While regular backups are an important part of any disaster recovery plan, not every file on your system is mission critical. It’s always good practice to back up your systems daily, but often that isn’t practical or doable. Whether because of financial or time constraints, full backups often have to be done less frequently.
So which files should you backup nightly? We have a list of 7 files that every business should be backing up on a daily basis.
1. Credit Card Transactions/ReceiptsBookkeeping and financial transaction records should be backed up daily. Many bookkeeping programs do this automatically, but be double sure. It may seem unnecessary since most transaction providers offer tracking and archiving, but it’s always best to have personal copies, just in case.
2. Updated Client Information FilesAny work performed for clients/customers should also be backed up nightly. Clients might be forgiving of small delays, but losing client information is a sure way to shake their confidence. A reputation as being unreliable with client data can be difficult and costly to undo.
3. Invoicing, Billing, Receivables and PayablesLosing any of these files could easily cause your business to miss a payment you owe, or worse a payment owed you. The former can lead to blemishes on your business credit, while the latter can cause you to lose significant amounts of money owed to your business.
4. Personnel Files and PayrollAny personnel files that have been changed, updated, added, or removed since the previous backup should be backed up. Doing so is much simpler than having to go back later and adjust payroll on a check that has already gone out, or unfiring someone who was "absent" because their vacation schedule got erased.
5. CommunicationsEmails, phone calls, voice mails, text messages, and other corporate communications change often, and need to be updated daily. Not doing so can risk losing critical instructions, communications, notes, etc.
6. Project ManagementIf your company relies on project management software, be sure to update it daily to avoid duplicate work, missed deadlines, or whole projects falling through the cracks. The more you count on your project management to guide your daily activities, the more important it is to back up daily.
7. Other Frequently Updated FilesThis is a catchall if you still have space or time to add more data to your daily backup. This can include documents that are frequently changed, appointments, calendars, schedules, meeting notes, and other files which can vary significantly from one week to the next.
