Data portability: what to ask before you sign up

Before you commit to business software, ask how you get your data out: which records export, in what format, whether files and history come too, how long you have after canceling, and whether a full export costs extra. Clear answers keep switching a real choice.

Data portability sounds like a concern for the day you leave. In practice it shapes the whole relationship. A vendor that makes your data easy to take is a vendor that has to keep earning your business, and an export you trust also doubles as an extra copy for your own records.

The questions to ask

Question	What a good answer sounds like
Which records can I export?	A list of every record type, including customers, invoices, payments and projects, not just contacts
In which formats?	At least one open format, such as CSV, with column names that make sense outside the product
Do links between records survive?	Each row carries an identifier, so invoices can be matched to customers and lines to invoices after export
What about files and history?	A clear statement of whether attachments, PDFs and change history are included, and how to get them if not
How long after canceling?	A stated window to download everything, and what happens to the data after it
Does a full export cost extra?	A plain yes or no, and on which plans

Test it before you need it

The time to check an export is during a trial, not on your last day. A short trial run settles questions that a sales call cannot.

1. Add realistic data. A few customers with addresses and contacts, some invoices with several lines, a payment against one of them.
2. Export everything you can. Note which record types are missing from the export options.
3. Open the files in a spreadsheet. Check that dates, amounts, accented names and long notes come through intact.
4. Rebuild one relationship. Can you tell which invoice lines belong to which invoice, and which invoice belongs to which customer?
5. Look for what is not there. Attachments, sent PDFs, comments and history are often handled separately, if at all.

Formats, briefly

• CSV. Opens almost anywhere and imports into many business tools. One file per record type, so you need identifiers to reconnect them.
• XLSX. Handy for people, with several sheets in one file. Watch for formatting that changes values, such as dates or long numbers.
• JSON or an API. Keeps structure and links between records. Better for a developer moving data in bulk than for someone opening a file.
• PDF. Good for archiving documents as they were sent, but not for moving data into another system.

What the law says, in brief

In the EU, the GDPR gives people a right to data portability: to receive personal data they provided in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format, and to have it passed to another provider where that is technically feasible. It applies when the processing is based on consent or on an agreement and is carried out by automated means. It is about personal data on individuals, so it does not cover all of a company's business records.

For businesses, the EU Data Act adds rules on switching between cloud and other data processing services, applying from September 2025. Among other things, it sets out how customers can move their data to another provider and limits what providers may charge for switching, with those charges being phased out. How it applies to a particular service depends on the details, so treat it as a reason to ask questions, not as a promise that every export is free and complete. Outside the EU, rules vary by country and are often lighter, which makes the questions above more important, not less.

Red flags

• Exports that need a support ticket, or a higher plan than the one you are buying.
• Exports in a format that the vendor's own product can read and nothing else can.
• No stated period to download your data after you cancel.
• Vague answers about attachments, documents or history.

For the full picture of moving between tools, the checklist for switching business software covers planning and timing, and what switching software really costs puts a number on the effort. When the time comes, see how to export your business data. If where your data is kept matters as much as how you get it back, read where business data is stored and why it matters and the GDPR questions to ask a software vendor.

Frequently asked questions

What is data portability under the GDPR?

It is a right for individuals in the EU to receive the personal data they gave a company in a structured, machine-readable format, and to have it moved to another provider where technically feasible. It applies to processing based on consent or an agreement and carried out by automated means.

Is a CSV export enough to switch software?

Often it is a good start, as long as each file carries identifiers that connect records to each other. Plan separately for attachments, sent documents and history, which CSV files rarely include.

Can a vendor charge me for exporting my data?

It depends on where you are and what you agreed. In the EU, the Data Act limits switching charges for cloud and other data processing services. Ask the vendor directly, and get the answer in writing before you sign up.

How long do vendors keep data after you cancel?

It varies widely, from days to months. Ask for the exact window, download everything before it ends, and check the export opens before you close the account.