[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":223},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-leaving-aci-total-desktop-appraisal-software":3},{"post":4,"related":115,"pillar":116},{"slug":5,"title":6,"seoTitle":7,"description":8,"date":9,"updated":10,"category":11,"pillar":12,"howto":13,"keywords":14,"tags":23,"related":28,"faq":32,"words":48,"minutes":49,"parts":50,"toc":53,"steps":87},"leaving-aci-total-desktop-appraisal-software","Leaving ACI, TOTAL or Other Desktop Appraisal Software: The Export Playbook","Export Reports from ACI, TOTAL & Desktop Apps | Carat","Leaving ACI, TOTAL or other desktop appraisal software? This export playbook covers MISMO 2.6 XML, PDFs, workfiles, firms and UAD 2.6 revisions.","2026-10-13","2026-10-25","switching",false,true,[15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22],"leaving aci appraisal software","export reports from total appraisal software","desktop appraisal software export","aci alternative uad 3.6","a la mode total alternative","export mismo 2.6 xml","appraisal software data export","switch from desktop appraisal software",[24,25,26,27],"Switching","ACI","TOTAL","MISMO 2.6",[29,30,31],"switch-appraisal-software-without-losing-comps","migrate-from-clickforms-uad-3-6","desktop-vs-cloud-appraisal-software",[33,36,39,42,45],{"q":34,"a":35},"Can ACI and TOTAL export reports as MISMO 2.6 XML?","Most desktop appraisal programs, including ACI and TOTAL, can export MISMO 2.6 GSE XML, since that was the delivery format for UAD 2.6. The exact steps depend on your version, so check the export options or ask the vendor's support.",{"q":37,"a":38},"What is the best format to export old appraisal reports in?","Export both MISMO 2.6 GSE XML and PDF. The XML holds the data another program can read, such as comps and adjustments. The PDF is your record of what the client received.",{"q":40,"a":41},"Do I need to keep my old desktop software after switching?","Keep it until your exports are verified and any UAD 2.6 revisions are finished. Revisions to reports first submitted in UAD 2.6 stay in UAD 2.6, and UAD 2.6 is retired on June 28, 2027.",{"q":43,"a":44},"How do I move a whole firm off desktop appraisal software?","Inventory every workstation, export and back up each one, then move one appraiser first. Fix the setup problems they find before moving everyone else, and keep the old program available for revisions.",{"q":46,"a":47},"Will my comps database come with me?","The comps inside your finished reports can, through the MISMO 2.6 XML export. A separate comps database inside your old program may use its own format, so ask the vendor whether and how it can be exported.",1612,7,[51,52],"\u003Cp>Leaving ACI, TOTAL or any desktop appraisal software after years of daily use is mostly an export job. The program you chose in 2012 has quietly become a filing cabinet: every report, every comp, every adjustment you defended. With UAD 3.6 mandatory for new UCDP submissions on November 2, 2026, plenty of appraisers are deciding whether to stay or go. Either way, a clean export is worth having. This playbook covers what to pull out, how to check it, and how to keep working while you move. It's a companion to our main guide, \u003Ca href=\"\u002Fblog\u002Fswitch-appraisal-software-without-losing-comps\">how to switch appraisal software without losing a decade of comps\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Key takeaways\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>Most desktop programs, including ACI and TOTAL, can export MISMO 2.6 GSE XML. That file is your portable report data.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Export PDFs too. XML is the data; the PDF is what the client saw.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Separate comps databases and add-on data may not travel in the report XML. Ask the vendor.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>In a firm, every workstation is its own archive. Inventory all of them.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Keep the old program until your UAD 2.6 revisions are done.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"the-one-format-that-travels-mismo-2-6-gse-xml\">The one format that travels: MISMO 2.6 GSE XML\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>Under UAD 2.6, reports went to UCDP as MISMO 2.6 XML files. Because every vendor had to produce that format, it's the closest thing the industry has to a universal export. One XML file per report holds the subject, the sales comparison grid, the adjustments, and the rest of the form's data in tagged fields another program can read.