Importance of Backing Up Data
It is essential to make regular back-up copies of your data, to protect yourself from the loss of valuable data due to any of the following:-
- Power failure
- Hardware failure/loss
- Operator error
- Other accidental damage, burglery, etc.
In an ideal situation at least one set of back-up copies should be kept at the computer site in a fire-resistant cabinet, and another set away from the site so that fire, flood, theft or any other natural disaster will not destroy the data.
When is it vital to backup?
Whenever you have entered more information than you would be prepared to RE-ENTER, should anything go wrong.
For Example:
At Year End, at month end and after running every payroll.
Guidelines for backing up:
- Use good quality backing up media - see below for Farmplan's recommendation
- Store back-ups in a safe place
We recommend that you keep a minimum of THREE backup copies of your data and rotate them. This means that you will always have two historical, out of date copies from which data can be recovered if necessary.
The GRANDFATHER, FATHER, SON principle highlights the objective of always keeping three backups in rotation, copying over the oldest backup each time.
The copying procedure above can be followed with Media Disks labelled A, B and C,
The same principle can be adopted when making hard disk (C://) backups by creating three folders called A, B and C under your main Earnie Backup folder.
Farmplan recommends.... the Compact Flash Cards Media Reader/Writer as a new high speed capacity solution to backing up and transferring data. Click here for more info >>
It is important to make a copy immediately before processing the month end - keep that copy for 3 months.
It is absolutely vital that you take at least one copy before you run the year end and this copy should be kept safely for at least 5 years.
To back-up:
- Go to the option 'File' and 'Backup/Restore'.
- Take the option to 'Backup Company Data'.
- Either enter the location of the backup in the 'Backup to' box or click in this box and select 'Browse' at the bottom of the screen to find the location that you wish to put the backup.
- Clicking on 'Save' will save this location as a default. Click on 'Backup' to actually make a backup at this location.
For more help on Earnie Payroll call our Adviceline team on 01594 545022 or email us at support@farmplan.co.uk.
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