SQL Developer Tip: Exporting SQL Results to Excel by Default

I frequently use SQL queries to extract performance data from Active Session History (ASH).  I often then want to graph that data.  Excel is a very effective charting tool, it is nearly always available, the charts can be copied into other applications, and it can be useful to keep historical data in spreadsheets.  

SQL Developer is very effective at extracting the results of a SQL query into various formats, including as an Excel workbook file.  

Tip: Make Excel the Default Export Format

• From the main menu, go to Tools 🠊 Preferences  
• In the preferences window, go to Database 🠊 Utilities 🠊 Export
• Set Excel 2003+ (.xlsx) as the default export format, and a directory of your choice as the default location.  It is also useful to have a copy of the SQL query in the workbook.

• When you have run your query and the first array of results has been fetched (50 rows by default), right-click in the query result grid and select 'Export'.

• Then when the Export Wizard opens, the defaults will be as you set them in the preferences and you just have to click next, or hit return. The file name defaults to export…

• I find it helpful to pin export.xlsx file in the recent file list in Excel.