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That's why this playbook is the same whether you're leaving ACI, TOTAL, or another desktop program. We won't describe specific menus, because they differ by product and version and change over time. The general rule: look for an export option that mentions MISMO 2.6, GSE XML or UAD XML. If you can't find a bulk version, ask the vendor's support for it, in writing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The new format, MISMO 3.6, is a different and much larger schema. If you want to understand what changed, read \u003Ca href=\"\u002Fblog\u002Fmismo-3-6-xml-explained\">MISMO 3.6 XML explained for appraisers\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"step-1-inventory-every-machine-and-data-folder\">Step 1: Inventory every machine and data folder\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>Desktop software typically keeps report data on the computer where it's installed, though some programs also sync to a vendor account. Local data is both the strength and the catch. Over the years you may have:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>A main data folder on your current computer.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>An old install on a retired desktop or a drive in a drawer.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>A data folder on each trainee's or staff appraiser's computer.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>A shared network drive or synced folder for the firm.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Separately stored comps databases, photo libraries or sketch files.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Cp>For each, note the location, years covered and an approximate report count. This list is what you check your export against.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"step-2-ask-the-vendor-three-questions\">Step 2: Ask the vendor three questions\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>Before exporting, email the vendor's support. A written answer saves guesswork.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Col>\n\u003Cli>"How do I export all finished reports as MISMO 2.6 GSE XML in bulk?"\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>"Can I export my comps database (if I use one) and in what format?"\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>"If I cancel, can I still open and print my existing reports? For how long?"\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Fol>\n\u003Cp>The third question matters for record keeping. If you'll lose the ability to open old files, you need PDFs of everything first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"step-3-back-up-the-raw-data\">Step 3: Back up the raw data\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>Copy each data folder exactly as it is to two places you control: an external drive and a cloud storage account in your own name. Do this before any export or uninstall. If an export goes wrong, the originals are safe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>USPAP's Record Keeping Rule requires keeping the workfile for at least five years after preparation, or at least two years after final disposition of a judicial proceeding in which you testified, whichever is later, and keeping custody or appropriate arrangements for retention, access and retrieval. Check the current edition through \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.appraisalfoundation.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Appraisal Foundation\u003C\u002Fa> and your state's rules. A backup you own keeps that obligation independent of any vendor. More on this in \u003Ca href=\"\u002Fblog\u002Fdesktop-vs-cloud-appraisal-software\">desktop vs. cloud appraisal software and USPAP record keeping\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n","\u003Ch2 id=\"step-4-export-xml-and-pdf-for-every-finished-report\">Step 4: Export XML and PDF for every finished report\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>Run the bulk export by year, so you end up with a folder and a zip per year:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cpre>\u003Ccode class=\"language-text\">exports\u002F\n  2016\u002F  2016.zip\n  2017\u002F  2017.zip\n  ...\n  2026\u002F  2026.zip\npdfs\u002F\n  2016\u002F ...\n\u003C\u002Fcode>\u003C\u002Fpre>\n\u003Cp>For PDFs, the delivered copies in your workfile folders are best, since they're exactly what the client got. If you didn't save them, print each finished report to PDF from the old program.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Expect some exceptions. Work from before the original UAD, non-lender assignments, desk reviews and some specialty forms may not export as UAD XML. Keep them as PDFs and original files.