Exporting Your Data
This article covers every way to get data out of Stimaro — report PDFs, spreadsheet exports, project backups, and RFQ files.
Quick reference
| What you want to export | Format | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| Full project backup | .cli archive | Settings → Data Management → Backup & Restore |
| PDF reports | Reports tab → select template → Export PDF | |
| Bid sheet data | PDF / CSV / XLSX | Reports tab → Bid Snapshot |
| Rate tables | PDF / CSV / XLSX | Reports tab → Rate Table |
| Item resource detail | PDF / CSV / XLSX | Reports tab → Item Detail |
| Cost summary by category | PDF / CSV / XLSX | Reports tab → Cost Summary |
| Estimate-to-accounting handoff | CSV / XLSX | Reports tab → Budget Export |
| RFQ for a vendor | .xlsx | RFQ tab → Generate Excel |
| Davis-Bacon compliance report | Analyze tab → Wages & Compliance → Export Report |
Project backup
To make a complete copy of a project — to move it to another machine, archive it after award, or keep a copy outside the app — use the backup feature. A backup captures everything: rate tables, item sheets, bid data, RFQs, vendor quotes, Takeoff marks, report history, and attached documents, all in a single .cli archive file that can be restored into any copy of Stimaro.
To create a backup: open the project, go to Settings → Data Management → Backup & Restore, click the folder icon to choose where to save, optionally encrypt it with a password, and run the backup. The file saves as <ProjectName>_<date>.cli.
Automatic backups run periodically in the background while a project is open; the Data Management screen shows when the last one ran.
To restore: go to Settings → Data Management → Backup & Restore, point to the archive in the Restore section, and confirm (you'll be prompted for the password if it was encrypted).
About the .cli format: A .cli file is a Stimaro archive — it restores into Stimaro on any machine, which makes it ideal for backups and moving projects between computers. It isn't readable by other software, though. If you need your data in a form you can open outside Stimaro, use the spreadsheet exports below.
PDF reports
Every template in the Reports tab can export as a formatted PDF. Select the template, configure its options in the inspector (recipient, prepared-by, any filters), and click Export PDF. See Report types and when to use them for what each template contains.
Spreadsheet exports (CSV and XLSX)
Several templates also export as CSV or XLSX, for importing into accounting systems or analyzing in Excel. Those templates show PDF, CSV, and XLSX toggles in the Export section:
| Template | What the spreadsheet contains |
|---|---|
| Bid Snapshot | Every bid row with item number, description, quantity, unit, unit cost, bid unit, total, markup %, and status |
| Rate Table | One rate category (choose which before exporting) |
| Item Detail | The full resource breakdown for one selected item |
| Cost Summary | Direct cost by category with shares, plus the markup-layer breakdown |
| Budget Export | Costs mapped to cost codes — a per-code rollup and a per-item budget sheet, for handoff to job cost accounting |
To export, select the template, click CSV or XLSX, set any options, click the export button, and choose where to save.
Multi-report packages
To combine templates into one paginated PDF, use the + Package button on the Reports tab. See Customizing report output for the full Package Builder workflow.
RFQ Excel export
To send an RFQ to a vendor, export it as an Excel workbook the vendor fills in and returns. On the RFQ tab, click Generate Excel on the RFQ row to save the file, or Generate & Send on a draft to generate it and mark the RFQ sent in one step. The workbook includes your header, the vendor name, the due date, your notes, and a line-item table with blank columns for the vendor's unit price, total, and lead time.
Davis-Bacon compliance report
On the Analyze tab, the Wages & Compliance panel compares your labor rates against federal Davis-Bacon minimums. Once rates are matched, click Export Report to save the comparison as a PDF, including the project name, jurisdiction, rates checked, compliance summary, and full table.
Exporting your data when you're leaving Stimaro
If you're ending your subscription and want to take your work with you, you have two complementary options:
- For a complete, restorable copy: use
Settings → Data Management → Backup & Restoreto create a .cli backup of each project. This preserves everything and can be restored if you return. - For data you can open elsewhere: use the spreadsheet exports — Rate Table and Bid Snapshot (CSV or XLSX) give you your rates and bid data in a format any spreadsheet program can read.
You can export at any time while your account is active. If you've cancelled, your data remains available to export during the retention period described in your subscription terms.