> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://usepike.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How sync works

> When Pike syncs with connected systems: the first import, scheduled sync every 3 hours, real-time sync on Enterprise, refresh, and sync issues.

Pike syncs every connected system on a schedule, every 3 hours on every plan. On the Enterprise plan, changes sync in real time. Anything a person sends from Pike on purpose, such as an invoice sent to your accounting system, goes straight away on every plan.

## At a glance

| | |
| - | - |
| **First import** | **Import data** on the integration page, run once after you connect |
| **Scheduled sync** | Every 3 hours, on every plan |
| **Real-time sync** | On the Enterprise plan, changes sync within seconds of being saved in either system |
| **Sent by a person** | Straight away, on every plan |
| **One record now** | **Refresh** on the record |
| **Everything now** | **Sync now** on the integration page |

## The first import

After you connect, click **Import data** on the integration page. The import runs entities in dependency order, so customers import before the projects, invoices and time that reference them. A progress stepper shows each entity as it finishes. The stepper skips entities whose **Read** toggle is off and names them, with a link to sync settings.

During the import Pike matches records that already exist in Pike before it creates new ones. Each integration page describes its matching rules under **Matching and duplicates**.

## Scheduled sync

Once records are linked, Pike checks the other system for changes every 3 hours and applies them to the linked records. Automatic changes in Pike that the other system receives, such as a renamed project, go out on the same schedule.

The top of the integration page shows the schedule:

| Label | What it shows |
| - | - |
| **Last synced** | When the last sync finished, and whether it had issues |
| **Next sync** | When the next scheduled sync starts |
| **Sync now** | Starts a full sync straight away. The schedule restarts from that sync |

Each sync only fetches what changed since the last one.

## Real-time sync on Enterprise

On the Enterprise plan, changes sync in real time. The other system notifies Pike when a record changes, and Pike applies the change within seconds. Changes in Pike go out the same way. The integration page shows **Real-time** in place of **Next sync**.

Pike still runs a scheduled check every 3 hours on Enterprise, to catch any change a notification missed. **Last synced** shows the most recent change applied.

## Actions sent by a person

Some actions send a record on purpose, for example **Send to QuickBooks** on an invoice, **Send to Danløn** on a closed pay period, or **Create in Jira** on a task. These go straight away on every plan, and the record shows the result as soon as the other system responds.

## Refresh one record

Every synced record shows the integration's marker, **Last synced** with a time, and a **Refresh** action. **Refresh** fetches the latest version of that record from the other system now. It shows only while **Read** is on for that entity.

```mermaid theme={"system"}
sequenceDiagram
  participant Other as Other system
  participant Pike
  participant You
  Other->>Pike: Change saved
  alt Enterprise plan
    Pike->>Pike: Apply within seconds
  else Every other plan
    Pike->>Pike: Apply on the next sync
  end
  You->>Pike: Refresh on a record
  Pike->>Other: Fetch the record
  Other-->>Pike: Latest version
  Pike-->>You: Record updated, Last synced now
```

## Sync settings

The **What syncs with** card on each integration page lists every entity with a **Read** toggle (into Pike) and, where the other system supports it, a **Send** toggle (out of Pike). Toggles save immediately and apply from the next sync. Turning **Read** off stops updates for that entity and keeps the records already imported.

## Sync issues

A record that fails to sync appears in **Sync issues** on the integration page, with the record, the reason and a **Retry** action. Common reasons are a missing required field, a record locked in the other system, or a permission the connected user does not have. Pike retries failed records on every scheduled sync. Workspace admins receive an email when a sync has new issues.

## Deletes

An integration never deletes Pike data. A record deleted in the other system is marked **Removed in** with the system's name, stays in Pike with its history, and stops syncing.

## Migration integrations

Harvest, Toggl Track, Clockify, Deltek WorkBook and Deltek Ajera import your history when you switch to Pike. Each has a **Keep syncing** toggle, off by default. When it is on, new records and time import on the same schedule as every other integration, or in real time on Enterprise, so teams can switch over one at a time.

## Integrations that do not sync records

| Integration type | When it happens |
| - | - |
| Slack and Microsoft Teams notifications | The moment the event happens in Pike |
| Files and embeds (Google Drive, SharePoint, OneDrive, Dropbox, Figma, Loom) | Opened live from the source when you view them |
| SCIM provisioning | The moment your identity provider sends the change |
| Open API, MCP, Zapier, Make, n8n and Power Automate | Triggers and webhooks fire the moment the event happens |

## Related

* [How integrations work](https://usepike.com/docs/integrations/index.md): What integrations do and how to set one up.
* [Permissions and access](https://usepike.com/docs/integrations/permissions-and-access.md): Who connects and who sees synced data.


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