diff --git a/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/components/export/ExportDialog.tsx b/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/components/export/ExportDialog.tsx
index 6c7af128c..c8b19e56d 100644
--- a/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/components/export/ExportDialog.tsx
+++ b/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/components/export/ExportDialog.tsx
@@ -67,7 +67,12 @@ export function ExportDialog({ opened, onClose, dataset, params }: ExportDialogP
   );
 
   const [selected, setSelected] = useState<string[]>(defaultKeys);
-  const [format, setFormat] = useState<ExportFormat>("csv");
+  // xlsx by default: typed number and date columns, so a spreadsheet opens it
+  // without the "is this text?" pass CSV needs. Falls back to whatever the
+  // dataset does offer rather than presetting a format it would reject.
+  const [format, setFormat] = useState<ExportFormat>(
+    () => (dataset.formats.includes("xlsx") ? "xlsx" : dataset.formats[0]),
+  );
   const [scope, setScope] = useState("all");
   const [search, setSearch] = useState("");
   const [exporting, setExporting] = useState(false);
@@ -343,7 +348,15 @@ export function ExportDialog({ opened, onClose, dataset, params }: ExportDialogP
                       return (
                         <Radio.Card key={f} value={f} radius="md" p="xs">
                           <Stack gap={4} align="center">
-                            <Icon size={18} />
+                            {/* Radio.Card's own checked state is a border tint
+                                and nothing else, which reads as unselected at
+                                this size. The Indicator is what actually says
+                                which format is picked, as the report export
+                                dialog's cards already do. */}
+                            <Group gap={6} wrap="nowrap">
+                              <Radio.Indicator size="xs" />
+                              <Icon size={18} />
+                            </Group>
                             <Text size="xs" fw={500}>
                               {label}
                             </Text>
@@ -385,7 +398,7 @@ export function ExportDialog({ opened, onClose, dataset, params }: ExportDialogP
                   <Text size="xs">
                     {total?.toLocaleString()} rows exceeds the {cap.toLocaleString()}-row{" "}
                     {FORMAT_META[format].label} limit. Narrow the filters
-                    {format !== "csv" ? ", switch to CSV," : ""} or{" "}
+                    {dataset.caps.csv > cap ? ", switch to CSV," : ""} or{" "}
                     <Anchor size="xs" onClick={() => setScope(String(cap))}>
                       export the first {cap.toLocaleString()}
                     </Anchor>