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote class=\"bl-callout tip\">\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Tip:\u003C\u002Fstrong> name exported files with the file number and street if your program allows it. "2019-0412 118 Oak St.xml" is a lot easier to find in a dispute than "export_0003127.xml".\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"step-5-verify-before-you-trust-it\">Step 5: Verify before you trust it\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>Compare the counts per year with your inventory. Then open a sample across years and form types in a text editor:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>You should see readable XML tags, the subject address, and comp addresses and sale prices.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>A file of a few KB is probably empty or a failed export.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>If a whole year is short, look for a second data folder or older install.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Cp>Repeat for every workstation in a firm. The most common gap is the trainee who did 300 reports on a laptop that never synced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"step-6-copy-out-your-setup-and-boilerplate\">Step 6: Copy out your setup and boilerplate\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>The report XML doesn't carry your program setup. Before cancelling, save:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>Comment and addendum boilerplate, client-specific language, FHA and VA certification text.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Firm details, every license and expiration, E&O declarations and expiration.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Signature images.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Client and AMC contact lists, and any client requirements lists.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Cp>UAD 3.6 structures a lot of what used to be free text, so some boilerplate won't be needed. See \u003Ca href=\"\u002Fblog\u002Fuad-3-6-replaces-1004-1073-1025-2055\">how one dynamic URAR replaces the 1004, 1073, 1025 and 2055\u003C\u002Fa> for where things land now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"step-7-import-into-the-new-program\">Step 7: Import into the new program\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>What a new program does with your archive is a big part of whether switching is worth it. A list of PDFs is storage. A searchable history of your own comps is a tool.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Carat, the legacy import takes any MISMO 2.6 GSE XML export, and ClickFORMS reports too if part of your archive came from there (see \u003Ca href=\"\u002Fblog\u002Fmigrate-from-clickforms-uad-3-6\">migrating from ClickFORMS\u003C\u002Fa>). Upload the files or your yearly zips (zips are expanded on upload). Carat parses each report into a searchable comps history and builds \u003Cstrong>median adjustment rates by town and price tier\u003C\u002Fstrong> from your own reports, falling back to the town and then the county where the data is thin. Unclear data goes to a review queue rather than into a report.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old reports don't become UAD 3.6 reports. They become evidence of how you've adjusted in each market, which you then check against current data on each new assignment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"step-8-moving-a-firm-not-just-yourself\">Step 8: Moving a firm, not just yourself\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>Firms add a few wrinkles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Move one appraiser first.\u003C\u002Fstrong> Pick someone who's patient and does a typical mix of work. Let them do a week of real UAD 3.6 reports. Fix the setup issues they find (firm profile, license exhibits, client requirements) before anyone else moves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Map roles.\u003C\u002Fstrong> Decide who assigns, who reviews, and who signs. Carat organizes a firm as one organization with roles, assignment, and transfer of reports between staff and trainees, so a supervisor can hand a report to a trainee and take it back for review.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Keep supervision clean.\u003C\u002Fstrong> Trainee reports still need the supervisor's review and signature under your state's rules. The software changes where the report lives, not who's responsible for it. Carat never signs for anyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Keep the archive in one place.