CRM pull exclusions allow you to control which CRM records are imported into Backstory. When configured, Backstory skips excluded records during data sync, ensuring your workspace includes only the Accounts, Contacts, Opportunities, and Leads that are relevant to your team.

Backstory also supports other types of exclusions:

CRM push exclusions prevent activities captured in Backstory from syncing back to your CRM. See CRM Push Exclusions for more information.
Email and calendar exclusions prevent specific emails, meetings, or meeting transcripts from being captured in Backstory. See Email and Calendar Exclusions for more information.

Note: Managing pull exclusions requires a Backstory administrator account.

What This Article Covers

Adding a pull exclusion individually
Importing pull exclusions via CSV
Editing and deleting pull exclusions
Frequently asked questions

Add a Pull Exclusion Individually

These steps walk you through creating a single pull exclusion to prevent a specific CRM record from being imported into Backstory.

Log into Backstory as an administrator.
Click the grid icon in the top left corner.
Select Admin Panel.
In the left navigation menu under CRM Sync, click Pull Exclusions.
Click + Add Exclusion.
Click the Type dropdown and select the CRM record type you want to exclude (Account, Opportunity, Contact, or Lead).
Click the Field dropdown and select the field to filter on.
Enter the value you want to match in the Pattern field. Use * or ? as wildcards.
Click Save.

Import Pull Exclusions via CSV

Use CSV import to add multiple pull exclusions at once. This is useful when you have a large number of records to exclude.

Log into Backstory as an administrator.
Click the grid icon in the top left corner.
Select Admin Panel.
In the left navigation menu under CRM Sync, click Pull Exclusions.
Create a CSV file with the following fields:
1. Category: Filter type (Enter “CRM Push”)
2. Type: Record type to filter
3. Field: Field to filter on
4. Pattern: Pattern (value) to match
Click Import from CSV.
Select your CSV file to upload.

Note: Filtering accounts by CRM ID (external ID) is only available via CSV import and cannot be added through the + Add Filter button. Set Category to CRM Pull, Type to Account, Field to external_id, and Pattern to the 18-character Account CRM ID.

Edit or Delete a Pull Exclusion

These steps walk you through updating or removing an existing pull exclusion.

Log into Backstory as an administrator.
Click the grid icon in the top left corner.
Select Admin Panel.
In the left navigation menu under CRM Sync, click Pull Exclusions.
Locate the exclusion you want to update.
Click the three-dot menu at the end of that exclusion's row.
Click Edit or Delete.

Frequently Asked Questions

What CRM record types can I exclude with a pull exclusion?

You can exclude Accounts, Opportunities, Contacts, and Leads from being imported into Backstory.

Can I add a pull exclusion for an account by its CRM ID?

Yes, but this can only be done via CSV import, not through the + Add Filter button. Set Category to CRM Pull, Type to Account, Field to external_id, and Pattern to the 18-character Account CRM ID.

Can I use wildcards in pull exclusion patterns?

Yes. Use * to match any number of characters and ? to match a single character. For example, entering *@acme.com in a contact email field would match any email address at that domain.

What is the difference between a pull exclusion and a push exclusion?

A pull exclusion prevents a CRM record from being imported into Backstory. A push exclusion prevents an activity that Backstory has already captured from syncing back to your CRM.