data' => 'name', 'title' => 'Full Name'],
    ['data' => 'email', 'title' => 'Email Address'],
    ['data' => 'created_at', 'title' => 'Registration Date'],
];

Option 3: Mixed Definition

You can mix simple and object definitions:

protected $exportColumns = [
    ['data' => 'id', 'title' => 'ID'],  // Custom title
    'name',                              // Uses 'name' as both data and title
    'email',                             // Uses 'email' as both data and title
    ['data' => 'created_at', 'title' => 'Date'],  // Custom title
];

Complete Example

<?php
 
namespace App\DataTables;
 
use App\Models\User;
use Yajra\DataTables\Html\Column;
use Yajra\DataTables\Services\DataTable;
use Yajra\DataTables\WithExportQueue;
 
class UsersDataTable extends DataTable
{
    use WithExportQueue;
 
    /**
     * Build the DataTable class.
     */
    public function dataTable($query)
    {
        return datatables()
            ->eloquent($query)
            ->addColumn('action', 'users.datatables.action')
            ->rawColumns(['action']);
    }
 
    /**
     * Define the HTML columns (shown in the UI).
     */
    protected function getColumns(): array
    {
        return [
            Column::make('name'),
            Column::make('email'),
            Column::make('role'),
            Column::make('created_at'),
            Column::make('action')
                ->title('Actions')
                ->exportable(false)  // Exclude from export
                ->printable(false),
            Column::make('id'),
        ];
    }
 
    /**
     * Define export columns (may differ from HTML columns).
     */
    protected $exportColumns = [
        ['data' => 'id', 'title' => 'User ID'],
        ['data' => 'name', 'title' => 'Full Name'],
        ['data' => 'email', 'title' => 'Email Address'],
        ['data' => 'role', 'title' => 'User Role'],
        ['data' => 'created_at', 'title' => 'Registration Date'],
    ];
 
    // ... other methods
}

Column Properties

Exportable

Control whether a column appears in exports:

// Exclude from export
Column::make('action')->exportable(false),
 
// Include in export (default)
Column::make('name')->exportable(true),

Printable

Control whether a column appears in print view:

Column::make('action')->printable(false),

Custom Export Rendering

Apply custom formatting for exports:

Column::make('status')
    ->exportRender(fn ($model, $value) => ucfirst($value)),
 
Column::make('is_active')
    ->exportRender(fn ($model, $value) => $value ? 'Yes' : 'No'),

Relationship Columns

You can export columns from relationships:

protected $exportColumns = [
    ['data' => 'id', 'title' => 'ID'],
    ['data' => 'name', 'title' => 'Name'],
    ['data' => 'department.name', 'title' => 'Department'],
    ['data' => 'company.name', 'title' => 'Company'],
];

Nested Relationships with Join

For more complex relationship exports:

protected function getColumns(): array
{
    return [
        Column::make('name'),
        Column::make('department.name')->title('Department'),
        Column::make('company.name')->title('Company'),
        Column::make('id'),
    ];
}
 
protected $exportColumns = [
    ['data' => 'id', 'title' => 'ID'],
    ['data' => 'name', 'title' => 'Name'],
    ['data' => 'department.name', 'title' => 'Department'],
    ['data' => 'company.name', 'title' => 'Company'],
];

Common Patterns

Exclude Action Columns

protected $exportColumns = [
    ['data' => 'name', 'title' => 'Name'],
    ['data' => 'email', 'title' => 'Email'],
    ['data' => 'created_at', 'title' => 'Created'],
];

Different Columns for Export vs Display

// HTML table (shown in browser)
protected function getColumns(): array
{
    return [
        Column::make('name'),
        Column::make('actions')
            ->title('')
            ->exportable(false),
        Column::make('id'),
    ];
}
 
// Export columns
protected $exportColumns = [
    ['data' => 'id', 'title' => 'ID'],
    ['data' => 'name', 'title' => 'Name'],
];

Calculated Columns

For columns with custom content:

Column::make('full_name')
    ->exportRender(fn ($model) => $model->first_name . ' ' . $model->last_name),

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