Data Sync
Pull data from tools you already use—Salesforce, Stripe, HubSpot, Airtable, and more—into Stacker on a schedule you control. Connectors handle authentication, schema mapping, and recurring updates, and supported connectors can keep data in sync two-way so you are not stuck copying data by hand.
When a data sync discovers your external schema, it creates Stacker tables and fields to match. These connector-managed fields are locked to keep the sync stable — you cannot rename, retype, or delete them.
However, you can:
- Add your own fields to synced tables (e.g., a “Notes” field alongside synced Stripe data)
- Create relations between synced tables and other tables in your app
- Build computed fields that reference synced data
- Set up views, permissions, and portal pages using synced tables
Connector-managed fields
Fields created by a data sync show a “Synced” badge in Setup → Data. If you disconnect a sync, the fields become editable again.
What is Data Sync?
Data Sync connects Stacker to external services and automatically imports your data into Stacker tables. Once connected, your data is kept up to date on a recurring schedule — no manual imports or copy-pasting required.
How It Works
1. Connect
Authenticate with an external service using OAuth or an API key.
2. Select Data
Choose which objects to sync. Stacker creates matching tables and fields automatically.
3. Stay in Sync
Data syncs automatically on a schedule. New, updated, and deleted records are handled for you.
Setting Up a Data Sync
Open your app and go to Setup → Connections.
Click Add Connection and select the service you want to connect.
Authenticate — sign in with OAuth or enter your API key, depending on the service.
If the connector requires additional setup (for example, selecting an Airtable base or a Google Sheets spreadsheet), complete those steps.
Stacker discovers the available objects and creates tables and fields to match. Choose which objects you want to sync.
Your first sync begins automatically. Subsequent syncs run on a recurring schedule.
Supported Connectors
Stacker includes built-in connectors for 21 popular services across CRM, accounting, project management, and more. Each connector handles authentication, schema discovery, and incremental syncing out of the box.
Sync Modes
Data Sync uses two modes to keep your data current:
Incremental Sync
Fetches only records that have been created or modified since the last sync. This is faster and uses fewer API calls. Runs every 15–30 minutes depending on the connector.
Full Sync
Re-fetches all records and reconciles deletions. Catches anything incremental syncs might miss. Runs automatically once every 24 hours for most connectors.
Two-Way Sync
Some connectors support two-way sync, which means changes you make to records in Stacker are pushed back to the external source automatically. This lets you use Stacker as a full editing interface for your external data, not just a read-only mirror.
Inbound (pull)
Records are pulled from the external source on a recurring schedule, just like one-way sync. Changes made directly in the external tool appear in Stacker on the next incremental sync.
Outbound (push)
When you create, edit, or delete a record in Stacker, the change is pushed to the external source immediately. If the external API rejects the write, the operation fails and you see an error.
Supported Connectors
Two-way sync is available for Zoho CRM, Zoho Books, Airtable, Asana, Zoho Projects, and Stacker. All other connectors operate in one-way (read-only) mode.
See the Supported Connectors page for connector-specific details and limitations.
Read-only field types
Computed field types in the external source (such as formulas, rollups, lookups, and auto-numbers) cannot be written back. Stacker syncs their values inbound but skips them on outbound writes.
Sync Frequency
Each connector has a default sync interval that balances data freshness with API usage. Most connectors sync incrementally every 15 minutes, while some (like Airtable and Xero) default to 30 minutes.
You can customise the sync interval per connection within the bounds set by each connector. The minimum and maximum intervals are enforced to prevent overloading the external service.
| Sync Type | Typical Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Incremental | 15–30 min | Only changed records. Varies by connector. |
| Full | 24 hours | All records re-fetched. Catches deletions. |
Filtering Synced Data
Some connectors let you filter which records are synced, reducing data volume and keeping your tables focused. For example, you might sync only Stripe invoices from the last 90 days, or only HubSpot contacts created in a specific time window.
Available filters depend on the connector and object type. Common filter options include:
Date Filters
Sync only records created or modified within a time window — last 30 days, 90 days, or a year.
Status Filters
Limit syncs to specific statuses, such as only paid invoices or active subscriptions.
Limits
Data Sync is designed to be reliable and respectful of external API limits. The following limits apply:
| Limit | Value | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Incremental sync interval | 15–30 min | Varies by connector. Customisable within each connector's bounds. |
| Full sync interval | 24 hours | Automatic daily reconciliation for most connectors. |
| Concurrent syncs per connection | 2 | Up to 2 objects can sync simultaneously per connection. |
| Concurrent syncs per object | 1 | Only one sync runs per table at a time to prevent conflicts. |
| Circuit breaker | 5 failures | After 5 consecutive sync failures, the sync is automatically paused. Re-enable it manually after resolving the issue. |
| Sync run history | 50 runs | The last 50 sync runs are retained per connection for troubleshooting. |
| Stale sync detection | 5 minutes | Syncs that appear stuck for more than 5 minutes are flagged so you can re-trigger them. |
| API rate limits | Per connector | Stacker respects each provider's API rate limits automatically. |
Monitoring & Troubleshooting
Each connection shows its current status and sync history. You can see exactly what happened on each run — how many records were created, updated, or deleted, and any errors that occurred.
Connection Status
See at a glance whether each connection is healthy, syncing, or needs attention. A warning indicator appears on the Connections tab if any connection has errors.
Sync History
Review the last 50 sync runs with detailed breakdowns: records fetched, created, updated, deleted, duration, and error messages.
Re-authentication
If an OAuth token expires or is revoked, the connection status changes to “Needs re-auth”. Re-authenticate from the connection's Settings tab to resume syncing.
Zapier Integration
Zapier
Zapier lets you react to changes in Stacker and connect with 5,000+ apps beyond the built-in connectors:
- Triggers — fire a Zap when a record is created, updated, or deleted
- Actions — create or update Stacker records from other apps
- Search — look up existing records by field values
Zapier connects using your Stacker API key. See the API documentation for details on generating keys.