How to Export Contacts from Pipeliner

Managing your CRM data is crucial for any successful business. Whether you're backing up your valuable contacts, migrating to a new system, or running in-depth analysis, knowing how to export your data from Pipeliner is a fundamental skill. In this guide, we'll walk you through the complete, step-by-step process for exporting contacts from Pipeliner. We'll also show you a modern approach to building and refreshing your contact lists with verified, up-to-date information, ensuring your outreach is always on point.

Why Export Contacts from Pipeliner?

There are many strategic reasons why you might need to export your contacts from Pipeliner. At Add to CRM, we see businesses do this for a variety of purposes, including:

• Data Backup: Creating regular offline copies of your contact database for security and peace of mind.
• CRM Migration: Moving your data smoothly from Pipeliner to another system.
• In-depth Analysis: Using tools like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets to perform advanced analysis and generate custom reports.
• Data Sharing: Providing specific lists to team members, departments, or external partners without granting them full CRM access.
• Compliance and Auditing: Fulfilling data requests for regulatory purposes like GDPR or CCPA.

Before You Export: Important Considerations

Before you click the export button, there are a few key things to keep in mind to ensure the process is smooth and secure.

Data Privacy and Compliance

Remember that your contact data is sensitive. Once exported, the file is no longer protected by Pipeliner's security measures. You are responsible for handling it in compliance with data privacy laws like GDPR and CCPA. Always store exported files in a secure location and only share them with authorized personnel.

What Data Gets Exported

Pipeliner allows you to export all standard and custom fields associated with your contacts. However, a direct export from the main Contacts list won't automatically include detailed information from linked records like Accounts or Opportunities. We'll cover a pro-tip later on how to create a comprehensive export with all the data you need.

Export Limitations

When exporting directly from the list view of Accounts, Contacts, or Leads, Pipeliner has a limit of 20 fields per export. If you need to export more than 20 columns of data, you'll need to use the Reports feature, which we highly recommend for its flexibility and power.

Step-by-Step Export Process

Exporting from Pipeliner is straightforward. Here’s how to do it.

Preparing for Export

For the cleanest export, we recommend preparing your list first. Use Pipeliner's Power Panel to apply filters and narrow down your list to only the contacts you need. This is also a good time to decide which data fields (columns) are essential for your export.

Exporting Contacts from Pipeliner

Here is the standard process for exporting your contacts:

1. Navigate to the Contacts section in the Pipeliner navigation bar.
2. Switch to the List View to see your contacts in a spreadsheet-style layout.
3. Use the column selector icon in the upper-right corner to check the boxes for the fields you want to include in your export (remember the 20-field limit).
4. Select the contacts you wish to export. You can tick the master checkbox in the top-left corner to select all records in your current filtered view, or select them individually.
5. Click the Export button located at the top of the list.
6. Choose your desired file format and confirm the export. The file will be saved to your computer's downloads folder.

Export Format Options

Pipeliner gives you two primary format options:

• CSV (Comma Separated Values): This is a universal, plain-text format. It's the best choice if you plan to import your data into another application or system.
• Excel (XLSX): This is a standard Microsoft Excel spreadsheet file. It's the ideal choice if you plan to analyze the data, create charts, or manipulate it directly within Excel.

Working with Exported Data

Once you have your file, here are a few tips for working with it.

Understanding Your Export File

Your exported file will contain the columns and records you selected. You can open it in any spreadsheet software like Excel, Google Sheets, or Numbers. The column headers will match the field names in Pipeliner.

Data Cleaning and Validation

It's always a good practice to scan your exported file for any inconsistencies, missing information, or formatting errors before using it for its intended purpose, especially if you're migrating it to a new system.

Common Issues and Solutions

The most common issue users face is incomplete data due to the 20-field limit on direct exports. If you find that you're missing key information, the solution is simple: use Pipeliner's Reports feature for your export instead.

