> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.bizmachine.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.bizmachine.com/en/lists-and-export/export-troubleshooting.md). # Export failed or the email did not arrive: what to do What to do when a company or contact export fails, the download email does not arrive, or you reach your monthly export limit. *Updated: 1 October 2026* An export in Prospector stops working for one of two reasons: you have used up your monthly limit, or something went wrong technically. This article takes you through both cases step by step. ### Two reasons an export does not work First, find out which case applies: 1. **You have reached your monthly limit.** Prospector shows a warning in the app and the export does not start. What to do: check your limit, and ask for a higher limit if you need one. 2. **The export failed for a technical reason.** The file did not download, or the email with the download link did not arrive. What to do: check your export history and contact support if needed. ### You have reached your limit: what happens next #### What you see in the app If you have used up your monthly limit for company data or contacts, Prospector shows a warning when you try to export. You can export again when the limits renew or after you buy extra credits. The limits renew on the **1st day of every calendar month** *(as of October 2026)*. Unused credits do not carry over to the next month. #### How to check your current limit The quickest way is the export dialog itself. When you start an export, the dialog (**Company export** or **Contact export**) shows a **Monthly export limit** line with your current usage out of your limit, for example 9980/10000 *(as of September 2026)*. ![Company export dialog with the Monthly export limit line highlighted](https://247275268-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FYkl7SJ14Nk0vzhVx7upl%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-f56f732fbf4855148c80fb04e1aa5981bf9b8113%2Fexport-troubleshooting-dialog-limit.png?alt=media) For more detail, open [**Import / Export**](https://prospector.bizmachine.com/v3/en/datasets/cz/exports) in the left menu and go to the **Export history** page. The panel in the top right corner shows **Company exports** and **Contact exports** separately, each as used credits out of your limit. The page lists export requests from the last 180 days *(as of September 2026)*. What counts against each limit is explained in [How credits and limits work in Prospector](/en/lists-and-export/credits-and-limits.md). #### How to ask for a higher limit You can buy extra credits on top of your plan. Write to and include: * the name of your organization, * how many credits you need (company data, contacts, or both), * if possible, why you need more, so we can respond faster. ### The export failed: step by step If you had enough credits but the file did not download or the email did not arrive, go through these steps. #### 1. Check your export history In the left menu, open **Import / Export** and go to the **Export history** page. It lists your exports from the last 180 days *(as of September 2026)* with their status. If an export finished, its status is **OK** (green). To download the file, click the download icon (arrow down) in that row. Downloading again does not use any credits. ![Export history page with the download icon highlighted and the Company exports and Contact exports limits in the top right corner](https://247275268-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FYkl7SJ14Nk0vzhVx7upl%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-bbbf766a189f086f628c594f7d8451beb2c38748%2Fexport-troubleshooting-export-history.png?alt=media) #### 2. The email did not arrive: check your spam folder The email with the download link comes from a Prospector address. Check your Spam or Junk folder. If the email is not there either, download the file from **Export history** as described in step 1. You do not have to wait for the email. > **Tip:** You choose how to receive the file when you start the export, under **Export method**. If you want to skip the email next time, choose **Download file** and get the file from **Export history**. ![Export method dropdown with the options Download file, Email to myself and Email to someone else](https://247275268-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FYkl7SJ14Nk0vzhVx7upl%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-d9849fa6b27102e7cd0e67d2670d3d1eea41f28e%2Fexport-troubleshooting-export-method.png?alt=media) #### 3. The export is missing or still processing A page that has not been reloaded is the most common reason customers think an export has failed. The **Export history** page **does not refresh automatically**. The export may already be finished, but you will not see it until you reload the page. **What to do:** 1. Wait 1 to 2 minutes after you start the export *(as of September 2026)*. 2. Press **F5** or click the reload button in your browser. 3. The status should change to **OK** (green), and the file is ready to download. With a large number of results (hundreds or thousands of companies), the file can take several minutes to generate. If the status has still not changed to **OK** after 10 minutes *(as of September 2026)* and several reloads, go to step 4. #### 4. The problem continues: contact support If the export still does not work, write to . Tell us roughly when you started the export and what you exported (companies or contacts). With these details we can find the cause faster. ### How to avoid running out of credits Credits are used only when you export, not when you browse results. Before you export: * Use filters to narrow your results to what you really need. * Check the number of results before you export. * Export in smaller batches if you do not need everything at once. Example: instead of exporting 500 companies, add filters (region, revenue, industry), narrow the list to 40 companies, and export only those. You use 40 credits instead of 500. ### Frequently asked questions **Do I lose a credit if an export fails?** No. Credits are deducted only for an export that finishes. If the export failed for a technical reason, your limit is not used. **Can I download the same export more than once?** Yes. Downloading a finished file again from **Export history** does not use any credits, because it is not a new export. Starting a new export of the same companies does use credits. This applies to exports still in the history, which covers the last 180 days *(as of September 2026)*. **How long does it take for the export email to arrive?** Usually a few minutes. With a large number of results it can take longer. In the meantime, the file is available in your export history. **My exports used to arrive, but now they do not. What changed?** The most likely causes are a used-up monthly limit or a spam filter that caught the email. Check your limit under **Import / Export** and check your Spam folder. **What is the difference between a company export and a contact export?** A company export contains general company contacts, such as the reception phone number or an address like . A contact export contains direct contacts for specific people (name, position, direct email or phone of a decision-maker). To find these people, use the **Department and role** filter. See [Searching for contacts by role](/en/search-and-filtering/searching-contacts-by-role.md). ### Related articles * [How credits and limits work in Prospector](/en/lists-and-export/credits-and-limits.md) * [Searching for contacts by role](/en/search-and-filtering/searching-contacts-by-role.md)