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Guide

Export data

How to export your clients, time entries, invoices, and PDF archive from Peil.

Exporting from the app

Go to Settings → Export. From there you can export each data type individually or download everything at once in a single ZIP.

Available exports

Clients

Name, contact details, and creation date. Available as CSV or JSON.

Time entries

Date, hours logged, hourly rate, client, project, and invoice number (if billed). Available as CSV or JSON. This is the most useful export for reconciling with your accountant — it gives a complete picture of every hour worked and at what rate.

Invoices

Invoice number, amount excl. VAT, amount incl. VAT, VAT amount, status, client, and invoice date. Available as CSV or JSON.

PDF archive

All your invoice PDFs in a single ZIP file. Each PDF is named with the invoice number for easy reference. This is the primary export for your records and for your accountant.

Full export

All of the above in one ZIP: clients CSV/JSON, time entries CSV/JSON, invoices CSV/JSON, and all invoice PDFs. Use this for a complete backup or when onboarding a new accountant.

CSV encoding

CSV files are exported as UTF-8 with BOM. This ensures correct character rendering when you open the file directly in Microsoft Excel — without the BOM, Excel often misreads characters like accented letters or the euro symbol.

Using exports with accounting software

CSV files open directly in Excel or Google Sheets. For most Dutch accounting packages — Moneybird, e-Boekhouden, Exact Online, and similar — you'll use Peil's exports as a starting point rather than a direct import, since each package has its own import format.

The most useful workflow: share the PDF archive with your accountant as the authoritative invoice record, and share the invoices CSV as a structured summary they can use to cross-check totals or map entries into their system.

Via the API

All export functionality is also available programmatically via the Peil API. See the API reference for full endpoint documentation. Authentication uses a Bearer token — create an API key in Settings → Developer settings.

Record-keeping requirements

Dutch law requires you to retain invoices and financial records for 7 years (bewaartermijn). Peil stores your data while your account is active, but you should export your PDF archive regularly and store it in at least one external location — your accountant's system, a cloud drive, or a local backup.

A good habit: export your full archive at the end of each financial year and store it alongside your tax return documents.