Resolved: Changes to Data Export tool

[KateFitbit]

Fitbit Update 11/30/2018: This issue has been resolved and I'll be closing it from further responses. 

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Fitbit Update 11/28/2018: The old data export tool is now back and available for use. You can now choose which way you would like to export your data going forward. If you would like to access the old tool, please go here and select "if you would like to use the old data export tool click here" under Export My Fitbit Data. 

If you have any issues, please let me know. Thanks for your patience and reports! 

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Fitbit Update 11/27/2018: Happy Tuesday! Just a heads up that we hope to have an update soon on the Data Export tool. I'll continue to update the thread this week. 

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Fitbit Update 11/20/2018: While I don't have an update today, I can assure you that your feedback is being heard. One note, if you contact our support team, they will not be able to supply additional details, but I will continue to update this thread as I know more. We do appreciate the feedback.

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Fitbit Update 11/16/2018:  Hi Everyone, here's an update on the recent changes to the export tool:

With the recent improvements to our tool, you can now export your Fitbit data, starting from your first step with Fitbit.

You can also access new data for download, such as heart-rate data, exercise logs, and your activity in the Fitbit community. For more information, see How do I export my data?

We understand that some customers are having difficulty interpreting their data in the new download format. We’ll continue to add features and make improvements based on your feedback.

Thank you all for your input in the thread. Our team will continue to monitor this thread and I'll let you know when I have further updates. 

[Bigtime]

No one besides programmers know how to use the json files which makes them absolutely worthless to the majority of users. The former spreadsheet downloads are an important feature that really needs to be returned.

[tkinsf]

Wow, let me add my displeasure as well. This type of backward-incompatible changes screws the users. 

I'm downloading every 5 days and run stat programs on them for analysis. If the download returns the wholesale amount in json, I'll have to spend days to rewrite my code. Just unacceptable. Please restore the previous download method. Make the previous method available as an option at least, if you need to keep the new one for some reason.

[craigvan]

Yeah I agree, why must we document what changed?, I got a lengthy email from them asking me why I object to the changes, and what features are missing.

Goofy!!! DID SEARS buy FITBIT?  Or is it being managed by ex-Blockbuster Video managers?

Why must we tell you about your own product??!!

Just read all the complaints in this thread. Stop putting the onus on the users.

RESTORE THE PRIOR FEATURE AS IT, WAS, PRONTO, AND QUIT TRYING TO OBFUSCATE ON YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.

[GershonSurge]

This change is totally unacceptable. It took three hours to download an 81 mb file. I'm forced to download all the data since 2015 everytime I want the last month, or even the last week. Then It comes in a JSOP file I don't have a clue how to use. Nor do I intend to find out.

Couple this with the last change to convert the dashboard to look like the app, and it's clear that Fitbit doesn't care about checking with users to see what changes are best.

Fortunately, I trusted Fitbit to do the wrong thing, and I have been updating my own excel file each day since June.

[Bingsmate]

Hi Rich_Laue, i tried following the instructions in the link you provided but it did not work for me. Have you managed to successfully import one of FitBit's JSON files into excel? If so, I would appreciate to know how you achieved this 🙂

[Jim905]

The entire syntax of the data export dialog has changed. Is this an accidental release of some beta software.

The old dialog allowed you to select a period (this week, last week, this month, last month, etc.) plus a type of data (body, sleep, activities, etc.). It then created a csv download file that could be opened in Excel. This was in effect yesterday.

Today, the syntax is completely changed and it does not let you select anything. It downloads everything as a set of JSON files. With one file per day per type of data. In my case this is over 1400 files.

JSON is a text-export format like XML but only newer versions of Excel can import it.

This could be a nice thing to add to the data export options but the number of posts  to this subject (in one day) show that it is no substitute for the weekly-monthly exports that many people use and rely on.

[HalleyPgh]

Are you really serious?  The export has entirely changed from what was user-friendly just a couple of days ago. Surely you know that FitBIt intentionally made this change from what had been done previously. Since you are part of the FitBit team, you have access to exactly how it used to work. The most important features referred to you could choose data ranges, what data you wish to export, and most import what format is the output (.csv or .xls being most user-friendly).

If you were also blind-sided by this change, perhaps you need to have a serious talk with your colleagues to find out what they were thinking. 

[Purple_Panda]

The custom export feature was the main reason for buying my fitbit in the first place! I am exporting and loading weight, activity and sleep data into a personal excel model, but this seems impossible now.. Please make the old functionality possible again! I have no idea how to work with json-files...