\u003C\u002Fstrong> Combine every workstation's exports into the firm's backup before importing, so the comps history covers the whole firm's work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"step-9-keep-the-old-program-for-uad-2-6-revisions\">Step 9: Keep the old program for UAD 2.6 revisions\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>If a report was submitted to UCDP in UAD 2.6, Freddie Mac's \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fsf.freddiemac.com\u002Ffaqs\u002Fuad-and-forms-redesign\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">UAD and Forms Redesign FAQ\u003C\u002Fa> says revisions to that existing Doc File ID stay in UAD 2.6. You'll need the old program to answer those. UAD 2.6 has an exception period through February 28, 2027, reduced functionality from March 1, becomes Fatal for new submissions on May 20, 2027, and is retired June 28, 2027. The \u003Ca href=\"\u002Fblog\u002Fuad-3-6-deadline-timeline\">UAD 3.6 deadline timeline\u003C\u002Fa> has the details.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cdiv class=\"bl-table\">\u003Ctable>\u003Cthead>\u003Ctr>\u003Cth>Situation\u003C\u002Fth>\u003Cth>Use\u003C\u002Fth>\u003C\u002Ftr>\u003C\u002Fthead>\u003Ctbody>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>New assignment, submitted Nov 2, 2026 or later\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003Ctd>New program, UAD 3.6\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003C\u002Ftr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>Revision of a report first submitted in UAD 2.6\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003Ctd>Old program, UAD 2.6\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003C\u002Ftr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>Old report needed for a review or board inquiry\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003Ctd>PDF and original files from your backup\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003C\u002Ftr>\u003C\u002Ftbody>\u003C\u002Ftable>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\u003Cp>When your last 2.6 revision is closed, decide whether to keep a license for opening old files or rely on your PDFs and backups. Whatever you choose, make sure you can still produce the workfile for the full retention period.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2 id=\"what-to-watch-for-in-the-first-month\">What to watch for in the first month\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Speed in the comps grid.\u003C\u002Fstrong> Keyboard-first entry and fill-right matter more than any demo feature. Carat's grid handles sales, rental and GRM comps with running adjustment totals.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>The sketch.\u003C\u002Fstrong> Confirm GLA calculates to ANSI Z765 and flows into the report. See \u003Ca href=\"\u002Fblog\u002Fansi-z765-gla-uad-3-6\">ANSI Z765 and GLA under UAD 3.6\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Compliance checks.\u003C\u002Fstrong> Carat's AI-powered checks run hundreds of the GSE Appendix H-1 rules while you work, each finding linked to the field. Catch it before the AMC does.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Delivery.\u003C\u002Fstrong> You should get the MISMO 3.6 XML, the URAR PDF and images in one UCDP-ready zip. You or the lender upload it.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Cp>If you're still choosing, our \u003Ca href=\"\u002Fblog\u002Fbest-appraisal-software-uad-3-6-2026\">buyer's guide to the best appraisal software for UAD 3.6\u003C\u002Fa> lays out the criteria. Carat is $99 a month per appraiser with unlimited reports (\u003Ca href=\"\u002F#pricing\">pricing\u003C\u002Fa>), and you can \u003Ca href=\"\u002Fsign-in?mode=create\">create an account and start an import\u003C\u002Fa> today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",[54,57,60,63,66,69,72,75,78,81,84],{"id":55,"t":56},"the-one-format-that-travels-mismo-2-6-gse-xml","The one format that travels: MISMO 2.6 GSE XML",{"id":58,"t":59},"step-1-inventory-every-machine-and-data-folder","Step 1: Inventory every machine and data folder",{"id":61,"t":62},"step-2-ask-the-vendor-three-questions","Step 2: Ask the vendor three questions",{"id":64,"t":65},"step-3-back-up-the-raw-data","Step 3: Back up the raw data",{"id":67,"t":68},"step-4-export-xml-and-pdf-for-every-finished-report","Step 4: Export XML and PDF for every finished report",{"id":70,"t":71},"step-5-verify-before-you-trust-it","Step 5: Verify before you trust it",{"id":73,"t":74},"step-6-copy-out-your-setup-and-boilerplate","Step 6: Copy