Your data is with you.
Protect its future.

A copy only helps if it works

A backup helps recover information after an error, failure or loss of a computer. To be useful, it must contain a consistent database copy that can be restored. Simply seeing a file is not enough to verify it.

Use the backup procedure offered by your version. For a manual copy, close the software and make sure all users have left the database, or follow a procedure explicitly compatible with an open database.

Several copies cover several risks

• Keep a working copy and several dated backups.
• Use a medium separate from the main drive.
• Keep an offline copy in another suitable location.
• Restrict access to copies: they also contain customer data.

A permanently connected drive may be affected by the same incident as the PC. Rotating media and keeping an offline copy reduce that risk. Choose frequency based on how much work you could accept re-entering after an incident.

Test restoration without touching the live database

Restore a copy in a test environment and check a few contacts, notes and appointments. Make sure the files and procedure match your software version. Do not overwrite the live database just to test.

Document backup locations, the responsible person and restoration steps. A short checklist becomes valuable when an incident occurs at an inconvenient time.

Planned improvements remain clearly identified