Bookkeeper automatically saves your data each time you complete a transaction, so you never need to save the company file. However, you can back up your data and restore it from the backup file.

It is always a good idea to back up your data. It's best to back up your Bookkeeper information daily. Save the backup on removable media, so that you can restore the information if you have a problem with your computer.

Bookkeeper reminds you to back up your data if you haven’t done so in the previous 30 days (or another specified time period).

Creating a Backup

You can select a primary and secondary location for saving your backup file. At least one of these locations should be on a disk other than the hard drive where Bookkeeper is installed. It’s best to save a backup on removable media.

To back up your data:

  1. Choose Utilities > Backup/Restore Database. 
  2. In the message box, click Yes. 
  3. In the Database Backup & Restore dialog box, if necessary, click the Backup tab. 
  4. If you wish, rename the default file name for the backup file.
     The file name for the backup file is designed for creating multiple backup files. The first part of the name identifies the file as a Bookkeeper backup file. The other two parts are date and time stamps, which give the backup file a unique name each time you create a backup.
  5. To specify the primary location, click Browse. In the Browse for Folder dialog box, select the drive or folder for the backup file. Click OK. 
  6. To specify a secondary location, click Browse. In the Browse for Folder dialog box, select the drive or folder for the backup file. Click OK. 
  7. To back up your Bookkeeper data, click Start. 

Restoring from a Backup File

You can restore data from any Bookkeeper backup file.

To restore your data from a backup file:

  1. Choose Utilities > Backup/Restore Database. 
  2. In the message box, click Yes. 
  3. In the Database Backup & Restore dialog box, click the Restore tab. 
  4. To restore from a backup file saved in the primary location, click Primary Location.
    To restore from a backup file saved in the secondary location, click Secondary Location.
     To restore from a backup file moved to another location, click Other Location.
  5. In the Bookkeeper Database Backup File dialog box, locate and select the backup file to use for restoring. 
  6. Click Open. 
  7. To restore the data, click Start. 
  8. In the message that appears after restoring the data, click OK. 
  9. In the Database Backup & Restore dialog box, click Close. 
  10. To view the restored data, restart Bookkeeper and enter your password.