Backing up and restoring company files

Backing up is the copying of a company file to some form of storage medium, such as a CD, different hard disk or other media. You can use the backup function in your AccountEdge software to create a compressed archive file with a .sit extension that takes up less space.

The Restore command closes the company file you’re currently using, decompresses a backup file so you can use it, and then opens the backup file.

caution : Single-user access required

[AccountEdge Network Edition only] Making a backup file requires single-user access. For more information, see ‘Single-user file locking for special tasks’.

Backing up to Dropbox account

If you want, you can back up your company file to your Dropbox account. This offers you an offsite backup option.

You can back up and restore your company file to Dropbox from the File menu or when you are prompted to back up your file, for example, when you close your company file.

Note that, if you back up to Dropbox, you will not be able to change the file name. The file name will use the default backup file name (for example, ‘Backup MM-DD-YY Company Name.sit’).

Precautions when backing up

Avoid common mistakes that can cause you to lose backups of company files:

■

Take care when backing up multi-user company files [AccountEdge Network Edition only]. If multiple users access a company file, you need to back up the company file on the host computer—including custom forms, letters and spreadsheet templates you have created. You can then copy the updated templates to each workstation and ensure the latest versions are used.

When you do a full backup, ensure that the most recent versions of custom forms and templates are backed up.

■	Don’t store backups on the same hard disk as the currently used company file. A single disaster can wipe out all your records.

■	Make separate backups. A disk failure can corrupt your data in such a way that you may not notice it during a session. If you accidentally copy some corrupted data over your previous backup file, that backup is no longer valid.

Without a valid backup, you would need to re‑create your company file. You can reduce the risk by making separate backups to protect your company data—for example, at the end of each business day.

■	Store backups off site. Store monthly and yearly backups in a safe place, preferably away from your office. Except for daily rotational backups, do not re-use media.

To make a backup of your company file

1	Go to the File menu and choose Backup. The Company File Backup window appears.

caution : If the backup process does not work

When you installed your AccountEdge software, special software needed for the backup process was also installed. If a message appears when you try to use the Backup command, this software may have been removed from the location where it needs to exist. You may need to re-install your AccountEdge software to use this feature. Alternatively, you can contact Support for help.

2	Select the type of backup you want.

■	If you want to back up your company file and templates, click Back up all data.

■	If you want to back up only your company file, click Backup Company File only.

3	Choose whether to check your company file for errors before making your backup by selecting one of the options.

For more information about checking your company file for errors, see ‘Checking your company file for errors’.

note : Maintaining data integrity

Check for errors so that if you need to revert to a backup, data integrity is ensured.

4	Select a location option for your backup:

■	To back up to your local disk, to different hard disk or to other media (such as a zip disk), select To a Disk.

■	To back up to a Dropbox account, select To Dropbox. Note that before you can back up to Dropbox, you must have a free Dropbox account through dropbox.com. For more information about free Dropbox accounts, see dropbox.com.

5	Click Continue.

6	If you selected the Do not check Company File for errors option, the Back Up window appears. Go to step 8 below.

7	If you selected the Check Company File for errors option, the verification process may take several minutes.

When the verification process has finished, click OK in the window that appears. (Note that this window appears whether or not errors have been found in the company file.)

The Save window appears.

8	Specify where you want to store the backup file.

A default filename is assigned.

Default filename

further details

Backup dd-mm-yyyy filename.sit

•	dd-mm-yyyy is the date from your computer’s clock

•	filename is your company file name

•	.sit is the file extension and cannot be changed.

9	[Optional] You can change the name of the backup file.

Note that you need to name all your backups with enough information to tell you when they are from and where you were up to in data entry—for example, ‘Wednesday, 12.05.08’ or ‘Backup as of 12.05.08’.

10	Click Save. The backup process begins.

11	If you are storing the backup file on a removable storage device, label all your backups with enough information to tell you when they were done and where you were up to in data entry—for example, ‘Wednesday, 11.05.08’ or ‘Backup as of 11.05.08’.

To restore from a disk

You can restore either from a disk or from MobileMe.

1	Go to the File menu, choose Restore and then choose the From a Disk option. The Open window appears.

note :

If the backup file is on a removable disk, insert the disk into the disk drive.

2	Locate the backup file you want to restore, select it and click Open. The Choose a Folder window appears.

3	Select the destination folder for the restored company file.

4	Click Choose. A message appears showing the file name and location of the company file.

5	Click OK. The Sign-on window appears.

When you restore a file that has not been activated, the Company File Activation window appears. If you do not need to enter transactions into the restored file, click I want to mark this file as Read Only and then click Continue to open the file in read-only mode. If later you need to activate the read-only file, go to the Help menu and choose Activate Company File.

note : Restoring from a CD or a DVD

If you are restoring a backup file from a CD or a DVD, the file will be read-only. To read data from the file, you need to change the file’s attributes. To do so, locate the restored file using Finder and click the file to select it. From the File menu, click Get Info and deselect the Locked option.

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