Quick answer
In Gravity Forms Export Entries, explicitly check the entry status before downloading. Active is the default; spam and trashed entries are separate scopes. The status selector added in the 3.1.1 release can explain a smaller CSV without implying entries were lost. Reconcile entry IDs under the same date and form filters.
Define what you need to export
There are three different requests people describe as an export: raw form entries for analysis, a survey summary, and a personal-data export for an individual. Choose the workflow that matches the requested output. Changing the CSV status filter does not turn raw rows into aggregated survey results.
Write a short specification before downloading: form, date interval, entry statuses, required columns, and intended recipient. For example, a lead-quality review might need active and spam entries in separate files, while an operational handoff might need only active entries. Do not include deleted-looking records merely to make a total match an old screenshot.
Use the status selector deliberately
Open Forms, then Import/Export, and choose Export Entries. Select the form and the fields needed for the task. Review the status selection, any conditional rules, and the date range before downloading. These filters work together, so the status alone does not define the final row set.
Keep a copy of the settings alongside the export in an access-controlled location. Record the site timezone and the time you ran the export. A new submission or a later moderation action can change the live count while you are comparing it with an earlier file.
Reconcile a small sample by entry ID
Choose a few known entries: one active, one spam, and one in trash if those categories are relevant. Record their IDs and timestamps without copying unnecessary personal fields. Export each intended status separately, keeping other filters identical, and check where those IDs appear.
If an entry is missing, inspect its actual status and the selected conditional rules. A row can fail a field-value condition even when it belongs to the correct status. Also distinguish an empty field from a column that was never selected for export. Those are different reasons for a seemingly incomplete file.
Reconciliation worksheet
Form ID: record
Exported at: record timestamp
Timezone: record site setting
Status: Active / Spam / Trash
Entry IDs expected: record sample
Date and conditional filters: record
Missing IDs explained: yes / no
Treat spreadsheet handling as another boundary
After downloading, inspect the file with a tool that preserves the intended encoding and column structure. A spreadsheet import can change leading zeros, dates, and long identifiers. Keep an unchanged source file so you can tell whether a problem originated in the export or in the analysis tool.
Count data records rather than visible worksheet lines when fields can contain line breaks. Compare unique entry IDs as well as the row count. Do not use a plain line count as definitive evidence that the export duplicated or omitted submissions.
Do not restore entries just to include them
If the required scope is spam or trash, use the appropriate export selection. Changing an entry's status only to make it appear in an active export changes the dataset you are trying to investigate. Permanent deletion is even less appropriate as a diagnostic step.
Check the organization's authorization and retention rules before distributing these files. Spam submissions can still contain personal information, and a record being in trash does not make it public. Limit columns and recipients to the actual review purpose.
Separate a survey report from a CSV problem
For survey work, verify which fields store the answers and how multiple selections, labels, and values are represented. A raw export may be correct even though it does not resemble the chart shown in the survey results screen. Use the linked field-mapping guide for that next stage.
For a personal-data request, use the appropriate privacy workflow and verify the requested individual's coverage. Do not send a whole-form export as a shortcut. The same word, export, can describe very different data boundaries.
Close with an explained difference
A satisfactory result identifies why each sampled missing ID was excluded or confirms a reproducible defect under a precise configuration. Keep the evidence small: form ID, status, date range, conditional filters, expected IDs, and actual IDs.
If custom export filters are installed, reproduce the same sample on staging with those customizations reviewed. Escalate the smallest failing example to the developer. Repeating larger exports without controlling the filters usually creates more files, not a clearer diagnosis.
Illustrative diagnostic worksheet. Use your own test results.When to bring in help
Ask for Gravity Forms export support when a specific entry ID is visible in the intended scope but absent from the CSV. Send filter settings and redacted IDs, not the full export containing customer details.
Related troubleshooting
Understand the separate personal-data export workflow. Map survey fields to an entry export.
Helpful references
Gravity Forms 3.1.1 release notes. Exporting form entries.