Orders Export Single CSV vs. Zip File Threshold

[VistaSoberGrad]

I've been exporting orders from my Square Online account for a couple years now as part of a workflow I have setup that involves importing the single CSV into Google Sheets. I have a raw data tab along with other tabs that parse information from the raw data for various purposes. The whole workflow hinges on the fact that I get a single CSV file from the Orders export. The entire process takes me less than a minute each morning.

This morning, I suddenly started getting a zip file containing multiple CSV files, broken up roughly by month within my filtered date range. This is extremely frustrating and completely breaks that workflow.

Since I volunteer for a school-based organization, my date range is always July 1 (right before school starts) through the current day. I am simply exporting from the Orders page.

I had a hunch that perhaps I had crossed some threshold that triggered this behavior change. Acting on that hunch, I tried shortening my date range filter, and the export generated a single CSV file again.

So it's pretty clear that there is some kind of threshold that triggers this single CSV vs. zip file behavior. I'm trying to figure out if this is purely date based (i.e. once the date range exceeds a certain number of days, it generates a zip file instead) or if it is size based (i.e. once a single CSV file's size would be larger than <n> KB, it generates a zip file). Or maybe the limitation is something else like number of lines in the CSV? Does anyone have knowledge about this? My last export that was a single CSV from yesterday was only 152KB, so I am totally baffled that my relatively minuscule amount of data would trigger this behavior change.

[faheem · Accepted solution]

Hi @VistaSoberGrad - we made this change in order to improve the speed at which the export is generated and emailed to sellers. I'm sorry that it has required a change to your workflow.  Please note that at this time, our logic is that if you choose to export orders for a period of 180 days or less, we won't generate a zip file.

[VistaSoberGrad]

TheRealChipA mentioned a "Legacy Square Online CSV", but I do not have that option. Do you have any insight into this legacy export option?

[TheRealChipA]

Hey there @VistaSoberGrad.  When you click the Export button, there are two options:

1. Standard Export CSV
2. Legacy Square Online CSV

For now, you can use the Legacy Square Online CSV, which has everything in one CSV instead of a Zip file.  That being said, the fact that it is like this strongly suggests to me that eventually the engineering team will remove this legacy option.  

Most likely, this is because the new file format is different — not just in the fact that it breaks orders up by month.  There is new data being added to it everyday with new features added to the order listing process.  So it would probably be wise to start modifying your spreadsheet for that eventuality.  If you don’t, you won’t get the new fields and information since the legacy CSV must never change.

Just in case I am guessing wrong about the legacy file eventually being deprecated, I’m going to tag the Square Moderators here so they can check with the team.

@Kassi_@RSosebee1@_Violet@MayaP@RobynR@Summer2024@Ellie_@Katie_SQ@Laurie_@Sineaid@Sammie_C

[VistaSoberGrad]

Thanks for the info. I am unable to locate anything called "Legacy Square Online CSV." Under the Export dropdown button on my Orders page, I only have the "Standard Export CSV" option. Any tips on how/where to find the legacy version?

[TheRealChipA]

Hmmm.  That’s a question for @Summer2024 or @Sineaid or @faheem.  Very odd, indeed

[Sineaid]

Hi @TheRealChipA,

My understanding is that the newer format export option was added to provide additional functionality, and as previously mentioned, improve on speed. 

I haven't seen anything that would indicate the Legacy Square Online CSV option is due to be depreciated, but perhaps @faheem would be better placed to comment on this, and provide reassurances. 

Welcome to the Community btw, @VistaSoberGrad! 

[Summer2024]

Thanks all for your insights here! @TheRealChipA @faheem @Sineaid