Your Data, Always in Your Hands
QuickEstimate stores your estimates, client records, and settings securely in the cloud — but having your own local backup is smart business practice. Whether you're switching devices, archiving a completed financial year, or simply want peace of mind, exporting your data takes just a few minutes.
This guide walks you through every export option available in QuickEstimate — from a full account backup to targeted exports of specific estimates or client lists — so you always have a copy of your data on hand.
How to Back Up Your Data
Work through these steps to export your QuickEstimate data. You can run a full account backup or target specific data types depending on what you need.
Open Data & Export Settings
All export and backup controls are located in your account settings. You don't need to export data job by job — a single full backup captures everything at once.
- Click your profile avatar or account name in the top navigation bar
- Select Account Settings from the dropdown menu
- Navigate to the Data & Export tab in the left sidebar
- You'll see three export options: Full Account Backup, Estimates Export, and Client List Export
Choose Your Export Format
QuickEstimate supports multiple export formats depending on what you plan to do with your data. Choose the format that best suits your workflow.
Complete account backup including all data types, PDFs, and settings in a single download.
Spreadsheet-friendly export of estimates and client records. Great for accounting software or reporting.
All your proposals and estimates exported as individual PDF files — ready to archive or share.
Machine-readable export for developers or for importing data into another system.
Run a Full Account Backup
A full account backup captures every piece of data associated with your QuickEstimate account in one download — the most thorough backup option available.
- Under Full Account Backup, click Generate Backup
- Select your preferred format — ZIP Archive is recommended for completeness
- QuickEstimate will compile your backup — this typically takes 10–60 seconds depending on account size
- Once ready, click Download Backup to save the file to your device
- Store the downloaded file in a safe location — an external drive, cloud storage, or both
| Data Type | Included | Format |
|---|---|---|
| All estimates (draft, sent, approved, archived) | ✓ Yes | JSON + PDF |
| Client records and contact details | ✓ Yes | JSON + CSV |
| Sent proposals and version history | ✓ Yes | |
| Account settings and preferences | ✓ Yes | JSON |
| Branding assets (logo, colours) | ✓ Yes | Image files |
| Terms & conditions templates | ✓ Yes | TXT + JSON |
| Team member list and roles | Pro & Business | CSV |
Export Your Estimates
If you only need your estimate data — without the full account backup — you can export estimates separately with flexible filtering options.
- Under Estimates Export, click Configure Export
- Filter by date range — choose a specific period or select All time
- Filter by status: All, Draft, Sent, Approved, Declined, or Archived
- Choose your export format: CSV, Excel (.xlsx), PDF Bundle, or JSON
- Click Export Estimates — your file will download automatically
Export Your Client List
Your client records can be exported independently — useful for updating your CRM, sending to your accountant, or keeping a standalone contact list outside of QuickEstimate.
- Under Client List Export, click Export Clients
- Choose CSV or Excel format — both include all client fields
- Optionally filter by clients with at least one estimate, or export all clients including leads
- Click Download to save the file
- Each row includes: name, company, email, phone, address, and total estimate value
Client exports do not include estimate details — only contact and summary data. For full estimate history per client, use the Estimates Export filtered by client name.
Store and Protect Your Backup
Downloading a backup is only half the job — storing it safely ensures it's actually useful if you ever need it.
- Save your backup to at least two separate locations — local drive and cloud storage
- Use a dedicated folder named clearly, e.g. QuickEstimate Backups / 2026-04
- If storing in cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive), ensure the folder has restricted sharing
- For maximum security, encrypt your backup archive before uploading to any cloud service
- Label each backup file with the export date so you can identify the most recent version quickly
- Delete backup files from your Downloads folder once safely stored — don't leave them sitting in an unmanaged location
We recommend running a full backup at least once per month, and always before making major changes to your account such as bulk-deleting estimates or updating team permissions.
Does QuickEstimate Back Up My Data Automatically?
Yes — QuickEstimate automatically backs up all account data on our secure servers. Here's what happens behind the scenes:
- Your data is replicated across multiple data centres in real time — no single point of failure
- Daily automated snapshots are retained for 30 days, allowing account-level restoration if needed
- All backups are encrypted at rest using AES-256 and in transit using TLS 1.3
- In the event of a platform-side issue, our team can restore account data — contact support with your account details
That said, platform backups protect against infrastructure failure — not against accidental deletion or user error. Your own local backup is the safeguard for those scenarios.
Tips for a Solid Backup Routine
A backup you ran six months ago is better than nothing — but a consistent routine ensures your data is always recoverable with minimal loss.
Back Up Monthly, Minimum
Set a recurring reminder — first Monday of each month — to run a full account backup. It takes under two minutes and could save hours of re-entry work.
Use the 3-2-1 Rule
Keep 3 copies of your data, on 2 different storage types, with 1 stored off-site. For example: local drive + Google Drive + an external hard disk at home.
Back Up Before Year-End
Before closing out a financial year, export a complete archive of all estimates and client records for that period. Store it with your other financial records.
Encrypt Before Uploading
If you upload backups to shared cloud storage, use a tool like 7-Zip or Cryptomator to encrypt the archive first. Client data should never be accessible to others.
Test Your Backup Occasionally
A backup that can't be opened is no backup at all. Once every few months, open your most recent export and verify the data looks correct and complete.
Back Up Before Bulk Deleting
Before archiving old jobs, removing clients, or pruning your estimates list, always run a fresh backup first. Deletions in QuickEstimate cannot be undone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, if you have a full ZIP backup in JSON format, QuickEstimate support can assist with a data restoration. This is intended for situations such as accidental mass deletion or account migration. Contact our support team with your backup file and account details — restoration is handled manually and may take up to 48 hours.
For most accounts, a full backup compiles in 10–60 seconds. Very large accounts with thousands of estimates and PDF attachments may take up to 3–5 minutes. The page will show a progress indicator while your backup is being prepared — don't close the tab until the download begins.
Yes. The Full ZIP Archive includes PDF copies of all sent proposals and estimates. The PDF Bundle export option gives you just the PDFs without the raw data files. Individual estimate PDFs can also be downloaded directly from the estimate detail page at any time.
By default, only the account owner and admins can access the Data & Export settings. Standard team members do not have export access. Account owners can review and adjust team permissions from the Team Settings page under Roles & Permissions.
Archived estimates are included in full backups and exports. Permanently deleted estimates — those removed from the Archived tab — are not recoverable and will not appear in exports. This is why we recommend backing up before any bulk deletion activity.
There is no limit on the number of exports you can run. You can generate a new backup as often as you like. On the free plan, full account backups are available once per 24 hours — targeted exports such as estimates and client lists have no frequency restriction on any plan.
Data Backed Up — What's Next?
Your estimates and client records are safely exported. Explore more ways to keep your account secure.