# FR: export / import flows WITH the username and password - when they are ENV VARs
**URL:** https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fr-export-import-flows-with-the-username-and-password-when-they-are-env-vars/63602
**Category:** Feature Requests
**Created:** [8 June 2022 08:10 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fr-export-import-flows-with-the-username-and-password-when-they-are-env-vars/63602 "2022-06-08T08:10:50Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@HoussemLajili](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/HoussemLajili)
#### Post date: [8 June 2022 08:10 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fr-export-import-flows-with-the-username-and-password-when-they-are-env-vars/63602/1 "2022-06-08T08:10:50Z")
username and password are lost when export / import even though they are ENV VARs
Could this be supported?
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### Author:  [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)
#### Post date: [8 June 2022 08:14 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fr-export-import-flows-with-the-username-and-password-when-they-are-env-vars/63602/2 "2022-06-08T08:14:50Z")
@HoussemLajili this is the same for **all nodes** using credentials (not simply MSSQL). Please update your title and description.
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### Author:  [@TotallyInformation](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/TotallyInformation)
#### Post date: [8 June 2022 08:59 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fr-export-import-flows-with-the-username-and-password-when-they-are-env-vars/63602/3 "2022-06-08T08:59:17Z")
That is, as I understand it, a deliberate design choice. It ensures that you don't accidentally reveal sensitive information when exporting flows. It is a very sensible position.
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### Author:  [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)
#### Post date: [8 June 2022 09:03 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fr-export-import-flows-with-the-username-and-password-when-they-are-env-vars/63602/4 "2022-06-08T09:03:15Z")
Julian, the point the OP is trying to make is when they export a flow with credentials set to (for example) `${EMAIL_USERNAME}` or `${EMAIL_PASSWORD}` they are not exported
Exporting credential fields when they are env vars do not pose (a direct) risk & the OP is asking could this be permitted.
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### Author:  [@TotallyInformation](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/TotallyInformation)
#### Post date: [8 June 2022 09:48 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fr-export-import-flows-with-the-username-and-password-when-they-are-env-vars/63602/5 "2022-06-08T09:48:00Z")
> [@Steve-Mcl](#):
>
> Exporting credential fields when they are env vars do not pose (a direct) risk & the OP is asking could this be permitted.
Hmm, good point. Though I'm not entirely sure I would agree. I'd need to give it some more thought. But I would say that, despite the fact that many people use them this way, environment variables are not really secure since they are very easily intercepted in-memory.
Perhaps more importantly, how would Node-RED differentiate and would the differentiation be robust enough?
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### Author:  [@dceejay](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/dceejay)
#### Post date: [9 June 2022 05:41 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fr-export-import-flows-with-the-username-and-password-when-they-are-env-vars/63602/6 "2022-06-09T05:41:51Z")
Yes with passwords often needing to include special characters a password ${mypassword} is indeed a possibility
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### Author:  [@SandeepA](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/SandeepA)
#### Post date: [10 June 2022 12:59 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fr-export-import-flows-with-the-username-and-password-when-they-are-env-vars/63602/7 "2022-06-10T12:59:11Z")
@HoussemLajili
Please refer to this discussion
> [@FR - export the placeholders for user/password](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fr-export-the-placeholders-for-user-password/59367):
>
> Hi , Background :- We have multiple environments and we are developing flows and once the development finishes - we send them for QA. We are using ENV variables to set the config of MSSQL node - so that the DB connection can be defined per environment without having to touch the flow itself. While deploying to each environment , while the process of deployment is automated - what we are finding is - every time someone needs to manually insert the user/password to the mssql contrib config node…
I think its precisely your ask as well.
This was in context of MSSQL Node .
The recommendation was to move the cred file along with flows.json.
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### Author:  [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [9 August 2022 12:59 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fr-export-import-flows-with-the-username-and-password-when-they-are-env-vars/63602/8 "2022-08-09T12:59:35Z")
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