How to Migrate from AppFolio: A Step-by-Step Data Export and Transition Guide
AppFolio's data export works, but it requires knowing exactly where to look. Here is how to get everything out cleanly, what the export covers, and how to run a seamless transition to a new platform without disrupting your operations.
AppFolio's minimum monthly fee and per-unit pricing can make the switch decision fairly easy to reach — but the question that stops most operators from acting on it is: what happens to my data?
This guide answers that question completely. It covers what AppFolio lets you export, what format the data comes in, what is not easily exportable, and how to execute a smooth transition so your tenants, vendors, and operations experience zero disruption.
What Data AppFolio Stores
AppFolio is a comprehensive platform, which means a significant amount of operational history lives there. Before planning your migration, take stock of what you have:
Tenant and lease data:
- All current and historical tenant contact information
- Lease records (unit, rent, term, renewal history)
- Tenant ledger history (payments, fees, credits, adjustments)
- Security deposit amounts and transaction history
- Tenant notes and communication history
- Maintenance request history per tenant
Property and unit data:
- Full property and unit hierarchy with all attributes
- Owner contact information and distribution settings
- Associated bank accounts
Financial data:
- Full general ledger by property and account
- Income and expense transaction history
- Owner statement history
- Vendor payment history and 1099 records
- Bank reconciliation records
Maintenance data:
- Work order history (all historical and current)
- Vendor records and contact information
- Time-to-resolution data
- Associated invoices and expenses
Documents:
- Uploaded lease documents and addenda
- Inspection reports and photos (if stored in AppFolio)
- Owner and vendor documents
What is limited or not exportable:
- AppFolio's shared message threads (tenant-to-PM communications via the portal)
- SMS or text message history
- Inspection photos at bulk — these require individual download
- Custom report configurations
AppFolio's Export Approach: The Reality
AppFolio does not have a single "export everything" button. Exports are report-by-report, which means migration requires running and downloading multiple reports, each covering a specific data category.
This is manageable but requires planning. Here is the report-by-report approach.
Step 1: Export Tenant and Lease Records
Where to find it: Reports > Tenant Reports
Run the following reports and export each as CSV:
- Tenant Roster — current tenants with contact information and unit assignments
- Tenant Ledger (All Properties) — transaction history for all tenants; set the date range to capture at minimum the last 24-36 months of history
- Security Deposit Liability — current deposit balances by tenant
- Lease Expiration Report — upcoming expiration dates (useful for not missing renewals during transition)
For tenants who have moved out in the past 1-2 years, run the Past Tenant Roster and corresponding ledger data so your new platform has context for any historical ledger inquiries.
Step 2: Export Financial Records
Where to find it: Reports > Accounting Reports
Run and export:
- General Ledger (Full Period) — export this by year for the last 2-3 fiscal years
- Income Statement — monthly and annual views by property
- Balance Sheet — as of your migration date
- Accounts Payable Aging — any open payables at the time of migration
- Bank Register — per-account transaction history
For owner reporting continuity, also export:
- Owner Statements — last 12-24 months per property
- Owner Contribution/Distribution Ledger
Step 3: Export Property and Unit Records
Where to find it: Reports > Property Reports
- Property Roster — all property records with addresses and attributes
- Unit Availability / Vacancy Report — current occupancy status
- Owner Roster — owner contact and payment information
Step 4: Export Vendor Records
Where to find it: Settings > Vendors or Reports > Vendor Reports
Export your full vendor list as CSV. This becomes your vendor import for your new platform. Before exporting, de-duplicate your vendor list in AppFolio if there are any duplicate entries — this saves cleanup effort on the other end.
Also export the Accounts Payable Aging if you have any outstanding vendor invoices that need to be tracked through the transition.
Step 5: Download Lease Documents and Inspections
AppFolio's document storage does not have a bulk download feature — lease documents and inspection reports must be downloaded individually or property by property.
