Basecamp connector

Set up the Basecamp connector in Kaivo: authentication, configuration, the 5 BigQuery tables it syncs, and answers to common questions.

Written By Lauri Raivio

Last updated About 4 hours ago

Kaivo is a fully managed data platform that syncs your Basecamp data into a Google BigQuery warehouse and keeps it up to date automatically. There is no pipeline to build and no infrastructure to run, so you can spend your time analysing your project management data instead of moving it.

What is the Basecamp connector

Sync your Basecamp project data into BigQuery with Kaivo to report on tasks, schedules, and activity across your projects.

CategoryProject Management
StatusGenerally available
AuthenticationAPI key
SetupSelf-service

Getting started with the Basecamp connector

  1. Sign up for Kaivo and create a workspace.
  2. Connect your Basecamp account.
  3. Choose which tables to sync.
  4. Wait for the initial sync to finish.
  5. Query your data in BigQuery or your favourite AI or BI tool.

Authenticating Basecamp

Authenticate with your Basecamp credentials. You provide:

FieldDescription
Client ID

Client ID for your Basecamp integration. Register an app at 37signals Launchpad to get it.

Client secret

Client secret for your Basecamp integration, shown alongside the Client ID at 37signals Launchpad.

Refresh token

OAuth refresh token for your Basecamp integration, obtained by completing the OAuth authorization flow. See Basecamp's authentication docs.

Prerequisites

Basecamp uses OAuth, so you need your own Basecamp integration:

  1. Register an app at 37signals Launchpad for the Client ID and Client Secret (set any Redirect URI).
  2. Complete the OAuth authorization once to obtain a Refresh Token (see Basecamp's auth docs).
  3. Your Account ID is the number in your Basecamp URL.

Need help, or want an easier way to connect? Reach our team via the chat in the bottom-right corner.

Configuring the Basecamp connector

When you set up the connector, you provide:

FieldDescription
Account ID

Your Basecamp account ID — the number after the host in your Basecamp URL (e.g. 1234567 in https://3.basecamp.com/1234567/…).

Start Date

Any data before this date will not be fetched.

Tables and columns synced from Basecamp

Kaivo syncs 5 tables from Basecamp into a dedicated dataset in your BigQuery warehouse. Click any table to see its columns and types.

How the Basecamp sync works

After the first load, Kaivo keeps your BigQuery warehouse up to date for you. Where Basecamp supports it, each sync pulls only new and changed records so it stays fast; otherwise it refreshes the whole table. Every record keeps its original ID, so you won't get duplicate rows.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the initial sync take for Basecamp?

It depends on how much history is in your Basecamp account. Most initial syncs finish within minutes, while large accounts can take a few hours. After that, syncs only fetch new and changed records, so they're much faster.

Can I sync only some tables or columns?

Yes. You pick which tables to sync when you set up the connection and can change the selection later. Tables you don't select are never copied to your warehouse.

What happens when Basecamp's schema changes?

New fields are never added automatically. You choose which fields to sync, so data you haven't selected (sensitive personal data, for example) never lands in your warehouse. When a new field appears, it becomes available for you to add. What happens to removed or renamed fields depends on a table's sync mode: full-refresh tables always match what's currently in Basecamp, so dropped fields disappear, while incremental tables keep their existing columns and history, so an old field stays and newly added fields fill in over time.

How do I handle GDPR or data deletion requests?

Your data lives in your own Kaivo-managed BigQuery warehouse, so the most direct option is to delete or anonymise specific records right in BigQuery. If you delete data in Basecamp instead, full-refresh tables drop it on the next sync, while incremental tables keep it, so you would remove the row in BigQuery or ask us to run a full refresh. To remove everything, delete the Basecamp connector in Kaivo and all of its synced data is deleted with it.

Common use cases for Basecamp data

Project progress

Track todos against schedules to see what is on time and what is slipping.

Workload view

Group todos by project to understand where work is concentrated.

Schedule tracking

Use schedules and schedule_entries to monitor upcoming deadlines and milestones.

Activity reporting

Bring messages and todos together to report on project activity in one place.

Use Basecamp data in your AI and BI tools

Once Basecamp data lands in your Kaivo-managed BigQuery warehouse, you can explore it with AI tools or any BI tool that connects to BigQuery. Here's how the most common destinations work with Basecamp data.

Claude

Use Kaivo's MCP server to give Claude secure, workspace-scoped access to your data. Setup guide →

Power BI

Microsoft's BI tool with a native BigQuery connector. Supports direct query and scheduled refresh. Setup guide →

Data Studio

Free Google BI tool with native BigQuery support. One-click connection to your Kaivo warehouse; great for SMB teams on Google Workspace. Setup guide →

Tableau

The premium analytics standard, with native BigQuery integration. Setup guide →

Google Sheets

Use Connected Sheets to query BigQuery directly from a spreadsheet, with no SQL. Setup guide →

Excel

Connect via Power Query's BigQuery connector. Setup guide →

Metabase

Open-source BI tool with strong BigQuery support. Setup guide →

See our pricing page for Basecamp connector pricing and plan details.