Data backup

Security copies (backups)

Banana Accounting lets you choose the support and the directory where to save the accounting file.  You can best organize your files on the local computer, the network computer or the cloud. It doesn't include a backup management system.

We advise you to create external backup copies to make up for any loss of data, for example due to a computer crash, hard disk defect or other causes.

• 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.

There are also other programs on the market that allow you to automatically create backup copies of your data.
 

.bak files

When the saving procedure is successful, Banana Accounting replaces the contents of the existing file with the most recent accounting data:

• The data are saved in a temporary file.
  The data saved on disk are replaced with the pre-existing data, only if the saving operation is completed correctly.
• The Create backup copy (.bak) option, from the Tools menu → Program Options command → File handling tab, is active by default, and renames the existing file with the same name, and adds the extension ".bak".
  A new file is created with the name "file name.ac2.bak" which contains the data before saving it.

If a file is corrupted, you can recover the version before saving it by opening the .bak file, by dragging and dropping it in Banana Accounting  or using the File menu → Open command.

Recovering data from a *.bak file

When for any reason you can't find your accounting file, you can recover it from the backup copy that the program automatically runs.

How to proceed:

• 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

Banana Accounting automatically creates and saves the work in a temporary file.  When you save or normally exit the program, this temporary file is deleted. If the computer should suddenly shut down, the data can be recovered using this file.
 

Damaged .ac2 file

Computers sometimes have technical problems or are infected by viruses. Sometimes documents sent by email arrive damaged. It is therefore always useful to have backup copies.
In case your files are damaged due to a technical error, our Support can verify, for a fee, whether data can be recovered.