Send CRM Exports to Partners Without Leaking PII

Why CRM exports are high-risk

CRMs store names, emails, phone numbers, deals, and notes. If a CSV lands in the wrong inbox (or lives in a shared folder forever), the spill is hard to contain. Reduce the blast radius with tighter exports and safer delivery.

Minimize before you export

• Fields: export only what the partner needs; drop notes, internal tags, and history.
• Scope: filter to the exact segment (active customers, region, date range).
• Sample first: send 10 rows of synthetic data to validate format before exporting real data.

Clean the file

• Remove hidden columns and audit for stray PII in comments/notes.
• Watermark PDFs if you convert for review; for CSVs, embed a small recipient tag column to trace copies.
• Document the purpose & retention (e.g., delete by date X).

Deliver safely

1. Encrypt as a 7z/ZIP-AES archive.
2. Send the archive via a one-time, expiring link and share the passphrase by SMS/phone. How-to: Send Encrypted Archives Safely.
3. Disable link previews in chat apps to avoid auto-fetch: Prevent Accidental Link Previews.

After delivery

• Short retention: require deletion/confirmation from the partner after use.
• Rotate any shared credentials and review access monthly. Quick sweep: Audit Your Old Messages (90-Minute Sweep).

Useful external references

• OWASP: Sensitive Data Protection 🔗
• NIST: Privacy Framework 🔗

Related reading

Safer files & redaction: Share Sensitive Photos & Documents Safely · Redact Sensitive Info in Screenshots and PDFs

Phishing-resistant habits when sending links: Verify Links Like a Pro

Bottom line

Export less, clean more, encrypt always, and deliver via expiring links with split channels. Then delete on schedule.