Prioritize:
- Active lease documents — every current tenant's signed lease and any addenda
- Move-in inspection reports — critical for deposit dispute defense
- Recent move-out inspection reports — any within the statute of limitations window for deposit disputes in your state
Organize downloads by property, then unit, then tenant. This folder structure maps directly to how a new platform will organize documents after import.
For inspection photos specifically: if you used AppFolio's mobile inspection tool, the photos are attached to inspection reports within the platform. Download each report as PDF — the photos are embedded in the PDF output.
Step 6: Export Open Maintenance Work Orders
AppFolio allows export of work order lists. Run a Work Orders Report filtered to open status and export as CSV. This gives you the list of active work orders to re-create in your new platform.
For historical closed work orders: these are archival records. Rather than migrating the full history, the practical approach is to export a summary CSV for reference and retain AppFolio in read-only mode for 90 days post-migration for any historical lookups.
Step 7: Set Your Migration Timeline
A well-structured AppFolio migration follows this sequence:
Weeks 1–2: Platform setup
- Import property and unit records into the new platform
- Configure bank accounts and payment processing
- Import tenant records and recreate lease records
- Import vendor list
- Set up your automation workflows from day one
Week 3: Tenant portal transition
- Send tenants a notice explaining the new portal: what is changing, when, and how to log in
- Provide 7-14 days for tenants to register on the new portal before you deactivate AppFolio payments
- Follow up individually with tenants who have not registered within a week
Rent cycle: Go live
- Process your first rent cycle entirely in the new platform
- Confirm all payments post correctly
- Confirm maintenance routing is active
- Generate your first owner reports
Days 30–90: Parallel read-only access
- Keep AppFolio accessible for historical reference
- Cancel AppFolio subscription after your quarterly financials are confirmed clean and accurate in the new platform
Common Migration Mistakes to Avoid
Migrating mid-month. If possible, plan your go-live at the beginning of a rent cycle. Mid-month migrations require careful proration tracking and are more prone to billing confusion.
Not reconciling security deposits first. Before going live in your new system, verify that every tenant's security deposit balance in the new platform matches exactly what is in AppFolio. A single discrepancy causes problems at move-out.
Not communicating portal changes to tenants early enough. Tenants who are surprised by a portal switch — or who receive payment instructions too late — may miss rent or pay to the wrong place. Send the communication 3-4 weeks before the switch, not 3-4 days.
Migrating without an open work order review. Every open work order in AppFolio should either be recreated in the new platform or closed before migration. Work orders that exist in AppFolio but not in your new system create gaps in vendor communication and expense tracking.
FAQ
Is there an official AppFolio data export tool?
AppFolio does not have a single-click "export all" tool. Data export requires running individual reports by category. The process described in this guide covers all major data categories.
What happens to my data when I cancel AppFolio?
AppFolio retains access to your data for a period after cancellation. Before canceling, download all exports described in this guide and request the retention window in writing. Keep AppFolio in read-only mode for 90 days if you can to allow for historical reference.
Can I import AppFolio data into any property management platform?
Most modern platforms accept standard CSV imports for tenant, financial, and property data. The specific field mapping varies by platform. Platforms that offer guided migration assistance will map AppFolio's exported fields to their data model for you.
How long does an AppFolio migration take?
For a 50-200 unit portfolio with organized data, expect 2-4 weeks for setup and a 2-4 week parallel run, for a total of 4-8 weeks. Larger portfolios or disorganized records extend the timeline.
Is there a way to migrate AppFolio accounting history to a new platform?
Current ledger balances and recent history (1-3 years) can typically be imported. A full multi-year general ledger migration at line-item level is complex and often not worth the effort for most operators — keep AppFolio in read-only mode as the historical reference instead.
For more on the switching process, see Switching Property Management Software: A Step-by-Step Migration Guide and The Best AppFolio Alternative.
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Abode helps landlords, mid-size operators, and management companies run cleaner real estate operations end to end.
The Abode editorial team writes practical guides for landlords, mid-size operators, and management companies focused on real-world workflows, clearer underwriting, and faster day-to-day execution.