Regular backups are essential to protect your QuickBooks company files. SmartVault recommends backing up your company file at least once a day to ensure your data is safe. For added security, you can configure SmartVault to automatically back up your company file whenever you close it.
Note
The time it takes to back up a company file can vary based on its size, Internet speed, and the current server load at SmartVault's data center. Depending on these factors, backups could take several minutes or more.
Before You Start
Before you back up a QuickBooks company file, make sure:
- The file is not currently open or being used by another user.
- The file has been added to SmartVault.
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You have the correct permissions to back up the company file:
- If the file was shared using the Manage Group Members option, you must be a member of the Vault Managers group or have Full Access to the vault.
- If the file was shared using the Share & Manage Access option, you must have Full Access.
How to Back Up QuickBooks Company Files
To backup QuickBooks company files:
- Install the SmartVault Desktop software on all necessary computers in your environment where employees use SmartVault tools like the Inbox, Mapped Drive, and Toolbar.
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Sign in to SmartVault using the SmartVault Desktop software.
- Open the SmartVault Launchpad, and click Sign in.
- When prompted, enter your email and password to sign in.
- On the SmartVault Launchpad, click Back Up QuickBooks data.
- Select each vault that you want to back up.
- Select the Keep forever checkbox to keep the backup in SmartVault indefinitely.
Note
By default, SmartVault conserves disk space by deleting old backup files to make room for new ones. Files marked with Keep forever will only be deleted if you manually remove them later.
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Name your backup (optional): If you want to specify a unique name for the backup file, enter a name in the Backup Name field.
Tip
SmartVault automatically names backups using the format
Backup Year_Month_Day. You can customize it to something more descriptive, like "2022 Year-End Backup". - Click Backup. SmartVault displays a status bar showing that each selected company file is backed up. Once complete, the Backup window automatically closes.