Backing up our data, we all know we should do it but it somehow always ends up at the bottom of that never ending To Do list. I’m really late, I’ll do it tomorrow, this proposal has to go out today, the system has never had any problems, the reasons it didn’t get done are endless. The time to learn that a backup is important is not when the system won’t start so you can’t check your appointments for the day or see if that prospective client has responded to the proposal you emailed them. It’s not when that project you worked late all week on is suddenly nowhere to be found. It’s not when the IRS has scheduled an audit and you arrive at work to find that someone has broken in and all your computer equipment is gone, along with the accounting data that was stored on it.

If you rely on your computer to conduct your work or even if you have all your precious photos stored on it, making sure that your system is backed up, and backed up properly should be at the top of your daily To Do list. A backup does not have to be time consuming or even a manual process but deciding what needs to be backed up, how often and how, does require some time, thought and expertise to ensure it is done correctly.

What Needs to Be Backed Up?

Is it irreplaceable or not easily replaced?  It could be your family photos, your accounting data or client contact information or sales history. If it is not easily replaceable and/or would cause financial or emotional hardship if not replaced then it needs to be backed up.

Do you have a lot of special programs and settings on your system? Would reinstalling the software and getting the settings correct be impossible or difficult and/or cause a significant loss of business productivity while being rebuilt? Then it needs to be backed up.