[FcoArturo]

Terrible !!, the new experience is awful

I like to play with my data in excel, and download data every week.

[Purple_Panda]

The fitbit data export function has suddenly become severly limited by not allowing the user to select what date interval to extract data from and inability to get the data in excel format. 

Me and many other users (even research facilities) analyze our fitbit data frequently in programs like Excel. It was my main reason for bying a fitbit instead of an applewatch and other competitors.

Please bring back the old data export functionality!

[Jarvis.de]

Fitibt are you joking??

Where can I download my own date?

I need csv or xls and month per month

[NathanpGonzalez]

yesterday i went through other forums for this. Users went to fitbit support or that moderator dude and while going back and forth, one person said, Support indicated that a fix will happen for this no later than November 15th.. So i'll try to stay optimistic until then 

[OldDog17]

I agree with everyone on this thread, the data export feature needs to be restored to original form. If any changes are needed it is to export additional data in the CSV format.

I first noticed this yesterday. I didn't want to complain without trying it. Well I tried and it is of ZERO value. What the heck am I supposed to do with a JSON file? I seriously hope somebody made a mistake and this isn't an intentional design change.

I had planned to upgrade my Fitbit 2 this Christmas. If this doesn't get fixed very soon and the reason for the change fully explained, I'll be looking for a new fitness watch brand.

Thank you, 

OldDog (Tim)

[Isophonic]

Completely agree. Entirely ruined the user friendly nature of previous data export.

We are running clinical research using Fitbits and rely on regular easy data export. The new .json output appears completely meaningless. In addition only one data export is allowed per 24h

Please change back as soon as possible!

[sstrixie]

This is crazy.  I have to download my data every week to discuss with my Nutrition Therapist.  Now I don't have time to print it as it's taking forever to download the data.  Bad move Fitbit.  You seriously thought this was an improvement?  Wow you suck!

[Harriew]

For several years now I have downloaded the last 7 days of activity figures and then use the download to update an Excel spreadsheet. Now, all of a sudden Fitbit changes how this is done and the change is the total opposite of being an improvement. I went through the steps and it says that the download was completed but I will be darned if I can find the data nor find the so called e-mail that says how to get it. Why in the world was this change made. Why wasn't it just an additional option allowing you to get your total history.  Looks like my days of keeping all of my data in an Excel spreadsheet are gone since it will be a nightmare to dig what I want out of a huge JSON file. Thanks for NOTHING Fitbit personnel.

[craigvan]

It now appears that back in August an individual suggested the format changes which most of us are protesting this week. I just read and commented on that older thread. It is very clear that the changes are a disaster for most of us, and need to be undone ASAP. 

[Researchmachine]

I want to weigh in from the clinical research front too - this change is inconceivable!  Did a very time consuming download today only to find that once it downloaded it was useless to us in .json format.  WTF!  Change it back, change it back, change it back!

[SunsetRunner]

Not quite. We asked for the detailed data. In particular there are those that need the detailed heart rate information which wasn't supplied and clearly they had otherwise they couldn't have produced the graphs on the dashboard. There was never any request for the format to be changed.

Consultation was offered but not taken up and clearly, they done something nobody expected. As the dev team had been emailing me I've gone back to them with this. If you want to see the history of the conversation with them its all on the second link.

Sabrina

I think your team needs to take a look at the posts on the forum.

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Fitbit-com-Dashboard/Data-export-changes/td-p/3062632/jump-to/first-...

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Fitbit-com-Dashboard/Full-Data-Export/m-p/3065160#M89531

There are some very unhappy people out there

It looks like as a quick fix at least you need to add a link back to the original monthly export as well as one to the full export

So lets stop finger pointing on the forum, they've cocked it up and nothing anybody expected.

Pete

[tkinsf]

Is this the one?: https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Fitbit-com-Dashboard/Full-Data-Export/m-p/2888610#M85924

Funny, it was something I asked 2 years ago. They forced me to use OAUTH and their web API to programmatically fetch the intraday data and now they broke the daily summary data export to implement the full data export. The new export won't satisfy what people's been asking either -- it doesn't allow the user to specify the date/time range or which data to export.

Backward compatibility is software 101.  Please restore the daily summary data export immediately as the change is impacting many many people right now. After that, please rethink how you are going to provide the full data export without breaking the current use of the summary data export. At the minimum, you need to allow the user to specify the date range, what type of data to import, granularity, etc., just as you do with Web API. By default, it should export the daily summary in the previous format. Dumping the whole data from the time immemorial in json and expecting the user to deal with it won't be acceptable to most users.