Custom Bitrix Data Export Module Development

Custom Bitrix Data Export Module Development

A client recently came to us with a catalog of 500,000 products requiring daily stock uploads to Ozon and Wildberries. Standard 'load everything into array' solutions crashed with Out of Memory errors, even with increased limits. The admin page load took 40 seconds, and synchronous export paused the site for 10 minutes. They needed a module that streams data without blocking the admin and generates files asynchronously. We designed a three-layer architecture: Collector, Transformer, Formatter. It proved so flexible that we now use it as a foundation for all export tasks.

Typical scenarios the module covers

• Catalog uploads to marketplaces (Ozon, Wildberries) in specific XML or JSON
• Order export to 1C:Enterprise via CommerceML or CSV
• Regular lead export to Google Sheets or BI systems
• User data transfer to ESP (UniSender, SendGrid)
• Backup data export for migration to another platform

Each scenario has its own field mapping and format. A single module lets you configure all exports in one place, with access rights and logging.

How asynchronous generation works

The admin clicks 'Run export', a job is created in the b_vendor_exporter_job table with status queued. The agent ExportAgent::run() fires every minute and processes one job at a time. The file is written directly to disk without buffering in memory. Upon completion, status changes to done and the file can be downloaded, emailed, or sent via FTP. Compare: a synchronous 'request-response' approach would freeze for 5–10 minutes for 100,000 records — async lets the user walk away while the file is ready in a minute. Based on our projects, async export is 3x faster than standard component-based solutions.

Why asynchronous generation beats synchronous

Synchronous export blocks the HTTP request and consumes RAM proportional to data size. For 500,000 products, even the ID array takes 50 MB, full data with prices and properties up to 1 GB. Async generation via PHP generators uses less than 10 MB peak memory, even for millions of records. Learn more about generators in the PHP documentation.

Module structure

The vendor.exporter module has three layers:

• Collector — fetches data from the source (ORM queries to Bitrix tables)
• Transformer — transforms raw data into the required structure
• Formatter — produces the final file in the required format

Module tables:

Data collectors

class CatalogProductCollector implements CollectorInterface
{
    public function collect(array $filter, array $select): \Generator
    {
        $query = \Bitrix\Iblock\Elements\ElementTable::query()
            ->setFilter($filter)
            ->setSelect($select);

        foreach ($query->fetchAll() as $row) {
            // JOIN with prices
            $prices = \Bitrix\Catalog\PriceTable::getList([
                'filter' => ['=PRODUCT_ID' => $row['ID']],
                'select' => ['PRICE', 'CURRENCY', 'CATALOG_GROUP_NAME'],
            ])->fetchAll();

            $row['PRICES'] = $prices;
            yield $row;
        }
    }
}

Using Generator instead of an array is critical for exporting 100,000+ records — data is not accumulated in memory.

Formatters

CSV with delimiter and encoding support:

class CsvFormatter implements FormatterInterface
{
    public function format(\Generator $data, array $columns, string $outputPath): void
    {
        $handle = fopen($outputPath, 'w');
        fputs($handle, "\xEF\xBB\xBF"); // UTF-8 BOM for Excel
        fputcsv($handle, array_column($columns, 'label'), $this->delimiter);

        foreach ($data as $row) {
            fputcsv($handle, $this->extractValues($row, $columns), $this->delimiter);
        }
        fclose($handle);
    }
}

The CSV format is defined in RFC 4180 and widely used for tabular data exchange (see Wikipedia on CSV).

XML formatter for arbitrary schemas — configurable via XSD or XSLT templates. XLSX via PhpSpreadsheet with cell formatting. JSON with structure options: flat array or nested objects. Each formatter can be extended for specific marketplace requirements.

Filtering and partial export

Each profile has a base filter. On manual run, the admin can add extra filters through a form: date range, statuses, specific IDs. The filter is passed to the collector via filter_override:

$collector->collect(
    array_merge($profile->getBaseFilter(), $job->getFilterOverride()),
    $profile->getSelect()
);

Security and audit

Export of personal data (users, orders) is available only to groups with explicit permissions in the module settings. Every run is logged: who, when, how many records, file path. The log is stored in b_vendor_exporter_audit. This ensures compliance with data protection regulations.

