Replace your beekeeping spreadsheet. Keep the export.
A spreadsheet is a good archive and a poor field tool. HiveSense takes the logging out to the hive and works with zero bars, and it still gives you a CSV whenever you want to sort, filter or chart your records yourself.
Free for up to 15 hives. CSV/PDF export and backup on Pro.
Why beekeepers outgrow the spreadsheet
Most beekeeping spreadsheets start the same way: a paper notebook in the beeyard, then an evening copying it into rows. That works, and plenty of good beekeepers do it for years. The spreadsheet itself is rarely the problem. The re-copying is.
The notes get shorter as the season gets busier. Cells on a phone are hard to hit with gloves on. One wide row per inspection turns into forty columns nobody fills in. And by the time the notebook reaches the kitchen table, half of what you saw at frame five is gone.
HiveSense moves the record to the moment you are looking at the frame. Tap the fields, or say “queen seen, good brood pattern, counted 6 varroa” and the app transcribes it on the phone and fills those fields in for you to check. When you want the spreadsheet back, you export it.
What you can get back out
CSV export
Inspections, treatments or harvests, one file per type, with apiary and hive on every row.
PDF reports
The same records as a printable report table, ready for a club, a mentor or an inspector.
Full backup
Every record in one JSON file, photos optional, restorable in the app.
Built on the phone
Export and backup read the on-device database. No signal needed to create the file.
| Export | CSV columns |
|---|---|
| Inspections | Apiary, Hive, Date, Type, Queen Seen, Queen Cells, Eggs Seen, Brood Pattern, Brood Frames, Larvae Seen, Capped Brood, Honey Stores, Pollen Stores, Honey Frames, Varroa Count, Hive Beetles, Wax Moths, Disease Signs, Temperament, Population, Swarm Cells, Supersedure Cells, Weather, Temperature, Notes, Actions Taken, Follow Up Needed |
| Treatments | Apiary, Hive, Type, Product, Dosage, Application Method, Start Date, End Date, Duration (Days), Effectiveness, Notes |
| Harvests | Apiary, Hive, Date, Product Type, Quantity, Unit, Quality, Moisture Content, Color, Notes |
Date ranges: last 30 days, 90 days, 1 year, or all time. Taken from the app's export code in version 1.1.6.
What HiveSense does not do yet
- No spreadsheet import. You cannot upload a CSV into HiveSense today. Your history stays in the spreadsheet, and new records go in the app.
- Export is not on the free tier. It is part of Pro. If you think you might leave later, export before your subscription ends.
- No finance or sales columns. HiveSense tracks hives, inspections, treatments and harvests, not expenses or honey sales. If your spreadsheet is also your books, keep that tab.
Moving from a spreadsheet, step by step
- 1
Keep your spreadsheet as the archive
Do not delete it. Years of notes are worth keeping exactly as they are, and a spreadsheet will still open in ten years.
- 2
Add your apiaries and hives in HiveSense
One entry per yard and per hive. It takes a few minutes for a typical backyard or sideline operation, and it is the part a spreadsheet import would save you.
- 3
Log each hive’s current state as a first inspection
Queen status, brood, stores, the last mite count. That gives every hive a starting point, and the next inspection shows the change.
- 4
Log new inspections at the hive, not at the kitchen table
Tap the fields or say what you see. The record is saved on the phone even with no signal.
- 5
Export when you want a spreadsheet again
Settings → Data → Export Data. Pick inspections, treatments or harvests, CSV or PDF, and a date range. Open the CSV in Excel, Numbers or Google Sheets.
Got years of records you want inside the app? Email support@tryhivesense.com. HiveSense is founder-built, and a real use case like yours is how the importer gets prioritised.
Further reading
Data & trust
Where your records live and how they stay yours.
What belongs in a beekeeping logbook
The records that actually improve your beekeeping, on paper or in an app.
Voice notes for hive inspections
Log at the hive instead of re-copying at the kitchen table.
Compare beekeeping apps
If you are choosing between apps, the side-by-side comparisons.
Frequently asked questions
Can I export my HiveSense records to Excel or Google Sheets?
Yes, on Pro. In Settings → Data → Export Data you choose inspections, treatments or harvests, pick CSV or PDF, and choose the last 30 days, 90 days, year, or all time. The file is built on your phone and handed to the share sheet, so you can save it to Files, email it, or send it to a cloud drive. A CSV opens in Excel, Numbers and Google Sheets.
Which columns does the CSV include?
Every row carries the apiary and hive name. Inspections add date, type, queen seen, queen cells, eggs, brood pattern and frames, larvae, capped brood, honey and pollen stores, honey frames, varroa count, hive beetles, wax moths, disease signs, temperament, population, swarm and supersedure cells, weather, temperature, notes, actions taken and follow-up. Treatments and harvests have their own column sets, listed on this page.
Can I import my existing spreadsheet into HiveSense?
Not yet. HiveSense has no spreadsheet or CSV importer. Most people keep the old spreadsheet as their archive and start logging new inspections in the app. If you have a lot of history you want inside HiveSense, email support@tryhivesense.com and we will help.
Is export free?
No. CSV/PDF export and full backup are part of Pro ($5.99/month or $59.99/year), along with unlimited hives, treatment logging and Bluetooth sensors. The free tier covers up to 15 hives and 5 apiaries with voice notes and offline logging, but not export. If you ever plan to leave Pro, export before the subscription ends.
What is the difference between export and backup?
Export produces a spreadsheet (CSV) or printable report (PDF) of one record type, for reading and sharing. Backup, also on Pro, writes every record into a single JSON file, with your photos included if you want them, which HiveSense can restore from. Use export for your own analysis or an inspector, and backup as a safety copy.
Do I need signal to export?
No. The file is generated on your phone from the local database. You only need a connection for wherever you send it next, such as email or a cloud drive.
Not ready to install? Grab the free guide.
Get our 2026 Beginner Beekeeping Starter Guide (PDF) — no app required. One email, then decide in your own time.
Stop re-copying paper notes at the kitchen table
Free for up to 15 hives. CSV and PDF export on Pro, $5.99/mo.
How HiveSense keeps your records yours