In this article
Manually migrating and syncing thousands of contacts across platforms can be both time-consuming and error-prone. But with the right automation, even large-scale data migration projects—like transferring records from Quickbase to Google Contacts—can be executed efficiently and kept in sync automatically.
In this case study, we’ll walk you through a real-world data migration and synchronization use case using Albato. With this setup, not only can you transfer your contact database from Quickbase to Google Contacts in bulk, but you can also keep those records updated in real time—without having to manually compare or duplicate data.
Note: You’ll need to connect your Quickbase and Google Contacts accounts, as well as the Albato Storage feature in Albato.
To get detailed setup instructions or access a ready-to-use automation template, keep reading.
Task: Transfer and sync Quickbase contacts with Google Contacts
The goal is to automate the entire migration process of retroactive contacts stored in Quickbase into Google Contacts and then keep the data synced unidirectionally going forward.
How we configured this scenario in Albato
Automation 1
Initially, a retroactive data migration should be performed. This automation needed to:
- Retrieve contacts stored in Quickbase.
- Check if the data already exists to avoid duplicates.
- Stop the automation if certain conditions are met (e.g., if data already exists or does not meet criteria).
- Transform fields like email, address, and phone number.
- Create new contacts in Google Contacts.
- Update Albato’s internal storage to track which contacts had been processed.
Automation 2
Now, we will set the real time transfer to keep everything running when new contacts are added.
- Retrieve new contacts from Quickbase.
- Transform fields like email, address, and phone number.
- Create new contacts in Google Contacts.
- Update Albato’s internal storage to track which contacts had been processed.
Automation 3
And to ensure full alignment, we also set up real-time data transfer to update existing contacts.
- Retrieve updated contacts from Quickbase.
- Check if the data already exists to avoid duplicates.
- Transform fields like email, address, and phone number.
- Update contacts in Google Contacts.
- Update Albato’s internal storage to track which contacts had been processed.
- Stop the automation if the workflow has been successful.
- Search for the contacts by name or email in cases where Google Contacts automatically updates the contact ID, making it difficult to locate it using that parameter.
- Update contacts in Google Contacts from this new search.
- Update Albato’s internal storage to track which contacts had been processed.
Instructions: How to set up the Solution in Albato
Step 1: Install the template
Start by following the installation link for the Albato automation template. Click Grant Access to add the scenario to your account.
Step 2: Activate the scenarios
After installing the solution, activate the data migration scenario by clicking Continue.
Step 3: Connect your accounts
Set up connections to services and also choose the Quickbase Table you'd like to use for this automation.
Step 4: Set up the fields
In Field settings, select your fileds for each automation scenario and click Continue.
Step 5: Create and store contacts
After clicking Let’s go, you can make the necessary edits in the automation through the gear icon.
Once your setup is ready, click Start to begin the migration and synchronization process.
The installed solution will be available in the section Solutions → My installations.
Technical nuances
- Albato Data Storage plays a crucial role by checking if a contact has already been synced before creating a new one.
- JavaScript transformation allows for precise formatting of contact fields prior to syncing, especially useful when normalizing data formats.
Results: From manual migration to real-time sync
What used to be a tedious, manual migration effort became a streamlined, automated workflow. With Albato, the team was able to migrate thousands of contacts with just a few clicks—and now keeps their data in sync continuously in real time.
Summing up
By connecting Quickbase to Google Contacts via Albato, businesses can turn a challenging data migration into an automated, scalable solution. Whether you're transferring a backlog of records or maintaining a real-time sync, Albato handles it all—with flexibility, precision, and no code.
If you're interested in setting up a similar workflow or exploring more automation ideas, check out these articles:
