# Export and Import Inbound Routes

Cloud Voice lets you download your existing inbound routes as a CSV (comma-separated values) file and upload routes from a CSV file in bulk. Exporting gives you a working template and a backup you can edit offline. Importing lets you add or update many routes at once instead of building them one by one in the portal.

:::note
An inbound route is the rule that decides where an incoming call is sent once it reaches the phone system. Exporting and importing is the fastest way to review all of those rules together, copy a set of routes to another account, or restore a known-good configuration from a saved file.
:::

## Export inbound routes

Exporting writes every configured inbound route to a single CSV file. Once you have that file, you can add new rows, remove routes you no longer need, or adjust existing values before importing it back.

1. Sign in to the Cloud Voice portal and open **Call Control > Inbound Route**.
2. Click **Export**.

The CSV file downloads to your computer. For the meaning of each column and the accepted values, see [Inbound Route Parameters](/pbx/administrator-guide/import-and-export-parameters-inbound-route/).

:::tip
Keep the exported file even if you do not plan to change anything right now. It is a point-in-time backup of your routing, so you can re-import it to undo a bad change later.
:::

## Import inbound routes

:::tip
Export your current routes first and use that file as your starting template. Editing a file that already matches the expected column layout is faster and less error-prone than building one from scratch.
:::

Before you import, confirm your file meets these requirements:

- **Format**: UTF-8 encoded `.csv`
- **Size**: under 50 MB
- **File name**: fewer than 127 characters
- **Values**: every field must satisfy the rules described in [Inbound Route Parameters](/pbx/administrator-guide/import-and-export-parameters-inbound-route/)

:::caution
If the file misses any of these requirements, the import fails. Encoding is the most common trap: spreadsheet apps such as Excel often save as a regional encoding by default, so choose **CSV UTF-8** explicitly when you save. A field that breaks the parameter rules can also cause the whole import to be rejected.
:::

To import the file:

1. Sign in to the Cloud Voice portal and open **Call Control > Inbound Route**.
2. Click **Import**.
3. In the dialog that opens, click **Browse** and choose your CSV file.
4. Click **Import**.

The routes from your file appear in the **Inbound Route** list.

:::caution
Inbound routes control where live incoming calls are delivered. Review the routes in the **Inbound Route** list after importing to confirm calls will land where you expect, so a typo in the file does not misroute real calls.
:::