Exporting and Syncing Your Data: Keep Your Information Portable

Your productivity data is valuable, and you should have complete control over it. This guide covers everything you need to know about exporting your data, syncing across devices, and ensuring your information remains accessible and portable.

Data Ownership Philosophy

Your Data, Your Control

We believe your productivity data belongs to you. That's why we provide:

Complete export capabilities: Download everything in standard formats
Real-time sync: Access your data across all devices
No vendor lock-in: Open formats that work with other tools
Privacy-first approach: Local-first with optional cloud sync

Export Options

Full Data Export

Export everything at once for complete backups:

Go to Settings > Data & Privacy
Click Export All Data
Choose your format:
- JSON: Complete data with full metadata
- CSV: Spreadsheet-compatible task lists
- Markdown: Human-readable text format
- PDF: Formatted reports and summaries

Selective Exports

Export specific data sets:

Projects only: Individual project exports
Time range: Data from specific date ranges
Completed tasks: Archive of finished work
Contexts and tags: Organizational structure

Export Formats Explained

JSON Format

{
  "tasks": [
    {
      "id": "task_123",
      "title": "Review quarterly reports",
      "project": "Q1 Planning",
      "context": "@Computer",
      "created": "2025-01-01T10:00:00Z",
      "due": "2025-01-15T17:00:00Z",
      "completed": false,
      "priority": "high"
    }
  ],
  "projects": [...],
  "contexts": [...]
}

CSV Format

Perfect for Excel or Google Sheets:

Each task becomes a row
All metadata in columns
Easy to filter and analyze
Compatible with most productivity tools

Markdown Format

Human-readable and version-control friendly:

# Project: Q1 Planning

## High Priority
- [ ] Review quarterly reports (due: 2025-01-15) @Computer
- [x] Schedule team meeting (completed: 2025-01-02) @Phone

## Normal Priority
- [ ] Update project documentation @Computer

Sync Across Devices

Device Compatibility

Your data syncs across:

Web browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge
Mobile apps: iOS and Android
Desktop apps: Windows, macOS, Linux
Smart watches: Apple Watch, Wear OS (view-only)

Sync Configuration

Automatic Sync (Recommended)

Enable in Settings > Sync & Backup
Choose sync frequency:
- Real-time: Instant updates (requires good internet)
- Every 5 minutes: Balance of speed and battery
- Manual only: Full control over when sync happens

Selective Sync

Choose what syncs to which devices:

Mobile: Essential tasks and today's schedule
Desktop: Complete data including archives
Work computer: Work projects only
Personal devices: Personal projects only

Conflict Resolution

When the same item is edited on multiple devices:

Automatic merge: Simple changes are merged automatically
Manual resolution: Complex conflicts prompt for user decision
Version history: See all changes and choose preferred version

Backup Strategies

Automated Backups

Set up automatic backups for peace of mind:

Daily exports: Automatic JSON exports to cloud storage
Weekly summaries: Progress reports and analytics
Monthly archives: Compressed historical data

Manual Backup Best Practices

Export monthly: Regular full exports
Version control: Use meaningful filenames with dates
Multiple locations: Store in different cloud services
Test restores: Occasionally verify your backups work

Cloud Storage Integration

Automatically save exports to:

Google Drive: Organized in dedicated folders
Dropbox: Versioned backup files
OneDrive: Integrated with Office workflows
iCloud: Seamless Apple ecosystem backup

Data Migration

Importing from Other Tools

From Todo Applications

Todoist: Direct import with projects and labels
Things 3: Import via JSON export
OmniFocus: Project and context preservation
Any.do: Basic task import

From Project Management Tools

Asana: Project structure and team assignments
Trello: Cards become tasks, lists become projects
Monday.com: Complete workflow migration
ClickUp: Hierarchical project import

From Spreadsheets

Import from Excel or Google Sheets:

Prepare your spreadsheet with columns:
- Task title
- Project
- Context
- Due date
- Priority
Export as CSV
Use Import > From CSV in settings

Migration Best Practices

Clean before import: Remove completed/irrelevant tasks
Standardize naming: Consistent project and context names
Import in batches: Start with active projects
Verify imports: Check that data imported correctly

Data Privacy & Security

Encryption

In transit: All data encrypted with TLS 1.3
At rest: AES-256 encryption for stored data
Local storage: Device data encrypted with platform standards

Privacy Controls

Anonymous mode: Use without creating an account
Local-only option: Store data exclusively on your device
Selective cloud sync: Choose what goes to the cloud
Regular audits: View all data access logs

Compliance

We comply with:

GDPR: European data protection standards
CCPA: California privacy rights
SOC 2: Security and availability standards

Advanced Sync Features

API Access

For power users and developers:

REST API: Programmatic access to your data
Webhooks: Real-time notifications of changes
Custom integrations: Build your own sync solutions

Automation

Automate your data management:

Scheduled exports: Regular backups to your preferred location
Sync triggers: Sync when specific events occur
Data cleanup: Automatically archive old completed tasks

Troubleshooting Sync Issues

Common Problems and Solutions

Sync Stopped Working

Check internet connection
Sign out and back in
Clear app cache
Update to latest version

Missing Data

Check sync timestamp in settings
Force manual sync
Look in trash/archive
Restore from backup if needed

Duplicate Items

Use built-in duplicate detection
Merge similar items manually
Adjust sync settings to prevent future duplicates

Slow Sync

Reduce sync frequency
Use selective sync
Archive old data
Check network speed

Getting Help

Self-Service Resources

Sync status page: Real-time service information
Data logs: View sync activity and errors
Recovery tools: Built-in data recovery options

Support Options

Help documentation: Detailed guides and tutorials
Community forum: User discussions and tips
Email support: Direct assistance for complex issues
Live chat: Real-time help during business hours

Your data is the foundation of your productivity system. With proper export, sync, and backup strategies, you can work confidently knowing your information is safe, accessible, and truly yours.

Need to migrate from another tool? Our support team can help with complex data migrations.