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Settings → Data covers everything about getting data in and out of BillBasket safely — importing existing records, exporting to CSV, local and cloud backups, and (for larger setups) connecting an external database.

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Understanding the fields

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Import Data / Export Data

Import brings in products, customers, or other records from a spreadsheet — see Importing existing data. Export saves your products, customers, vendors, or invoices to CSV, handy for Excel or your accountant. Export is Windows-only.

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Local Backup & Restore

Take an encrypted backup of your store’s data to a local file, and restore from one if needed. See Backing up your data and Restoring from backup for the full guides.

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Cloud Backup

This is a paid add-on — until it’s active on your plan, this screen only explains what it does; once enabled, it shows real controls:
  • Backup now — takes an immediate encrypted backup to the cloud instead of waiting for the automatic schedule.
  • Last backup time / status — confirms at a glance whether your store’s data is currently backed up off your device.
  • Storage usage — how much of your plan’s cloud storage this store is using.
  • Backup history — a list of previous backups, each individually restorable or deletable.
Cloud Backup only appears fully functional once the add-on is active on your plan — without it, the screen is an explainer/upsell rather than a working backup control.

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External Database

An advanced, Windows desktop-only option for larger multi-counter setups — point BillBasket at an external PostgreSQL server instead of the default local encrypted SQLite file. A store must already be registered before this option is available, since the connection is saved per store.
  • Host / Port — the server’s address (hostname or IP) and port (defaults to 5432, Postgres’s standard port).
  • Database name — the specific database on that server to use.
  • Username / Password — credentials for connecting.
  • Use TLS — keep this on for any server not running on the same computer, so the connection is encrypted.
  • Test connection — you must successfully test the connection before either switch option below becomes available; editing any field after a successful test clears that “tested” state and requires testing again.
  • Copy data & switch — copies everything in your current store (customers, products, bills, stock, settings) to the server, verifies the copy matches, then reopens the store from there. Your local copy stays untouched as a backup. This is the recommended path for an existing store.
  • Switch to an empty database — an advanced alternative that starts the server database empty rather than copying existing data; only sensible for a brand-new store, since none of your current data appears there until a future migration tool copies it across.
  • Use local database (only shown once a store is on PostgreSQL) — reverts to the local encrypted file. Anything entered while on the PostgreSQL server is not copied back automatically.
Most shops won’t need External Database — it’s meant for setups that have outgrown a single local database across several counters. Only the desktop host connects to Postgres directly; any paired phone clients keep working over the network exactly as before.

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See it on your device

The Data section of Settings — Import Data, Export Data, Local Backup & Restore, Cloud Backup, and External database all grouped together, with Local Backup & Restore open showing its schedule and snapshot list.

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Try it: Bali Electronics

1

Export the product list

Vikram Bali wants to review his current stock in Excel, so on the Windows PC he opens Settings → Data → Export Data and exports his products to CSV.
2

Turn on Cloud Backup

He then opens Settings → Data → Cloud Backup and enables it, so his store’s data is backed up automatically to his BillBasket account. He checks back later to confirm the last backup time looks recent.