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Security copies (backups)
Banana Accounting allows users to freely choose the storage medium and directory where the accounting file is saved. Files can be organized on a local computer, network, or cloud storage. However, the program does not include an automatic backup management system.
To prevent data loss due to unforeseen events (computer crashes, hard drive failures, etc.), it is recommended to regularly create external backup copies.
Backup tips:
- For Mac use the "Time machine" function.
- For Windows use the "File History" function.
- Dropbox, OneDrive, iCloud, Google Drive offer the possibility to keep previous versions of your files.
.bak files
The standard format for Banana Accounting files is the .ac2 format. When you save your .ac2 file and the save operation is successful, Banana Accounting:
- Replaces the content of the existing file with the updated accounting data.
- Automatically creates a .bak file with the previous data, but not from the most recent save.
Save operation behavior:
- The data is saved in a temporary file.
- If the save operation is successful:
- The original .ac2 file is renamed by adding the ".bak" extension to the filename.
- Any existing ".bak" file is deleted.
- The new data is saved in the .ac2 file.
The .bak file represents the state of the accounting data at the moment the file is first opened during the current session, even if subsequent saves are made. The goal is to preserve the file as it was before it was opened.
The Create backup copy (.bak) option is enabled by default, but it can be disabled from the menu Tools > Program Options > File Handling
Recovering data from a *.bak file
Important: to update your accounting, only use the file with the ".ac2" extension and do not open the file with the ".bak" extension, otherwise it will be overwritten and all recent changes will be lost. Use it only to recover data.
Recommended recovery procedure:
- Locate the ".bak" file using the File Manager
- Rename the ".bak" file by removing the ".bak" extension, leaving only ".ac2"
- Open the renamed file with Banana Accounting
If the file does not appear in the folder:
- Open the folder where the accounting file is located.
- Open the file with the extension .bak. If it does not appear in the folder, select File type> All files (*.*) in the window below.
- Once the file is opened, save it as a file. Usually it is given the same name as the lost file.
Automatic saving
While in use, Banana Accounting automatically saves changes to a temporary file.
- When the program is closed or a manual save is performed, the temporary file is deleted.
- In case of an unexpected computer shutdown, the program will offer to recover unsaved data upon restart.
This feature can be customized from the menu Tools > Program Options > File Management by specifying how often the recovery information should be saved (default: every minute).
Damaged .ac2 file
Events such as hardware failures, viruses, or errors in file transmission via email can damage documents.
- It is always advisable to have backup copies.
- If a file is damaged, our Support Service can evaluate, for a fee, the possibility of recovering the data.