First, why does data ownership matter?
Many CRMs restrict data export, making it difficult and costly to access your own records. With ProLine, you can back up your entire account at any time, ensuring you are never handcuffed by vendor restrictions. ProLine does not charge for one-off data exports, and you have complete control over when and how you back up your information.
Setting Up Data Backup in ProLine
Whitelist ProLine in Google Admin
This allows ProLine to securely access your Google Drive.
To whitelist ProLine in Google Drive:
Go to your Google workspace admin console (admin.google.com) logging in with your work account.
In the menu, go to: security, access and data control, API controls.
Select "manage third-party app access"
Select "configure new app".
Enter this code to search:
Select all orgs.
Select google drive permissions.
Save the settings.
Follow the whitelisting guide here if you are unfamiliar with this process.
Sign in to Google Drive
Ensure that you are logged into the correct Google account for synchronization.
Create a Shared Drive
Go to your Google Drive and create a new Shared Drive.
Be mindful of permissions; Share this drive with ONLY relevant team members who require access. Typically these are the same users within ProLine who have access to all the same information.
Organize Subfolders for Exported Data
Inside the shared drive, create three main subfolders:
Data Backup: Contains CSV Only exports of projects, contacts, and payments.
Project Files: Use this folder for backing up individual project files (quote documents, signed invoices, and project-related files). These will be in PDF and PNG.
Contact Files: Use this folder for backing up individual contact files.
This structure allows ProLine to automatically export data into the appropriate folder during backups.
Requesting a Backup
In ProLine, click on Request Backup to initiate the export.
Data will be exported overnight and appear in the shared drive the next day.
Folders are timestamped for easy reference.
Please note: The nightly backup process supports up to 50 projects per run, which means users enabling backups for the first time may experience a delay before all projects fully sync.
Managing Backup Files
ProLine organizes backup files in your Google Drive as follows:
Daily Backup Folders: Each backup request generates a new folder labeled with the date.
Contents of Backup Folders: Folders contain CSV files for projects, contacts, and payments.
Example:
A folder named "2025-01-15" will contain:
CSV files for project, contact, and payment data.
Scheduled Backups
If you require regular scheduled backups instead of one-time exports, ProLine allows you to switch from manual to scheduled backups directly within the platform.
Click on Scheduled Backups.
Choose whether to remain in manual mode or swap to scheduled, then click the blue button labeled Swap to Scheduled.
Click on the green letters Scheduled Backup. The prompt will instruct you to type CONFIRM and today’s date.
Select the backup frequency from the dropdown, choosing daily, weekly, fortnightly, or monthly.
This setup ensures your backups are automated according to your preferred schedule.
If you require additional support, reach out to ProLine support for assistance in setting this up.
Important Considerations
All exported files are in readable formats (CSV, PDF, images, etc.) and are not encrypted.
Make sure that only authorized team members have access to the shared drive.
Regularly check that the shared drive structure is maintained for seamless exports.