Import, Export, Migration, and Backups

20.1 Data Import

Creator supports data import via:

• CSV/Excel (.xlsx) file upload: Directly into forms; generates associated reports.
• Application IDE file import (.ds file): Imports the entire application schema and logic; used for migrating from cloud to on-premises or between accounts.
• Bulk Insert APIs (April 2026): Asynchronous API-based import for large volumes of records (see Section 12.3).

Note: Exporting a .ds file is not supported when a report displays data from 150 or more fields (Import Cloud App to On-Premises).

20.2 Data Export

• Record export: Users with export permissions can export report data as CSV or other supported formats.
• Application export: The Application IDE provides an "Export" button that downloads the .ds file containing the entire Deluge Script for the application.
• Asynchronous Data Export: The 2025 H2 Release Projection included asynchronous background processing for large data set exports, eliminating timeout issues for bulk data extraction.
• Audit trail export: Accessible from the Audit Trail console; exports as CSV.

20.3 Application Backup and Restore

Creator's Backup feature enables periodic or on-demand application backup (Understand Application Backup):

• One-time backup: Available on-demand.
• Scheduled backups: Automatic weekly backups (periodic).
• Backup format: ZIP file containing the .ds Deluge Script file and a set of .csv files with all form data.
• Restore: Restores both application structure (schema, workflows) and data from the chosen backup version.
• Limitation: Integration field data is not included in backup and restore.

Use cases: recovering from accidental schema changes, undoing recent updates, preserving a snapshot before major changes.