If “Backup of Data” option will be available in upcoming Version.
So right now data for Tax Cycle is placed on Server or Local Machine, but a lot of Tax Preparer has local machines, and in case of emergency like Virus attack can stuck everything.
If an option to Backup of data on Removable Media and Cloud is provided will be a Super Add On.
As well as a Restore Option must be so that a normal computer user can also handle this.
There are many backup programs available (some free) that will do this for you and also backup other valuable data on your computers. I have a backup system already and wouldn’t need TaxCycle to provide me with this option but I’m not saying that some might not find it useful.
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The Way You use Backup could be Ok, but I was suggesting for Backup of Data like other software use, e.g. Quick Books use Backup and restore, so if an option for backup of data to External Drive or Cloud is available then it would be more easy to Restore and to Archive.
I have two automated backup systems and don’t need TaxCycle to this for me.
I don’t see the need for Taxcycle to be involved in backup.
Every business office should back up ALL of their data securely, not just Taxcycle files.
While backup provided by TaxCycle might be tempting, proper - versioned - backups are inexpensive and far more suitable for restoration of data impacted by malware. A one-time backup created that is a simple point-in-time picture is relatively useless during tax season when things change moment by moment.
Investment in a Continuous Data Backup program of which there are any number (Acronis, CrashPlan Pro eg) is minimal and provides superior coverage.
Alternatively, work on a remote server (say Azure) and clone to another one regularly (Veeam or otherwise).
Backup is not a tax program’s responsibility - it is the practitioner’s. Ditto for accounting files etc.
I agree - backup all your files using your own system/app whatever. Adding a redundant backup to Taxcycle would only increase the cost of the program and serve no real purpose.
Hi Kevin,
Can you please kindly recommend any back up software to cloud, that does automatic backups? Free?
I mostly work on the cloud, but keep a few files on my desktop that would like to backup.
Thanks in advance.
Sincerely,
Gabriel.
I have, in the past, used EaseUS Todo Backup and FBackup. Both, as I recall, worked for backing up from a single computer to a USB connected backup drive. I haven’t used those programs in a few years, though.
I have a Synology NAS that gets backed-up automatically but I have a secondary backup just for copying data files to a USB drive each day. I switch the drives each day, bringing one home with me. It is run using the Windows Robocopy command-line utility (short for Robust File Copy). I have a batch file that contains the backup commands. That batch file is run each day at a specific time through the Windows Task Scheduler. It’s free but you have to be a bit techie to setup that kind of system. For me, though, it works perfectly.
I work quite a bit in the cloud but would not want to lose what I have in my hard drives. I pay $25 per month to have incremental backups done several times per day to the cloud as well as to an external hard drive. All of my customers’ QBO files are backed up as changes take place at a cost or $5 per company per month by Rewind. My office is in my home so Kevin’s system wouldn’t work that well for me and I am no techie.
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The best backup system is one that works. $25 a month is a small price to pay for that security. With any backup system, just periodically make sure that it is actually backing up properly. I’ve seen a few cases where people thought they were backing up their files but found out too late that it wasn’t working properly.
I go on faith - I am not a techie so don’t really know how to determine that the backup is working the way it should.
But if it would be part of Tax Cycle Software like other software to backup Settings and data and then restore it anywhere.
Everyone is not techie, I can play around with it, but my idea was to add Backup and restore feature to Tax cycle software for those who are not techie and with a simple add on feature anyone can take backup of Settings/Options and data as well,
Other Option which I am using is QNAP- NAS since 2011 and its perfect and has tremendous features with apps, and work as file server, and comes in range to manage easily as SOHO.
and no need free or purchase of UN-managed backup and restore.
Because TaxCycle has only two things to backup Options & Data
Hi Kevin,
Thanks for your detailed response.
I also found that google drive offer automatic backups free (syncing files in your desktop with the cloud) --> https://www.google.com/drive/download/backup-and-sync/ You have to download the backup and sync and select which directories in your computer you would like to backup.
It works for me.
Understanding backups - This is a summary prepared by me to waive off doing taxes for a little bit. May not necessarily be correct.
Backups may be classed as:
- Sync’d backup
- Versioned backup
- On-site vs off-site
- Shielded backups
Everything else is a variation of these.
Sync’d backups means that what you do in one spot is copied to another spot. Usually immediately. May or may not have versioning activated. Examples include Google Drive, and Carbonite. Great to protect against corruption, IF VERSIONING or TRASH RECOVERY is available. Google Drive offers Trash recovery. Carbonite offers versioning.
Versioning means that you can recover to an earlier version. This is useful if you are attempting to recover from a bad decision or a virus attack. You can recover the work from prior to problem, if the earlier data is protected against being over-written (I.e. not on-site or at least isolated from the machines which are open to attack.) Example of this is Carbonite. Google Drive does not offer versioning (as far as I know and will be affected by a virus attack/file lockdown attack.)
On-Site vs. Off-site - On Site means cheaper and faster recovery, but with the draw back that if your physical space is attacked (fire, theft), then you are not protected. Off-site is more robust as you will be able to recover data once you rebuild your main setup.
Shielded backups is a hybrid approach to on/off site where an on-site server is not directly accessible to the main working computers, perhaps using a SAN with a NAS having dual network cards. This is fairly sophisticated though and an off-site solution may turn out cheaper in the short term.
I was wondering, are we allowed to store our data on non-Canadian servers and is the date encrypted on Carbonite or Google Drive?
I would recommend sync.com for a cloud backup service that uses Canadian servers and is very secure and reasonably priced.
@Rein - using servers based in the US opens them up to the Patriot Act. The US government (all branches) have the right to open all files on all servers on US soil without even letting the owner of the data know.
PIPEDA (our Canadian privacy act) states that all electronic data that includes personally identifiable information is to be stored in a manner that is not accessible by unauthorized means.
Pretty much says “Make Canada Great” to me!
Also Canadian, versioned and relatively simple to administer (and reasonably priced):
Uses the Acronis engine. Have successfully used it for a couple of years now on a variety of machines, local, cloud-based and mobile, and multiple operating systems. Full backup, versioned or system state available. Recommended.
(I’ve never used Sync so can’t compare.)