A local business data backup routine should answer three questions: what would you lose if this computer failed, where is the copy, and how would you restore it? A file labelled “backup” is only the first part of that process.
Orkely keeps the working database on your machine, so the backup routine is yours to run. The app provides the tools; it cannot decide how often your work changes or where a second copy should live.
Use the built-in backup, then add a routine
In Orkely, open Settings → Backup & Restore. The screen supports:
- Backup schedule: Off, Daily or Weekly. The schedule runs when you open Orkely, not on a Windows timer, so a machine that stays closed makes no backup.
- Destination folder: any folder you can write to. A synced Google Drive, OneDrive or Dropbox folder is a simple way to get the file off the PC.
- Backup now: one immediate copy, in addition to the schedule.
- Email backup: sends the same zip to an address you enter. This needs working SMTP settings.
The file is named orkely-backup-YYYY-MM-DD.zip. Running it again on the same day
replaces that day’s file, so keep older copies separately if you want a longer history.
Know what the backup contains
The zip contains the database: clients, projects, tasks, invoices, proposals, finance entries and settings. It does not contain uploaded files or your company logo. Those live in a separate storage folder. If attachments matter to the job, copy that folder alongside the database or upload the files again after a restore.
Do not assume the zip is a complete image of your PC. It is a backup of the business record, not of every source file, photograph or video project on the drive.
Choose a cadence you will actually keep
Daily is sensible if you invoice, record payments or add client work most days. Weekly can be enough for a quieter business, provided you also run Backup now before a significant event: a major update, a large batch of new records, or a computer replacement.
Keep at least one copy away from the machine. An external drive is fine; a synced folder is convenient. The important part is that the destination is documented and not the only place the working database lives.
Test a restore, not just a backup
A backup you have never restored is only a hope. Once a quarter, or before changing computers:
- Open Settings → Backup & Restore → Restore from Backup.
- Select the latest zip and confirm. Orkely saves a safety copy of the current database before replacing it.
- Restart Orkely when the restore finishes.
- Check a few known clients, recent invoices and representative attachments.
- Record the test date, backup date, app version and anything missing.
The safety copy means a wrong file does not destroy the data you already have. It is still worth testing with a copy you can afford to lose, rather than assuming the restore will behave.
Before you move to a new PC
Make a fresh backup, copy the separate storage folder for attachments and your logo, then install Orkely Free on the new machine and restore the database. If you own the Pro add-on, sign in to the Microsoft Store with the same account and click Check again. The full sequence is in the move-to-a-new-PC guide.
A backup routine is not version control and it is not a substitute for keeping the source files your production tools need. It is the minimum protection for the business record: who you worked for, what you agreed, what you billed and what was paid.