Export & Import

Export Formats

Yando supports four export formats, accessible from the toolbar on any board:

PNG (Image)

Exports the board as a PNG image. Smart cropping ensures the image is tightly fitted:

• Template boards: Cropped to zone boundaries with padding
• Non-template boards: Cropped to the object bounding box with padding
• Hidden sticky notes are excluded from the export

PDF (Document)

Exports the board as a multi-page PDF document containing:

• A cropped image of the board canvas
• A text summary of all objects organized by zone
• Hidden sticky notes are excluded

Markdown

Exports board content as a structured markdown file:

• Objects grouped by zone (for template boards)
• Each object includes its text content, type, and zone
• Hidden sticky notes are excluded
• Useful for feeding board content to AI tools

JSON (Data)

Exports the complete board data as a JSON file:

• Board metadata (title, description, template, canvas dimensions)
• All objects with full properties (position, size, rotation, data)
• Objects grouped by zone
• Can be re-imported to create a new board

Import from JSON

Creating a New Board from JSON

1. Go to Boards and click New Board
2. Upload a JSON file in the import section
3. Preview shows the title, template, and object count
4. Optionally change the title, description, or template
5. Click Create Board

The import process:

• Generates fresh UUIDs for the board and all objects (security measure)
• Sets the current user as the owner
• Matches zones by name when using the same template
• Validates the JSON schema, object types, and required fields
• Uses atomic transactions (all-or-nothing)

Importing to an Existing Board

You can add objects from a JSON file to an existing board:

1. Open the board canvas
2. Click the Import button in the toolbar
3. Select a JSON file
4. Objects are added without modifying existing content

This is useful for the LLM workflow:

1. Export your board to JSON
2. Feed the JSON to an LLM for analysis or enhancement
3. Import the LLM's output back to the same board

JSON Schema

The expected JSON structure:

{
  "board": {
    "title": "My Board",
    "description": "Optional description",
    "template": "Business Model Canvas",
    "canvas_width": 3200,
    "canvas_height": 1800
  },
  "zones": {
    "Zone Name": [
      {
        "type": "sticky_note",
        "x": 100,
        "y": 200,
        "width": 200,
        "height": 150,
        "data": {
          "text": "Note content",
          "color": "#FFEB3B"
        }
      }
    ]
  },
  "unzoned_objects": []
}

Object types: sticky_note, text_box, shape

For shapes, the data object includes a shapeType field: rectangle, circle, triangle, or line.

Export Visibility

Hidden sticky notes (those toggled to hidden on the canvas) are excluded from all export formats:

• PNG: Not rendered in the image
• PDF: Not in the image or the text summary
• Markdown: Not included in the text output
• JSON: Hidden notes are still included in JSON exports (they carry a hidden flag)