How to switch from Pipedrive to Nanobox (cloud or self-hosted)
Pipedrive is one of the easier CRMs to leave because its data model is simple: People, Organizations, Deals, plus Activities and Notes. A global admin runs the export from the More menu, picks CSV per data type, and you're most of the way there. The catch is that there's no single 'export everything' button. You pull each data type separately, and activities, notes, and files attached to deals come out as their own exports. Plan for a methodical afternoon. Where it lands is Nanobox: Nanobox Cloud at a flat $29/mo (or $290/yr) with unlimited users if you want us to host it, or a self-hosted license from $399 if you'd rather run it yourself — either way, no per-seat pricing waiting on the other side.
What comes over from Pipedrive
Everything below exports as CSV and imports straight into Spodus CRM. No rebuild, no re-keying.
- People: Pipedrive contacts with name, email, phone, and custom fields map to contacts in Nanobox
- Organizations: company records carry across with address, label, and custom fields intact
- Deals: your pipeline, including value, stage, expected close date, and owner, becomes Nanobox pipeline records
- Activities: calls, meetings, and tasks export separately and can be re-attached to the right records
- Notes: exported as their own data type and linked back to the deals or contacts they belong to
- Custom fields: every custom field you added in Pipedrive becomes a CSV column you map to a Nanobox field
How the move works
Export each data type as a global admin
Only a full (global) admin can run the complete export. Click the "..." (More) menu and choose "Export data." Pipedrive lets you export six data types (Deals, Organizations, People, Products, Notes, and Activities), and there's no single button for all of them, so you'll run the export once per type you need.
Choose CSV and export People, Organizations, and Deals
For each data type, select CSV as the format and export. Start with the three that matter most, People, Organizations, and Deals, then add Notes and Activities. Each download is a separate CSV file; keep them named clearly so you don't mix them up during mapping.
Optionally export filtered list views
If you only want a slice (say, deals from one pipeline or active organizations) open the relevant list view, apply a filter, and export just those records. This is handy for leaving dead data behind instead of carrying years of lost deals into your new CRM.
Map columns and keep the linking IDs
Pipedrive CSVs are reasonably clean, but you still decide which column maps to which Nanobox field and drop the ones you don't need. Keep the Pipedrive person and organization IDs as columns so you can re-link deals, notes, and activities to the right records after import.
Import organizations, people, then deals
Import in dependency order: organizations as companies first, then people linked to them, then deals pointing at the right organization and person. Nanobox imports CSV directly, whether into Nanobox Cloud or a self-hosted instance, so a botched import is just a re-run, not a support ticket.
Reattach activities and notes, then verify
Import your Activities and Notes exports last and link them back to the right records using the IDs you kept. Recreate your Pipedrive pipeline stages in Nanobox, spot-check a sample of deals for correct value and stage, then switch your team over and keep Pipedrive read-only for a month.
Leaving Pipedrive is mostly a tidy export
Pipedrive is a pleasant CRM to migrate away from, because its data model never got complicated. Everything is People, Organizations, and Deals, with Activities and Notes hanging off them. A global admin opens the More menu, picks "Export data," chooses CSV, and pulls each type. Nanobox imports those CSVs straight in, whether that's Nanobox Cloud (we host it) or a self-hosted instance you run yourself, so the round trip is short and there's no proprietary format to wrestle.
The one quirk worth knowing up front: there is no single button that dumps your entire account. Pipedrive exports six data types separately (Deals, Organizations, People, Products, Notes, and Activities), so a migration means running the export a handful of times and keeping the files straight. Activities, notes, and files attached to deals come out as their own exports, which is why the reattach step exists. It's clicks, not complexity, but skip it and your deals will arrive without their history.
The order of import is what protects your relationships. Bring in Organizations as companies first, then People linked to those companies, then Deals pointing at the right organization and person. Keep Pipedrive's record IDs as a column while you work so you can re-link notes and activities afterward, then drop them. Recreate your pipeline stages by hand, since they don't ride along in a CSV, and spot-check a sample of deals before you trust the whole thing.
For a typical Pipedrive account this is an afternoon of careful clicking. If you've got several pipelines, lots of custom fields, and years of activity history to reattach, it's longer, and that's when handing it to us pays off. Our $1,500 done-for-you launch covers the full move: exports, mapping, import order, reattachment, and a working pipeline. When it's done you're on Nanobox: hosted in Nanobox Cloud for a flat $29/mo (or $290/yr) if you want us to run it, or a self-hosted license from $399 if you'd rather own the code and the data outright. Either way, there's no per-seat pricing waiting to climb as you grow.
Still weighing it up? Read the full Pipedrive vs. Spodus CRM comparison or the Spodus CRM overview. Want it done for you? Our done-for-you launch includes the import.
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See Spodus CRMBuy a licenseQuestions, answered.
- Correct. Pipedrive exports one data type at a time. Deals, Organizations, People, Products, Notes, and Activities are separate exports. For a migration you'll typically run three to five of them. It's a few clicks each, not a heavy lift, just not a single button.
- Yes. The full "Export data" option in the More menu is restricted to global admin users. If you only have a regular seat you can still export filtered list views you have access to, but for a complete migration you'll want a global admin to run it.
- No. Automations, email templates, and the insights dashboards stay in Pipedrive; only record data exports as CSV. You rebuild pipeline stages and views in Nanobox. Most Pipedrive setups are light on automation, so this is usually a quick rebuild.
- No. Nanobox Cloud is the primary way to run it, a flat $29/mo (or $290/yr) for your whole team, unlimited users, never per-seat, and we handle hosting and updates. Self-hosting is available too, a one-time license from $399, if you'd rather run it on your own infrastructure. Same CRM either way.
- Yes. Our done-for-you launch is $1,500. We run the Pipedrive exports, map the fields, import organizations, people, and deals in the right order, reattach notes and activities, rebuild your pipeline, and hand you a working Nanobox install, on Nanobox Cloud or your own server, whichever you choose.