An export-connection audit asks a narrow question: does the chosen output preserve the fields needed to explain this collection? Official documentation can identify a route and its boundaries. A local inspection establishes what appeared in your output. Keep those observations separate and record the settings, period and representative case used.
Begin with the relationship you need
For quote to cash, the critical field might be an invoice-to-order reference. For project delivery, it might be the version reviewed. For support, it might be the ticket reference on replies. A generic export completed result cannot answer these questions. Write the expected relationship before opening the output.
Documentation audit: the boundary to carry forward
This table summarizes what to preserve in an account-level inspection. It is a documentation review, not a test of a live customer archive.
| System | Documented or research boundary | Next inspection question |
|---|---|---|
| Google Workspace | Organization archive separated by services | Do message/file references preserve the selected project link? |
| Microsoft 365 | Search scope and temporary export package | Do downloaded items match the intended locations and query? |
| Slack | Conversation scope and file references | Are threads and actual linked files available? |
| QuickBooks Online | Reports/lists and separate item routes | Which invoice, order and attachment groups are present? |
| Salesforce | CSV objects and selected file options | Do original IDs and required associations survive? |
| HubSpot | Current records versus property history | Which saved changes and source fields are present? |
| ServiceTitan | Account output and report scope to inspect | Are job, visit, note and invoice references available? |
| Procore | Selected tools, revisions and statuses | Does the chosen change trail survive archive settings? |
| AppFolio | Owner Portal scope differs from manager context | Which actual account view and output were inspected? |
Sources: Google · Microsoft · Slack Technologies (Salesforce) · Intuit · Salesforce · HubSpot · Procore Technologies, Inc. · Procore Technologies, Inc. · AppFolio, Inc.
Use a small, known case
Choose a case the team can identify in the source system. Record the expected identifiers and related objects, then inspect the local output. Keep the actual field names, representative values and any missing relationship. This is more reproducible than saying the export looks complete.
A fictional fixture can help test your own parsing or worksheet logic. Label it synthetic and keep it separate from a real account inspection. Passing a synthetic test establishes behavior on that fixture; it does not prove a vendor export preserves the same fields.
The audit record to save
Keep enough context for another person to repeat the observation. A screenshot can support the note, but the actual output fields and scope matter most.
- System, account context and relevant edition where known
- Output route, settings, filters and date
- Representative case and expected relationship
- Actual files or table fields observed
- Attachment contents versus references
- Revision/event/outcome links present or missing
- Documentation-only, synthetic test or account-inspection status
Turn a missing field into a specific decision
If the required ID is missing, inspect whether another official output retains it or narrow the collection description. If only current versions are available, describe current files. If an attachment is a link, record that and inspect the content separately. Do not repair the gap by silently inventing fields or joining ambiguous names.
Carry the result back into the inventory
Update the affected row with the inspected format, relationships and date range. Preserve unresolved questions for the buyer conversation. The audit’s purpose is a more accurate collection description; it does not certify eligibility or establish a licensing price.
Questions about this comparison
Does documentation prove what our account exports?
No. It describes a documented capability. Your settings, permissions and retained records need inspection.
Can a synthetic test prove vendor behavior?
No. It proves behavior only for the labelled fixture and tested process.
What if the expected relationship is missing?
Record the gap, inspect another relevant output if available or narrow the collection description. Do not invent the link.
Sources
- Export all your organization's data (Data Export tool)Google · Checked 2026-10-04
- Export search results in eDiscoveryMicrosoft · Checked 2026-10-04
- Export your workspace dataSlack Technologies (Salesforce) · Checked 2026-10-04
- Export your QuickBooks Online dataIntuit · Checked 2026-10-04
- Export Backup Data from SalesforceSalesforce · Checked 2026-10-06
- Export property historyHubSpot · Checked 2026-10-06
- Download a Project ArchiveProcore Technologies, Inc. · Checked 2026-10-06
- Configure Settings for Procore Tools in Project ArchivesProcore Technologies, Inc. · Checked 2026-10-06
- Owner Portal Help & FAQsAppFolio, Inc. · Checked 2026-10-06