KeepTrace vs spreadsheets & screenshots
The manual fallback: reps screenshot the important texts and paste notes into a sheet. It captures something — but only what someone remembers to save, after the fact, which is exactly what falls apart under a dispute.
| KeepTrace | spreadsheets & screenshots | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reps text from a shared team number (not personal cells) | ✓ | — | No shared number — still texting from personal phones. |
| Every customer message timestamped and kept | ✓ | ~ | Only the messages someone chose to screenshot. |
| Searchable record of what was agreed | ✓ | ~ | Search is whatever the sheet happens to contain. |
| One-click export for a dispute or audit | ✓ | — | No true export of the original thread. |
| The record survives a rep leaving | ✓ | ~ | Survives only if it was logged before the rep left. |
| Consent / opt-out is tracked | ✓ | — | No consent tracking. |
| Works alongside your CRM | ✓ | — | Manual copy-paste, if at all. |
✓ = yes · ~ = partial · — = no. A general comparison of how each fits keeping a defensible record of customer texts; spreadsheets & screenshots may be the right tool for other jobs. General information, not legal advice.
Give your reps one number — keep every word
KeepTrace captures every customer text from a shared team number — timestamped, searchable, and yours to export in seconds if a dispute or audit ever lands.
See how it works →Updated August 2026