Data export
If you cancel, or your project ends, or you just want an offline backup — everything you put into CakeFlow, you can take out. This page is the specification for how.
The promise, in one line
Every workspace, on every paid plan, can export every recording, video, document, FAQ, and portal page — in open formats that work outside CakeFlow. Free-tier workspaces get the same exports, watermarked where the plan is watermarked.
- No "contact us to get your data" phase.
- No format the outside world can't read.
- No deletion of your export until you say so.
What's in an export
When you run an export on a workspace, you get a single zip file laid out like this:
workspace-{name}-{date}.zip
├── recordings/
│ ├── {recording-id}/
│ │ ├── metadata.json
│ │ ├── action-log.json
│ │ ├── frames/ ← still images per step (.png)
│ │ └── original.webm ← raw screen recording
├── videos/
│ └── {recording-id}.mp4 ← rendered walkthrough with narration
├── docs/
│ ├── {recording-id}.md ← step-by-step docs in Markdown
│ └── {recording-id}.pdf ← same content, PDF
├── faq/
│ └── faq.json ← generated Q&A entries
├── portal/
│ └── portal-static/ ← static HTML build of the portal
├── branding/
│ ├── logo.png
│ └── theme.json
└── EXPORT-README.md ← this file, generated per exportEach file's format is either an open standard or plain text.
Formats
| Content | Format | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Video walkthroughs | MP4 (H.264 + AAC) | Playable in any modern browser or player. |
| Original recording | WebM (VP9 + Opus) | The raw capture before narration and editing. |
| Step images | PNG | One per action step. |
| Step-by-step docs | Markdown and PDF | Markdown for re-hosting, PDF for handover. |
| FAQ | JSON | Structured as {question, answer, source_recording_id, source_step_id}. |
| Action log | JSON | The semantic event log the AI reads. Useful if you want to train your own tools on it. |
| Metadata | JSON | Recording title, author, created date, workspace, tags. |
| Portal | Static HTML build | A working, browsable copy of the portal you can host anywhere. Links, navigation, and search all work offline. |
| Branding | PNG + JSON | Whatever you uploaded (logo, favicon) plus a theme file with your colours and fonts. |
Every JSON file has a stable schema documented inside EXPORT-README.md. When we change a schema, we bump a version number and keep the old format readable — old exports don't break.
How to run one
From the workspace
Workspace settings → Export → Start export. We build the zip in the background, email you a signed download link when it's ready (typically 5–30 minutes for a working-set workspace, longer for large ones), and keep the link live for 7 days.
On a schedule
Paid plans can turn on automatic monthly exports. We push the zip to an S3-compatible bucket you own, or leave it in-app for download. Agency-plan customers can point this at their own bucket per client workspace.
Programmatically
The export endpoint is available on the API. Full spec is in the developer docs; the short version is POST /v1/workspaces/{id}/exports, then poll or webhook for completion.
After cancellation
You can still run exports for the full retention window on your plan (default 90 days on paid plans; see the Security page). We don't lock you out the day your subscription lapses.
What an export does not include
Being explicit here so nothing is surprising.
- Access analytics and usage data older than 12 months are aggregated and no longer exportable at per-user granularity.
- The AI assistant model itself — it's not a file we can hand over. What we do hand over is everything it was trained on (your recordings and action logs), so anyone can rebuild an equivalent assistant on top of that data.
- Sub-processor data we don't hold (payment card details held by the payment processor, for example) — request those from the processor directly.
- Content in a workspace that isn't yours. If you're an agency, you export per client workspace, and each client's data stays isolated in its own zip.
If you need something on this "not included" list and there's a good reason, ask us. Some of it we can pull manually.
Portability, in plain terms
The point of the export is that you can walk away and keep operating.
Static HTML portal
The static HTML portal in the zip is a working portal. Unzip it, open index.html, and you have the same content in the same navigation on any web server. There's no CakeFlow account check.
Markdown docs
The Markdown docs paste straight into Confluence, Notion, Docusaurus, MkDocs, GitBook, or a wiki. Headings, images, and links resolve.
MP4 videos
The MP4 videos upload to YouTube, Vimeo, Panopto, Kaltura, or an LMS without conversion.
JSON action logs
The JSON action logs are the same format we feed the AI. If you want to build your own assistant with a different model, they're the input.
We don't gatekeep any of these formats behind a professional-services engagement.
Deletion
Exports and deletion are the same conversation, so:
Delete a recording
Recording → Settings → Delete. Removed from active storage immediately; scrubbed from backups within 35 days.
Delete a workspace
Workspace settings → Delete workspace. 30-day soft-delete window where an admin can restore it. After that, all content is unrecoverable.
Delete the account entirely
Email privacy@cakeflow.app from a workspace admin address. We confirm, then delete inside 30 days.
For deletion requests under GDPR or an equivalent data protection law, see the Privacy Policy.
FAQ
Does export cost anything?
No. It's included on every plan, including Free.
How long can an export get?
We haven't hit a hard ceiling. The largest workspace we've exported so far was around 40 GB. If yours is bigger, the zip is delivered as a multi-part archive.
Can I export just one recording?
Yes — from the recording page, use Export this recording. You get the same folder structure, scoped to that one recording.
Are exports encrypted?
The download link is signed and expires. If you want the zip itself encrypted with a passphrase you set, turn on Encrypted export in workspace settings. We use AES-256.
Can I take the AI assistant with me?
Not the trained model, but everything it was trained on. Anyone competent with an LLM can rebuild an equivalent assistant on top of an exported action log.
Will old exports still open after a schema change?
Yes. We version JSON schemas and never remove a field without a migration path. EXPORT-README.md in each zip tells you which version it was built on.
What if I want to switch to a self-hosted version later?
We don't offer a self-hosted product today. If we ever do, the exports on this page are the migration path.