Alternative Export Methods

The best and most powerful way to export comprehensive data from Pipeliner is by using the Reports feature. By creating a report, you can bypass the 20-field limit and, more importantly, include fields from related records. For example, you can create a Contact report that also includes the Account's industry, address, and owner.

For more technical use cases, Pipeliner also offers an API that allows developers to extract data programmatically.

Building Fresh Contact Databases with LinkLiner

Exporting is great for managing the data you already have, but what about growing your business? For prospecting and lead generation, you need fresh, accurate contact information. An exported list is a snapshot in time, and data gets stale quickly. This is where a tool like our Chrome extension, LinkLiner, becomes essential. It helps you build new contact lists with verified data directly from LinkedIn.

Why Fresh Data Beats Exported Data

Contact data decays at a rapid rate—people change jobs, get new email addresses, and switch phone numbers. An exported list from six months ago is likely full of outdated information. Fresh data, sourced in real-time from professional networks, ensures your sales team is working with the most current information possible, leading to higher connect rates and more meaningful conversations.

How LinkLiner Complements Your Export Strategy

LinkLiner is a Chrome extension that finds verified contact information from LinkedIn profiles and adds them directly to Pipeliner. While you might export your entire database for a backup, you can use LinkLiner daily to enrich existing contacts with updated details or add new, high-quality leads to your pipeline without any tedious data entry. It's the perfect partner to your data management strategy, ensuring your CRM is always up-to-date.

Best Practices for Contact Data Management

Regular Export Schedules

We recommend performing a full export of your Pipeliner data for backup purposes on a monthly or quarterly basis.

Data Security and Storage

Always store exported files in a secure, access-controlled location, such as an encrypted folder or a secure cloud drive, to protect sensitive personal information.

Keeping Data Current

Don't let your CRM become a graveyard of old data. Use tools like LinkLiner to continuously add fresh prospects and verify information, keeping your database valuable and actionable.

Common Export Use Cases

CRM Migration

Use a full export from the Reports feature to gather all your data in one place before migrating to a new CRM system.

Data Analysis and Reporting

Export your data to CSV or Excel to use it with powerful business intelligence (BI) tools or to create custom pivot tables and charts.

Team Distribution

Export a filtered list of contacts to share with a team member who may not have access to Pipeliner, such as for a targeted marketing campaign.

Compliance and Auditing

Use exports to provide specific data sets required for internal audits or to comply with external regulatory requests.

Building Your Next Contact Database

While exporting old contacts has its place, building your next sales campaign on that data can be inefficient. The modern, effective way to build a contact database is by sourcing it directly from where your prospects are active. LinkLiner allows you to do just that, pulling fresh, verified data from LinkedIn profiles and adding it to Pipeliner in a single click.

Getting Started with LinkLiner

It takes just a few minutes to get started:

1. Install the extension: Get LinkLiner from the Chrome Web Store and connect it to your Pipeliner account.
2. Navigate to LinkedIn: Go to the profile of a prospect you want to add to your CRM.
3. Add to Pipeliner: Click the LinkLiner button to find verified contact information and add the person as a new contact or lead in Pipeliner instantly.

LinkLiner vs Traditional Data Sources

Purchased lists are notoriously inaccurate, and exported lists are only as good as the last time they were updated. LinkLiner provides data that is both fresh and verified, sourced directly from professional profiles. This means higher accuracy, fewer bounced emails, and more time spent selling.

Conclusion

Exporting contacts from Pipeliner is a straightforward process, especially when you leverage the powerful Reports feature to get all the data you need. However, effective data management isn't just about backups; it's about maintaining a current, high-quality database that empowers your sales team.

By combining smart export practices with a modern prospecting tool like LinkLiner, you can ensure your Pipeliner CRM is always a source of truth and a driver of revenue. Ready to stop wasting time on manual data entry and start building a powerful contact list? Try LinkLiner for free today!