Welcome to the "Export" phase of FETE! This is the crucial final step where all your hard work in finding, enriching, and transforming data finally gets put to work.

Export is the bridge between your Clay workflows and your operational tools—whether that's your CRM, email sequencing platform, Google Sheets, or any other system where you'll take action on your data.

In this lesson, we'll cover the different export options available in Clay and help you understand when to use each method. Then, we'll focus specifically on CSV export as your universal data transfer tool since that works with virtually any system.

🔄 Different Export Methods for Different Use Cases

Clay offers different export methods for different use cases. You can export static files like CSVs for one-time transfers, or use real-time integrations that keep your data synchronized automatically.

So when do you export vs. when do you push data?

Here's how we think about it:

CSV exports are perfect for one-time transfers, analysis, or backup purposes.

Real-time integrations work better when you need ongoing synchronization between Clay and your other tools.

Planning your export strategy should be based on your downstream needs. The three questions you should ask yourself are:

• Will this data change frequently?
• Do I need real-time updates?
• Who else needs access to this information?

🌐 Universal Compatibility with CSV Export

CSV export is essential because it provides universal compatibility. Nearly every business tool can import CSV files. It's also perfect for creating backups of your work and for detailed analysis in spreadsheet applications.

Here's the step-by-step CSV export process:

• Navigate to the 'Actions' menu in your Clay table and look for the 'Export' modal. Click the 'Download CSV' button to initiate the export process.
• Once you initiate the export, you'll see a processing notification. The time it takes to complete depends on the size of your dataset, but your file will be available in your downloads folder soon.
• For those who frequently export data, you can access your export history in the 'Available Exports' section. This feature is particularly useful for tracking and managing multiple exports over time.

After exporting, you can easily import your Clay data into other tools like Google Sheets or Excel. Simply upload the CSV to your preferred application, and your Clay data is ready for further manipulation or analysis in a familiar format.

🎯 Creating Clean Export Views

To create cleaner, more focused exports, I recommend creating dedicated "Export Views" in Clay.

Here's how:

Duplicate your current view, then hide or delete columns you don't need in the export. Focus on including only the raw values that matter for your specific use case.

It's important to understand what exports include versus exclude. Object fields like import context from HubSpot won't display raw data values in the CSV. Integration fields showing "run condition not met" in Clay will appear blank in the export.

This approach ensures that your exported CSV contains only the essential data, making it easier to work with in other applications.

For example, you might want to exclude intermediate columns for email validation, creator update information, and other non-essential data. By hiding these columns in your export view, you create a streamlined dataset that's ready for immediate use.

🏁 Conclusion

That's a wrap on CSV export and understanding your export options in Clay!

You now know the most universal way to get your data out of Clay and into the systems where it can create value.

CSV export provides the flexibility to work with your data anywhere, while direct integrations offer real-time synchronization for ongoing workflows.

In our next lessons, we'll dive into specific integrations with Google Sheets and CRM systems, showing you how to set up automated data flows that keep your systems synchronized.

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