out your setup and boilerplate",{"id":76,"t":77},"step-7-import-into-the-new-program","Step 7: Import into the new program",{"id":79,"t":80},"step-8-moving-a-firm-not-just-yourself","Step 8: Moving a firm, not just yourself",{"id":82,"t":83},"step-9-keep-the-old-program-for-uad-2-6-revisions","Step 9: Keep the old program for UAD 2.6 revisions",{"id":85,"t":86},"what-to-watch-for-in-the-first-month","What to watch for in the first month",[88,91,94,97,100,103,106,109,112],{"name":89,"text":90},"Inventory every machine and data folder","Desktop software typically keeps report data on the computer where it's installed, though some programs also sync to a vendor account. Local data is both the strength and the catch. Over the years you may have:",{"name":92,"text":93},"Ask the vendor three questions","Before exporting, email the vendor's support. A written answer saves guesswork.",{"name":95,"text":96},"Back up the raw data","Copy each data folder exactly as it is to two places you control: an external drive and a cloud storage account in your own name. Do this before any export or uninstall. If an export goes wrong, the originals are safe.",{"name":98,"text":99},"Export XML and PDF for every finished report","Run the bulk export by year, so you end up with a folder and a zip per year:",{"name":101,"text":102},"Verify before you trust it","Compare the counts per year with your inventory. Then open a sample across years and form types in a text editor:",{"name":104,"text":105},"Copy out your setup and boilerplate","The report XML doesn't carry your program setup. Before cancelling, save:",{"name":107,"text":108},"Import into the new program","What a new program does with your archive is a big part of whether switching is worth it. A list of PDFs is storage. A searchable history of your own comps is a tool.",{"name":110,"text":111},"Moving a firm, not just yourself","Firms add a few wrinkles.",{"name":113,"text":114},"Keep the old program for UAD 2.6 revisions","If a report was submitted to UCDP in UAD 2.6, Freddie Mac's UAD and Forms Redesign FAQ says revisions to that existing Doc File ID stay in UAD 2.6. You'll need the old program to answer those. UAD 2.6 has an exception period through February 28, 2027, reduced functionality from March 1, becomes Fatal for new submissions on May 20, 2027, and is retired June 28, 2027. The UAD 3.6 deadline timeline has the details.",[116,153,188],{"slug":29,"title":117,"seoTitle":118,"description":119,"date":120,"updated":10,"category":11,"pillar":13,"howto":13,"keywords":121,"tags":130,"related":133,"faq":135,"words":151,"minutes":152},"How to Switch Appraisal Software Without Losing a Decade of Comps","Switch Appraisal Software, Keep Your Comps | Carat","How to switch appraisal software without losing your comps: export your MISMO 2.6 archive, protect USPAP workfiles and run both programs during UAD 3.6.","2026-10-06",[122,123,124,125,126,127,128,129],"switch appraisal software","change appraisal software","appraisal software migration","export appraisal reports mismo 2.6","keep comps when switching appraisal software","uad 3.6 appraisal software switch","appraisal workfile retention","import old appraisal reports",[24,131,27,132],"UAD 3.6","Workfiles",[30,5,134],"best-appraisal-software-uad-3-6-2026",[136,139,142,145,148],{"q":137,"a":138},"Will I lose my old reports if I switch appraisal software?","Not if you export them first. Most desktop appraisal programs can export finished reports as MISMO 2.6 GSE XML and PDF. Keep those exports, plus your original program's data folder, for as long as USPAP and your state require.",{"q":140,"a":141},"Can old UAD 2.6 reports be converted into UAD 3.6 reports?","Not in any way you should rely on for delivery. The redesigned URAR asks for data the old forms never collected. What you can do is import the old reports as a comps and adjustment history and start new UAD 3.6 reports fresh.",{"q":143,"a":144},"How long do I have to keep appraisal workfiles after switching software?","USPAP's Record Keeping Rule requires keeping the workfile at least five years after preparation, or at least two years after final disposition of a judicial proceeding in which you testified, whichever is later. Your state may add its own rules.",{"q":146,"a":147},"Should I cancel my old appraisal software right away?","Usually not. Keep it until your exports are verified, open revision requests on UAD 2.6 reports are done, and you know you can still open the old files. Revisions to reports first submitted in UAD 2.6 stay in UAD 2.6.",{"q":149,"a":150},"What is MISMO 2.6 GSE XML?","It is the data file format used to deliver UAD 2.6 appraisals to the GSE portals. Because