How to Export Your Data from Act! CRM (and Import into Zoho)

Certified Computer Solutions (www.ccsfl.com) is excited to announce our Act! CRM Data Export Service—designed to make migrating your customer data easier than you think.

Many Act! users discover they can quickly export contacts into Excel. But when it comes time to move all their data—notes, histories, tasks, meetings, opportunities, attachments—the process isn’t so simple. Here’s how to do it right.

Step 1: Export Basic Data

Exporting contacts, companies, or groups is straightforward:

• In Act! CRM, go to File > Data Exchange > Export (or File > Export in Act! Premium/Pro).  If you have an ACT sync database you can also export from there.
• Choose Text Delimited (.txt) format.
• Select the record type (Contacts, Companies, Groups).
• Pick the fields you want (name, address, phone, email).
• Save the file to your computer.

Step 2: Export Other Data Types

What about notes, histories, tasks, meetings, and opportunities?

• Act! doesn’t provide a direct export option for these.
• Certified Computer Solutions can help extract every last drop of your Act! data, including notes and histories.
• We provide separate CSV files for each data type, complete with unique identifiers so you can link contacts to their related notes, histories, and activities.

Step 3: Convert Files for Migration

Most modern CRMs (Zoho, Salesforce, HubSpot) require CSV format.

• If your export is in Act!’s .BAK format, it must be converted to CSV.
• We handle this conversion for you, ensuring compatibility with your new CRM.

Step 4: Validate Your Data

Before importing:

• Open CSV files in Excel to check formatting.
• Confirm field names match your target CRM’s requirements.
• Clean duplicates and incomplete records.

Step 5: Import into Zoho CRM or another CRM

For Zoho CRM, the process looks like this:

1. Prepare Your Data – Save as CSV/XLS, clean duplicates, align fields.
2. Choose the Right Module – Leads, Contacts, Accounts, Deals (each requires its own file).
3. Use the Import Tool – Navigate to Setup > Data Administration > Import.
4. Map Fields – Match your file’s columns to Zoho’s fields (e.g., “Phone” → “Phone”).
5. Handle Duplicates – Set rules (skip, overwrite, or clone).
6. Run a Test Import – Import a small batch first.
7. Full Import – Once validated, import everything. Zoho will confirm completion.

Special Case: Attachments

Migrating attachments requires extra care:

• Most reside in the Attachments folder of your database.
• Dragging them manually works for a few files, but not for hundreds or thousands of attachments, this isn't realistic.
• Attachments must be moved in a way that preserves their unique identifiers.
• Our export includes the saved path location for all attachments, so you can realign them in your new CRM.

Why Work with Certified Computer Solutions?

• We provide separate, structured CSV files for contacts, notes, histories, opportunities, and more.
• Each file includes unique identifiers to keep relationships intact.
• We help evaluate your system structure—removing unused fields and cleaning dropdown lists.
• If you’re moving to Zoho, we make importing seamless and can even handle the full migration for you.

Final Thoughts

Exporting contacts to Excel is only the beginning. To truly migrate your Act! CRM data, you need a complete export strategy that captures all records, attachments, and relationships. Certified Computer Solutions ensures your data arrives safely and cleanly in Zoho CRM—or any other CRM you choose.

👉 Ready to migrate? Visit www.ccsfl.com to learn more about our Act! CRM export and migration services.  Contact us here https://www.ccsfl.com/contact