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Exporting to Excel

Lakemeter exports your estimates to professionally formatted Excel spreadsheets — ready for RFP responses, procurement reviews, internal planning, or vendor comparisons.

Export guide documentation page The Export guide — single and bulk export workflows with file naming conventions.

Excel spreadsheet structure Detailed breakdown of the Excel export: header, workload table, cost summary, legend, and assumptions.

Exporting an estimate to Excel — click Export, download completes Animated: exporting an estimate — click the Export button and the Excel file downloads automatically.

How to Export​

Single Estimate​

  1. Open the estimate you want to export
  2. Click the Export button (download arrow icon) in the top bar
  3. An .xlsx file downloads automatically

File name format: Databricks_Estimate_{estimate_name}_{YYYYMMDD}.xlsx

Bulk Export (All Estimates)​

From the Estimates list page, click the Export All button to download a summary spreadsheet containing all your estimates in one file. This creates an "All Estimates" sheet with each estimate's name, cloud, region, tier, status, and dates.

What's in the Excel File​

The exported spreadsheet contains a single sheet called "Databricks Estimate" with several sections:

1. Header​

The top rows display your estimate metadata:

  • Estimate name, cloud provider, region, and pricing tier
  • Status and version number
  • Created and last-updated dates

2. Workloads Table (30 Columns)​

Each workload in your estimate becomes one row (or two rows for workloads with separate storage costs). The columns are grouped by purpose:

GroupColumnsWhat's there
IdentityWorkload Name, Type, Mode, Configuration, SKUWhat this workload is and how it's configured
VM ConfigurationDriver Instance, Worker Instance, # Workers, Pricing TiersInstance types and cluster shape (Classic only)
UsageHours/MonthHow much this workload runs — calculated from runs/day or entered directly
Token ConfigurationRate Type, Tokens/Month (M), DBU per 1M TokensFor FMAPI workloads: token volumes and rates
DBU CostsDBU/Hour, Monthly DBUs, List Rate, Discount %, Discounted Rate, List Cost, Discounted CostThe core Databricks billing — all formula-based
VM CostsDriver $/hr, Worker $/hr, Driver VM Cost, Worker VM Cost, Total VM CostInfrastructure costs for Classic compute (zero for Serverless)
TotalsTotal Cost (List), Total Cost (Discounted)Combined DBU + VM costs at list and discounted rates
NotesNotesWorkload-specific details (e.g., "Photon enabled", "Storage Optimized")
Key Detail

All cost cells use Excel formulas, not static values. If you change an input (like discount percentage), the costs recalculate automatically in Excel.

3. Multi-Row Workloads​

Two workload types produce two rows in the export:

  • Lakebase — Row 1: compute costs (DBU-based), Row 2: storage costs (DSU-based, direct dollar amount)
  • Vector Search — Row 1: compute costs, Row 2: storage costs (if storage GB > 0)

The totals row at the bottom uses SUM formulas that include both compute and storage sub-rows.

4. Cost Summary​

Below the workloads table, a summary section shows:

  • Monthly and annual totals for DBU costs, VM costs, and combined total
  • Totals at both list price and discounted price

5. Legend​

A color-coded legend explaining the column groups:

  • Blue — DBU-related costs (Databricks compute units)
  • Cyan — Token-based pricing (FMAPI workloads)
  • Pink — Discount pricing (discounted DBU rate and cost)
  • Green — VM infrastructure costs (cloud provider)
  • Purple — Total cost (DBU + VM combined)

Orange headers are used for general workload identity columns (name, type, configuration, SKU, notes) but are not listed in the legend section.

6. Assumptions & Notes​

The bottom section documents:

  • That all pricing uses Databricks list rates
  • DBU rate source and lookup method
  • How discount percentages are applied
  • Export timestamp

Formatting​

The exported file includes professional formatting:

  • Color-coded column headers matching the legend colors
  • Frozen panes — the header row and first two columns stay visible when scrolling
  • Currency formatting — all dollar amounts formatted as $#,##0.00
  • Percentage formatting — discount column formatted as 0%
  • Auto-sized columns — widths adjust to content
  • Landscape orientation — fits on standard paper for printing
  • Borders — light grid lines for readability

Common Use Cases​

RFP Response​

Export your estimate to attach to a Request for Proposal. The professional formatting and complete cost breakdown make it ready for procurement teams. Adjust the discount percentage column to reflect your negotiated rates.

Internal Planning​

Use the export to share cost projections with stakeholders who don't have Lakemeter access. The formula-based cells let finance teams adjust assumptions (hours, discounts) directly in Excel.

Vendor Comparison​

Create separate estimates for different configurations (e.g., Classic vs Serverless, different instance types) and export both. Compare them side-by-side in Excel to find the most cost-effective option.

Cost Modeling​

Since all cells use formulas, you can build additional analysis on top of the export — add growth projections, what-if scenarios, or integrate it into a larger financial model.

Tips​

  • Export after finalizing your estimate — the file reflects the exact state at download time
  • The discount percentage column is editable in Excel. Set it to your negotiated rate and all costs recalculate
  • For FMAPI workloads, the token configuration columns show your volume assumptions — adjust these for different usage scenarios
  • Lakebase and Vector Search storage costs appear on separate rows. Make sure to include both rows when referencing total costs