QuickBooks® Backup

It is very important that a regular program of backup be set up and rigorously followed. Without such a program, files may become damaged, corrupted, or lost in other ways. If such an event occurs, and you do not have backups, all your data will be lost and have to be re-entered from original paper documents.

QuickBooks has a built-in backup function. Use this to backup your company files.

1. For shorter-term backup and recovery from minor problems, frequent backups should be made to a separate directory on your hard disk. It is recommended that you do not work for more than one hour without making a backup to hard disk. Be sure this backup is in a different directory than your QuickBooks active files and programs.

2. For longer-term backup you should use floppy disks or other removable media such as tape or optical. A suggested program for floppy disk backup follows. If you have other, higher capacity media available, the backup program should be expanded.

A. If you use QuickBooks on a daily basis, for example for estimates, job costing, or billing, you should create a floppy disk backup daily. These daily backups should be kept on separate disks for at least one week (typically 5 disks).

B. Always do a weekly backup, preferably at the same time, such as every Friday evening. These weekly backups should be kept for two months (typically 8 disks).

C. Always do a monthly backup at the end of each month. Monthly backups should be kept for four months (typically 4 disks). Monthly backups should always be verified by doing a test restore.

D. Always do two annual backups. One before year-end adjustments, and one made after all adjustments have been made. These should be clearly labeled and kept permanently (at least 7 years). Annual backups should always be verified by doing a test restore.

This program entails keeping backups longer than seems absolutely necessary; but, floppy disks are not expensive and re-entering all your data will be. Also, just because you have made a backup does not necessarily mean that you will be able to restore the backup. Various factors can occur either immediately that result in a bad backup, or over time that degrade the backup. Be sure to store your backup disks in a safe place, where they will not be lost, stolen, or subject to harsh conditions.

QuickBooks will not restore a backup unless it is perfect and does not have any errors in it, so the availability of multiple backups is a very necessary and important ingredient in your overall QuickBooks program.

Our experience shows that you will need a backup of your QuickBooks data at some future date. Spend the time now to make backups. Don't wait until you lose your data, make a mistake and wipe out an important file, or have your hard drive fail (which every hard drive eventually does), then it's too late.

© Copyright 1999 Raymond S. Kulzick. All rights reserved. 99112699.