CSV or JSON? How to Export and Back Up Meter Readings

Choose the export for the job

CSV and JSON are both useful, but they solve different problems.

CSV is a flat table suited to spreadsheets, filtering and reading-focused analysis. JSON preserves nested structure and is better for a complete machine-readable archive.

When CSV is the better choice

Use CSV when you want to:

• Sort readings by date.
• Make a simple chart.
• Share a table with an accountant or analyst.
• Inspect one record per row.

A CSV may not preserve every relationship or setting in the account.

When JSON is the better choice

Use JSON for a fuller backup containing properties, meters, readings, cycles, bills and relationships. It is readable by software but less comfortable in a spreadsheet.

Export safety

Exports can contain property names, account details, consumer references and usage patterns. Treat them as private documents.

• Save them in an encrypted or access-controlled location.
• Do not upload them to a public converter.
• Redact identifiers before sharing a subset.
• Delete temporary downloads when finished.
• Verify the destination in Android's share sheet.

MeterPilot's server-generated exports expire after seven days, limiting how long the downloadable server artifact remains available. Copies you save or share are then under your control.

Verify the backup

An untested export is not automatically a usable backup. Check its timestamp, file size, expected properties and most recent readings. Keep more than one protected copy when the history is important.

Export before deletion

Account deletion becomes permanent after its cancellation period. Create and verify the desired export first. CSV is useful for continued manual analysis; JSON is the stronger choice when preserving the complete structure matters.

Understand what “backup” means

An export is portable evidence, but it is not automatically a one-click restore package. Before relying on it, check whether the product version supports import, which relationships the format preserves, and whether attachments or audit records are included.

For CSV, verify column names, timezone, decimal separator, native unit, meter identifier and whether one row means a cumulative reading or an interval. Spreadsheet software can silently reformat long identifiers or dates; import sensitive columns as text when identity must remain exact.

For JSON, retain the original file unchanged. It may contain nested IDs that look unhelpful in a spreadsheet but are essential to property → meter → reading relationships.

A simple retention pattern

• Keep one current encrypted archive.
• Keep one older known-good version in a separate protected location.
• Record the export date and app/account scope.
• Test that the file opens before deleting anything.
• Share a redacted subset instead of the full archive whenever possible.