Make a native Square export
In Square Dashboard, open your Item Library and use Actions → Export Library. Square supports Excel and CSV exports and recommends saving a distinct copy before making changes so you have a pre-change reference if an import causes problems or information loss.
Use Square's current item import and export instructions, because templates and required fields can change.
Store each export so it remains useful
- Include the date, environment, and reason in the filename, such as 2026-07-29-before-summer-price-update.xlsx.
- Keep the original file unchanged and edit only a copy.
- Record who initiated the change and which locations it should affect.
- Export again after the change and verify prices, variations, taxes, modifiers, and location availability.
Know what the native safeguards cover
Square's archive feature preserves an item's data when you choose archive instead of delete. Its stock-adjustment history concerns quantity changes and is available for certain Square plans. Neither is a complete field-by-field timeline of every Item Library setup change.
What CatalogTrail adds
CatalogTrail records supported Item Library versions after you connect Square, groups changes into readable item histories, and retains the last recorded details of deleted items. It is useful when a manual export was forgotten or when you need to understand what changed between two recorded versions.