it is a shared standard, it is the most portable way to move your report data out of one program and into another.",2967,13,{"slug":30,"title":154,"seoTitle":155,"description":156,"date":157,"updated":10,"category":11,"pillar":12,"howto":13,"keywords":158,"tags":166,"related":168,"faq":170,"words":186,"minutes":187},"Migrating from ClickFORMS: Bringing Your MISMO 2.6 Archive into UAD 3.6","Migrate from ClickFORMS to UAD 3.6 | Carat","Migrating from ClickFORMS for UAD 3.6? Export your reports as MISMO 2.6 XML, back up your workfiles and turn years of comps into a searchable history.","2026-10-09",[159,160,161,162,163,164,165],"migrate from clickforms","clickforms export","clickforms uad 3.6","clickforms alternative","clickforms mismo 2.6 xml","switch from clickforms","import clickforms reports",[24,167,27],"ClickFORMS",[29,5,169],"data-driven-adjustments-from-past-reports",[171,174,177,180,183],{"q":172,"a":173},"Can I export my ClickFORMS reports to another program?","In general, yes. Reports that were delivered to a GSE portal under UAD 2.6 were built to produce MISMO 2.6 XML, which is the most portable format. Look for an export to MISMO 2.6 or GSE XML in your version, or ask ClickFORMS support how to export in bulk.",{"q":175,"a":176},"Will my ClickFORMS reports open as UAD 3.6 reports?","No program should promise that. The redesigned URAR collects data the old forms never asked for. Your old reports carry forward as comps and adjustment history, and new assignments start as fresh UAD 3.6 reports.",{"q":178,"a":179},"Should I keep ClickFORMS installed after switching?","Keep it until your exports are verified and your last UAD 2.6 revisions are finished. Revisions to reports first submitted in UAD 2.6 stay in UAD 2.6, and UAD 2.6 is not retired until June 28, 2027.",{"q":181,"a":182},"Does Carat import ClickFORMS files?","Yes. Carat imports ClickFORMS reports or any MISMO 2.6 GSE XML export, in bulk, and builds a searchable comps history and median adjustment rates by town and price tier from them. Anything unclear goes to a review queue.",{"q":184,"a":185},"What should I copy out of ClickFORMS besides the reports?","Your comment boilerplate, firm and license details, E&O information, signature image and client list. These don't travel inside the report XML, so copy them out before you cancel anything.",1744,8,{"slug":31,"title":189,"seoTitle":190,"description":191,"date":192,"updated":10,"category":11,"pillar":12,"howto":12,"keywords":193,"tags":201,"related":204,"faq":205,"words":221,"minutes":222},"Desktop vs. Cloud Appraisal Software: Workfiles, Security and USPAP Record Keeping","Desktop vs. Cloud Appraisal Software | Carat","Desktop vs. cloud appraisal software: how each handles workfiles, backups, security and the USPAP Record Keeping Rule, and how to stay compliant.","2026-10-23",[194,195,196,128,197,198,199,200],"desktop vs cloud appraisal software","cloud appraisal software","web based appraisal software","uspap record keeping rule","appraisal software security","appraisal workfile backup","online appraisal software",[24,202,132,203],"USPAP","Security",[29,5,134],[206,209,212,215,218],{"q":207,"a":208},"Is cloud appraisal software compliant with USPAP?","USPAP doesn't approve software. It requires the appraiser to keep the workfile for the required period and to keep custody of it or have appropriate arrangements for retention, access and retrieval. Desktop or cloud, compliance depends on how you set it up.",{"q":210,"a":211},"How long do appraisers have to keep workfiles?","USPAP's Record Keeping Rule requires at least five years after preparation, or at least two years after final disposition of a judicial proceeding in which the appraiser testified, whichever is later. States can add their own requirements.",{"q":213,"a":214},"What happens to my reports if I cancel cloud appraisal software?","It depends on the vendor's terms. Before you sign up, ask whether you can export every report as XML and PDF at any time, including after cancelling, and keep your own copy regardless.",{"q":216,"a":217},"Is desktop appraisal software more secure than cloud?","Neither is automatically more secure. Desktop data is only as safe as the computer, its encryption and its backups. Cloud data depends on the vendor's security and your account practices, such as strong passwords and two-factor sign-in.",{"q":219,"a":220},"Can I store appraisal workfiles in Google Drive or Dropbox?","Many appraisers keep backups in a cloud storage account they own. USPAP doesn't name storage products. Make sure the files stay retrievable for the full retention period and that you protect confidential client information.",1376,6,1793082914888]