diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 82c97e8..2a27f87 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ zabbix:
 * user must have access to API `template.get`
 
 ## usage
-* get an overview of *used* templates: `./main.py --overview`
+* get an overview of *used* templates: `./main.py --overview --server foo`
 ```
 Borg Backup Passive
         Vendor: 
@@ -41,7 +41,15 @@ FreeBSD by Zabbix agent
                 router.exmaple.com
         ...
 ```
-* check for new versions and download known templates: `./main.py --check`
+* get an overview of *used* templates in machine readable format: `./main.py --overview --server foo --format machine`
+* copy&paste'able into libre calc
+```
+name	vendor	version	uuid	hosts	known
+Borg Backup Passive			3077e7298167465b96d30503bcff4769	devloop.de,blah.example.com,moep.example.com	no
+FreeBSD by Zabbix agent	Zabbix	7.0-2	a3dc630729e443139f4e608954fa6e19	router.exmaple.com	yes
+...
+```
+* check for new versions and download known templates: `./main.py --check --server foo`
 ```
 found update for Template Module Generic SNMPv2
 found update for Template OS FreeBSD
diff --git a/main.py b/main.py
index 904349f..e4cc398 100755
--- a/main.py
+++ b/main.py
@@ -24,8 +24,14 @@ def get_api_templates(server):
     api_templates = api.template.get(selectHosts=["hostid", "name"], sortfield="name")
     return [t for t in api_templates if len(t["hosts"]) > 0]
 
-def overview(server):
+def overview(server, format):
     api_templates = get_api_templates(server)
+    if format == "human":
+        overview_output_human(api_templates)
+    elif format == "machine":
+        overview_output_machine(api_templates)
+
+def overview_output_human(api_templates):
     for api_template in api_templates:
         print(api_template["name"])
         print(f"\tVendor: {api_template['vendor_name']}")
@@ -37,6 +43,27 @@ def overview(server):
         if not api_template['uuid'] in templates["templates"]:
             print("\t!!! not found in templates.yml")
 
+def overview_output_machine(api_templates):
+    print("name", end="\t")
+    print("vendor", end="\t")
+    print("version", end="\t")
+    print("uuid", end="\t")
+    print("hosts", end="\t")
+    print("known")
+    for api_template in api_templates:
+        print(api_template["name"], end="\t")
+        print(api_template["vendor_name"], end="\t")
+        print(api_template["vendor_version"], end="\t")
+        print(api_template["uuid"], end="\t")
+        for host in api_template["hosts"]:
+            print(host["name"], end=",")
+        print("\t", end="")
+        if api_template['uuid'] in templates["templates"]:
+            print("yes")
+        else:
+            print("no")
+
+
 def check(server):
     api_templates = get_api_templates(server)
     for api_template in api_templates:
@@ -58,10 +85,11 @@ def main():
     args_parser.add_argument("--overview", action="store_true", help="show overview of used templates")
     args_parser.add_argument("--check", action="store_true", help="check known templates for updates")
     args_parser.add_argument("--server", type=str, help="server to use from config.yml", required=True)
+    args_parser.add_argument("--format", type=str, help="output format: machine or human, default to human", default="human")
     args = args_parser.parse_args()
 
     if args.overview:
-        overview(args.server)
+        overview(args.server, args.format)
     elif args.check:
         check(args.server)