How to set up an export profile

Setup consists of four steps:

1. Select the Bitrix entity (catalog, orders, leads) and data source (info block, HL-block, table).
2. Configure field mapping: map source fields to export fields. Transform rules available: concatenation, format conversion, value substitution.
3. Define file format (CSV, XML, XLSX, JSON) and additional parameters (delimiter, encoding, schema).
4. Specify schedule (cron expression) and delivery method (email, FTP, POST webhook).

All settings are available in the module's administrative interface.

What's included in the work

• Module architecture: profiles, collectors, formatters
• Async queue implementation with agent
• Administrative interface for profiles and jobs
• Schedule (cron) and auto-delivery (email, FTP, POST) setup
• Testing on your data (up to 1 million records)
• Installation and configuration documentation
• 1-month warranty for revisions within the agreed scope

Development timeline

Total: 12 working days for a standard set of formats and sources. Specific marketplace formats (especially with mandatory certification fields) add 1-2 days each.

Why choose us?

We are a team with 5+ years of Bitrix and Bitrix24 experience, having completed over 50 integration and data export projects. We use modern PHP 8.1, ORM, and tagged caching. Order a custom data export module — we'll evaluate your project in one business day. Get a consultation on architecture and timelines. Everything turnkey, with documentation and support.

1C-Bitrix Module Development and Setup

The main trap of Bitrix is init.php. You add an OnBeforeIBlockElementUpdate handler there, then another one — a year later the file is 2000 lines, and on every hit all that code executes. We move business logic into full-fledged modules with D7 ORM, custom tables, and administrative interface. The module can be disabled, transferred to another project, covered with tests — none of that is possible with init.php. Our team has 10+ years of Bitrix experience, certified specialists, and a 6-month code guarantee. Request a consultation — we'll explain how to migrate legacy code to a modular architecture.

Why is init.php the worst place for business logic?

Init.php does not support class autoloading, lacks an isolated namespace, cannot be unit tested, and cannot be disabled without editing the file itself. Every handler written there runs on every request, even if not needed. In a module, you register handlers through EventManager, and they only execute when the event occurs. Performance difference: up to 3x with 10+ handlers.

Standard Modules: Typical Problems and Solutions

Information blocks. IBlock architecture is the first thing we review on any project. A classic mistake: one catalog infoblock with 80 properties, 30 of which are multiple. The b_iblock_element_property table swells to millions of rows, and CIBlockElement::GetList with filtering on three properties does a full scan. We move reference data to Highload-blocks, eliminate multiple properties where possible, and design the structure for 5x growth.

e-Store (sale). Cart business rules are a separate story. We set discount priorities to prevent two campaigns from giving 60% instead of 30%, connect payment handlers, and write custom validation via OnSaleOrderBeforeSaved.

Search. The built-in search module with morphology works up to 10–15 thousand elements. Beyond that — Elasticsearch. We configure it via the Bitrix search module API, indexing through CSearchFullText or custom indexers.

Highload-blocks for dictionaries, logs, user data — instead of bloated IBlocks. Direct queries via Bitrix\Highloadblock\HighloadBlockTable, custom tables instead of the EAV structure of standard infoblocks. A million records — no degradation.

Mail events. Configuration is not just templates in b_event_message. The key is SPF, DKIM, DMARC on the DNS, otherwise transactional emails go to spam. We check deliverability and set up bounce handling.

How to Design Infoblocks for Performance?

We use Highload-blocks for reference data (colors, sizes, manufacturers) that are not involved in complex queries. For SKUs — a separate infoblock with linking via IBLOCK_ELEMENT_PROPERTY. Enable INDEX_PROPERTY for frequently filtered properties. Tagged caching: when an element changes, only the related cache is cleared. Highload-blocks process up to 10x faster than infoblocks with multiple properties on volumes of 100,000 records.

Custom Module Development

Each module follows the structure /local/modules/vendor.modulename/:

• install/index.php — setup class, create tables via $DB->RunSQLBatch()
• lib/ — D7 ORM classes, extending Bitrix\Main\ORM\Data\DataManager
• admin/ — administrative pages using CAdminList, CAdminForm
• include.php — autoloading, event handler registration via EventManager::getInstance()->registerEventHandler()
• REST API endpoints via \Bitrix\Rest\RestManager

The module registers in the system, appears in the "Installed Solutions" list, and has its own settings at /bitrix/admin/settings.php?mid=vendor.modulename. It can be enabled, disabled, and updated through UpdateSystem or custom migration mechanics.

