Importing & Exporting Data

1. Click your name in the bottom-left corner and select Settings.
2. Go to Settings → System → Import / Export.
3. Select an action:
   • Import: Records, Activities, Tasks, or Data structure.
   • Export: Everything, or individual items like records, tasks, or data structure.

Only System admins have access to this page by default. Admins can grant additional permissions in Settings → Organisation → Users.

1. Open the collection you want, using the sidebar.
2. Click the options menu (⋯) in the top-right.
3. Select Import (.csv) or Export (.csv) for record-based data.

This is handy for simpler tasks, or when you're only working with a single collection.

You can also import or export rows directly from a Collection List

1. Open a record that has a linked list table.
2. On the table's label row, click the ⋯ menu.
   • Select Import (.csv) to upload a CSV file.
   • Select Export (.csv) to download the list.
3. If the table is empty, an inline Import (.csv) button appears next to the Add button.

Every imported row is linked to the parent record automatically - the parent field is hidden from the field-mapping step, so there's no risk of pointing rows at the wrong parent. Exports only include rows belonging to the parent record you're viewing.

1. Prepare your CSV

Make sure your CSV columns match the fields in your collection (for example, Name, Email, Status). For updating existing records, include an ID or another unique identifier column.

2. Start the import

Go to Settings → System → Import / Export → Import → Records, or open the collection's ⋯ menu and select Import (.csv).

3. Map fields

Select your CSV file, then match each CSV column to a Kinabase field.

4. Choose an import type

Select Create new records, or select Update matching records and specify a key field to update existing records without creating duplicates.

5. Confirm

Click Next to run the import.

This is similar to importing records, but it also imports historical timestamps for field changes - available to System admins only.

1. Prepare your CSV

Match your columns to the fields in your collection, and include a Timestamp column formatted as dd/mm/yyyy hh:mm:ss.

2. Start the import

Open the collection's ⋯ menu and select Import (.csv), or go to Settings → System → Import / Export → Import → Records.

3. Choose your import type

Select Import historical values for matching records, then choose the CSV column and collection field to match on.

4. Map fields

Match each remaining CSV column to a Kinabase field.

5. Confirm

Click Next. You'll see historical changes to the imported field values in each record's Activity timeline once it completes.

• Activities: notes, emails, calls, or system updates logged against records.
• Tasks: action items linked to records, with columns like Task Name, Description or Due Date.

1. Open Import in Settings

Go to Import → Activities or Import → Tasks.

2. Select your CSV

Drag and drop your file, or browse for it.

3. Map required columns

For activities, map columns like Linked Record, Activity Type and Created By. For tasks, map columns like Task Status, Due Date and Assignees.

4. Confirm

Click Next to run the import.

Importing tasks from a previous system helps you keep continuity for due dates, owners and completion history.

If you have a .kinabase file - exported from another Kinabase organisation, or provided by our support team:

1. Go to Import / Export → Import → Data structure.
2. Select the file and confirm. This creates a new collection, or updates an existing one, based on the structure in the file.

1. Go to Import / Export in Settings.
2. Choose an export option:
   • Everything - a zip of all records, tasks, activities and data structures (System admins only).
   • Records / Activities / Tasks - each item type as a separate CSV.
   • Data structure - a .kinabase file for your collections, useful for transferring your setup to another Kinabase organisation.
   • Headers only - just the column headers, for building an import template.
3. Save the file locally.

1. Open the collection you want, using the sidebar.
2. Select the ⋯ menu → Export (.csv).
3. Name the file, choose where to save it, and confirm.

When this is handy: for quick backups, or analysis in a spreadsheet tool.

Failed import prompt

If any rows can't be imported, Kinabase prompts you to re-download a CSV containing only the problem rows.

Include errors column

Tick Include Errors Column. This adds a column describing why each row failed, such as an invalid field value.

Example

If 'Botswana' doesn't exist in your 'Countries' collection, the error might read 'Value not found in linked field.'

Solution

Either fix the row - change 'Botswana' to an accepted value - or add a 'Botswana' record to your 'Countries' collection, then re-import.

In the Assign Fields step, tick Skip duplicate records to avoid reimporting rows that already succeeded on a previous attempt.

Check you have the right import permissions under Settings → Organisation → Users. If problems persist, contact our support team.