---
title: Exports
summary: 'A background job that produces a downloadable file (CSV / XLSX / XLS) from a slice of your system data. The Exports page is the history and download panel for every export run.'
section: features
tags:
  - crud
  - telephony
  - background-jobs
  - bulk-operations
updated: '2026-06-17'
---

> An **export** is a background job that produces a downloadable file (CSV, XLSX, or XLS) from a slice of your system data. You request it from an entity's page, the platform queues a job, and a few minutes later the file is ready to download.

## Overview

An export is started from the entity's own page (*Users -> Export*, *Contacts -> Export*) where you apply filters and choose columns and format. The Exports page is where you check status, download finished files, and delete old exports. A banner shows the retention window: completed files are kept on disk for a fixed number of days, then purged automatically. The row remains as a record, but the file is gone.

## What it does

A worker runs the query and writes the file in the background, so you do not need to keep the page open while it runs.

| Column | What it shows |
|---|---|
| **Owner** | The user who requested the export. |
| **Model** | What was exported (Users, Contacts, or other entities that support export). |
| **Status** | Pending, Processing, Completed, or Failed. |
| **Duration** | How long the export took, in seconds. |
| **Created at** | When the export was requested. |
| **Started at** | When the background job picked it up. |
| **Completed at** | When the file was written and made downloadable. |

> [!IMPORTANT]
> Exports are point-in-time snapshots. The file reflects the state when the worker ran the query, not when you click Download. Re-export if you need current data.

> [!CAUTION]
> An export may contain personal data (names, phone numbers, emails). Treat the *DownloadExports* permission as sensitive.

## See also

- [Imports](imports.md) - the inbound companion.
- [Users](users.md), [Contacts](contacts.md) - the most commonly exported entities.
- [Events](events.md) - the operational log where export job lifecycle is also recorded.

```yaml fields
owner:
  label: User
  tab: General
  hint: 'The user who requested the export.'
resource_type:
  label: 'Resource type'
  tab: General
  hint: 'The type of data that was exported, for example users or contacts.'
status:
  label: Status
  tab: General
  hint: 'The current state of the export.'
  values:
    -
      value: pending
      label: Pending
      text: 'Job queued, waiting for a worker.'
    -
      value: processing
      label: Processing
      text: 'Worker is running the query and writing the file.'
    -
      value: completed
      label: Completed
      text: 'File is ready. The Download button appears on the row.'
    -
      value: failed
      label: Failed
      text: 'Job aborted. Check the Events feed for the reason.'
duration:
  label: Duration
  tab: General
  hint: 'How long the export took to finish, in seconds. Only shown after the export completes.'
created_at:
  label: 'Created at'
  tab: General
  hint: 'When the export was requested.'
started_at:
  label: 'Started at'
  tab: General
  hint: 'When background processing began.'
completed_at:
  label: 'Completed at'
  tab: General
  hint: 'When the export finished processing.'
```