What is a data extract? What is a data extract? Data extract refers to a selective set of information extracted from a larger database for a particular purpose such as reporting, analysis, or migration. Organizations may extract data for the purpose of creating reports or analyzing their performance. One example of a data extract used by management is the sales report that contains customer purchases. In order to analyze the data, the extracted information needs to be clean and properly organized. By knowing what is a data extract, organizations can effectively use information and deal with fewer irrelevant information.