Importing & Exporting Data

1. Open Settings
   • Click your name or the cog at the bottom-left corner.
   • Select Settings from the menu.
2. Select 'Import / Export'
   • In the System section, find and click Import / Export.
3. Select an Action
   • Import: Records
     Record

     An individual entry within a Collection, like a row in a database table, representing one item or entity.
     , Activities
     Activity

     A log of what's happened. This could be an event or note related to a Record, such as an email, call, or meeting.
     , Tasks
     Task

     Something that needs to be done. Create and assign tasks to yourself or others, often linked to a specific Record.
     , or Data Structures.
   • Export: Everything, or individual items like records, tasks, or data structures.

Only System Admins have default access to this page. Admins can grant additional permissions

Permission

A specific right to view, edit, delete, or administer parts of Kinabase, granted via Roles.

in Settings → Users.

Method B: Directly from a Collection

1. Open the Collection
   • Use the sidebar to pick your target collection.
2. Click the ⋯ (options menu) in the top-right.
   • Choose Import (.csv) or Export (.csv) for record-based data.
   • This is handy for simpler tasks or focusing on a single collection at a time.

1. Prepare Your CSV
   • Make sure your csv columns match the fields
     Field

     A column in a Collection that stores a specific type of information for each Record, such as text, number, or date.
     in your collection (e.g., Name, Email, Status).
   • For updates to existing records, include an ID or unique identifier column.
2. Initiate Import
   • Either go to Settings → Import / Export → Import → Records or open the collection’s ⋯ menu and pick Import (.csv).
3. Map Fields
   • Select your CSV file, then match each CSV column to a Kinabase field.
4. (Optionally) Only Update Existing Records
   • Check 'Only update existing records' and specify a key field.
   • Great for bulk updates without creating duplicates.
5. Click 'Next' to confirm.

• Activities: Logs of notes, emails, phone calls, or system updates.
• Tasks: Action items linked to records, with columns like Task Name, Description, or Due Date.

1. Open Import in Settings
   • Import → Activities or Import → Tasks.
2. Select the CSV
   • Drag-and-drop your file.
3. Map Required Columns
   • e.g., Linked Record, Activity Type, Created By for Activities.
   • e.g., Task Status, Due Date, Assignees for Tasks.
4. Review & Confirm
   • Click Next/Import to save changes.

Importing tasks from older systems helps maintain continuity for due dates, owners, and completion logs.

If you have a .kinabase file (exported from another Kinabase environment or provided by support):

1. Go to 'Import / Export'
   • Import → Data Structures.
2. Select File & Confirm
   • This creates a new collection or updates an existing one based on the structure in the .kinabase file.

1. Open 'Import / Export' in Settings.
2. Choose an Export Option
   • Everything: Creates a .zip with all records, tasks, activities, data structures.
   • Records / Activities / Tasks: Exports each item type to a .csv.
   • Data Structures: Creates .kinabase files for your collections.
   • Headers: Only exports the column headers as a .csv for template creation.
3. Save Locally
   • Name your file and store it in the desired location.

1. Go to Collection
   • Use the sidebar to pick the relevant collection.
2. Select '⋯' → 'Export (.csv)'
   • Name the file, pick where to save, and confirm.

When this is handy:
For quick backups or analysis in Excel/Google Sheets.

• Failed Import Prompt

  If any records can’t be imported, Kinabase prompts you to re-download a CSV containing only the problematic records.

• Include Errors Column

  Check the box Include Errors Column. This adds a column describing why each row failed (e.g., invalid field value).

• Example

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

• Solution

  Either fix the row (change 'Botswana' to an accepted value) or add a 'Botswana' record in your 'Countries' collection. Then re-import.

• Skip Duplicate Records

  In the Assign Fields window, select Skip Duplicate Records.
  This prevents reimporting lines that already succeeded on a previous attempt.

• Contact Support

  If problems persist, email support@kinabase.com or call (+44) 01223 626262.

• Check Permissions

  Ensure you have correct import permissions under **Settings → Users**.