Examples of implemented tasks:

• Campaign management — visual condition builder via CAdminCalendar, timers via agents (CAgent::AddAgent), analytics linked to the sale module
• Cost calculator — React widget on the frontend, REST API in the module, formulas stored in a Highload-block
• Booking system — real-time calendar, locking via $DB->StartTransaction() / $DB->Commit() on concurrent requests, integration with channel manager via webhook

Components and Composite Cache

Component customization via result_modifier.php and component_epilog.php, not by editing template.php of the standard template. This way core updates are painless.

Composite cache ("Composite Site" technology) — the server sends ready HTML, bypassing PHP routing. Dynamic areas (cart, authorization) are loaded via CBitrixComponent::setFrameMode(true) and AJAX. TTFB drops to 30–50 ms. But there are caveats: not all components are compatible, $APPLICATION->ShowPanel() breaks composite, and careful markup of <div id="bx-composite-..."> is required.

What to Check Before Installing a Marketplace Module?

Before installing a module from the marketplace, an audit is mandatory. We check: SQL queries without prepared statements (hello SQL injection), direct use of $_REQUEST without filtering, use of outdated kernel API instead of D7, conflicts with the composite cache module. A module with no updates for over a year and a few dozen installations is likely a problem on the next PHP update. A typical case: a module calls CIBlockElement::GetList with no cache reset — the site crashes with 5000 elements.

Migration to D7

When upgrading PHP or switching to a new edition — refactor outdated calls:

• CIBlockElement::GetList() → Bitrix\Iblock\Elements\ElementTable::getList()
• CSaleOrder::GetList() → Bitrix\Sale\Order::getList()
• CModule::IncludeModule() → Bitrix\Main\Loader::includeModule() Testing on staging, rollback via git on issues.

According to official 1C-Bitrix documentation, D7 ORM is the recommended tool for working with data, providing type safety and automatic query generation.

Comparison: Init.php vs Module

Module Development Scope and Cost

What is included in module development?

• Technical specification and architectural plan
• Code following PSR-4 and Bitrix code style
• Unit tests (PHPUnit) for business logic
• Integration tests for events and REST API
• Installation, configuration, and API documentation
• Repository and documentation access
• Administrator training for module usage
• 6-month warranty support

Estimated timelines and complexity:

Cost is calculated individually — contact us for a project estimate.

Module Testing

Unit tests via PHPUnit cover business logic: discount calculation, validation, document generation. Mocks for Bitrix\Main\Application::getConnection() allow tests to be DB-independent. Integration tests verify event handlers on a real database — OnAfterIBlockElementAdd, OnSaleOrderSaved, etc. REST API endpoints are tested via curl or PHPUnit HTTP client. Critical for modules working with b_sale_order, b_catalog_price — where errors cost money.

Compatibility is checked on PHP 7.4, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2 and editions: Standard, Small Business, Business. We check conflicts with popular marketplace modules — they often intercept the same events. Load testing: measurements on 10K, 100K, 1M records, profiling via Xdebug for memory leaks and N+1 queries.

Practical Examples

Campaign module for an electronics chain. The built-in sale module discounts did not cover scenarios like "2+1", a gift with purchase over a certain amount, or combined conditions. We built a visual builder: marketers create rules via drag-and-drop without development tickets. Campaign calendar, auto-deactivation via agents, analytics linked to b_sale_order — conversion, average check, usage count. Time to launch a new campaign dropped from two days to half an hour.

Calculator for builders. Parameters (area, materials, number of floors) → formula → preliminary estimate → lead to CRM via CRest::call('crm.lead.add'). Regional coefficients and seasonal markups from a Highload-block, material prices from 1C exchange. The number of target leads increased by a third: clients see a breakdown before calling a manager.

Booking for a hotel chain. Real-time availability via AJAX requests to a custom table vendor_booking_slots, seasonal tariff calculation, synchronization with Booking.com via channel manager API. Room locking on concurrent booking via SELECT ... FOR UPDATE in transactions. Timezones handled via \DateTimeZone — a guest from Vladivostok and a manager from Moscow see the same picture.

We will evaluate your project within one day. Write to us — we'll tell you what is included in turnkey development. Contact us for a consultation on your project. Order a custom module development — get a ready solution with documentation and support.