What Every Business Should Know
If your business runs on Sage ERP, your financial and operational data is some of the most important information you have: customer records, invoices, payroll, inventory, job details and years of financial history.
Now imagine your server fails tomorrow. Or someone deletes important data, a hard drive goes bad, ransomware locks your files, or a software issue leaves Sage unavailable when your team needs it most.
A good backup and disaster recovery plan is what gets you through those moments, and you don't need to be an IT expert to put the basics in place.
Here are some important backup and data recovery tips every business should know.
Now imagine your server fails tomorrow. Or someone deletes important data, a hard drive goes bad, ransomware locks your files, or a software issue leaves Sage unavailable when your team needs it most.
A good backup and disaster recovery plan is what gets you through those moments, and you don't need to be an IT expert to put the basics in place.
Here are some important backup and data recovery tips every business should know.
Backup and Disaster Recovery Are Not the Same Thing
Backup and disaster recovery are related, but they solve different problems. A backup is a copy of your data. Disaster recovery is your plan for getting systems, data and people working again after something goes wrong.
A backup is a great start, but it won't help much if it sits on the same server that failed, hasn't run in months, or can't actually be restored.
Here are some key differences between backup and recovery objectives:
A backup is a great start, but it won't help much if it sits on the same server that failed, hasn't run in months, or can't actually be restored.
Here are some key differences between backup and recovery objectives:
What Should You Back Up?
The answer depends on your Sage product and environment, but the goal is to capture everything you would need to restore, not just a copy of your company data.
For Sage 100, Sage recommends regularly backing up company data, system files and program files. Sage also recommends full backups rather than incremental ones and advises backing up the relevant Sage directories rather than only individual company data folders.
For Sage 50, your backup may also need to include archived companies and attachments, depending on how your business uses the software.
The important thing is to know exactly what you would need to restore if you lost access to your Sage environment.
For Sage 100, Sage recommends regularly backing up company data, system files and program files. Sage also recommends full backups rather than incremental ones and advises backing up the relevant Sage directories rather than only individual company data folders.
For Sage 50, your backup may also need to include archived companies and attachments, depending on how your business uses the software.
The important thing is to know exactly what you would need to restore if you lost access to your Sage environment.
How Often Should You Back Up Sage?
The right schedule comes down to two questions: how much work could we afford to lose, and how long could we afford to be down? Disaster recovery planning has names for both.
Recovery Point Objective (RPO)
RPO is how much data you can afford to lose. If you back up Sage once a week and your server fails Friday afternoon, you could lose several days of transactions. If your RPO is four hours, backups need to run at least that often.
Recovery Time Objective (RTO)
RTO is how long you can afford to be down. An RTO of four hours means you need a plan for getting employees working again within about four hours.
For example, if your Sage server fails at 2 p.m., you might decide you need data recovered through at least 10 a.m. and your team back at work by 6 p.m. Those two numbers shape everything else: how often backups run, where they're stored and how quickly you can restore them.
Many businesses that use Sage daily start with daily backups, while those with high transaction volumes or low tolerance for data loss may need more frequent protection.
Recovery Point Objective (RPO)
RPO is how much data you can afford to lose. If you back up Sage once a week and your server fails Friday afternoon, you could lose several days of transactions. If your RPO is four hours, backups need to run at least that often.
Recovery Time Objective (RTO)
RTO is how long you can afford to be down. An RTO of four hours means you need a plan for getting employees working again within about four hours.
For example, if your Sage server fails at 2 p.m., you might decide you need data recovered through at least 10 a.m. and your team back at work by 6 p.m. Those two numbers shape everything else: how often backups run, where they're stored and how quickly you can restore them.
Many businesses that use Sage daily start with daily backups, while those with high transaction volumes or low tolerance for data loss may need more frequent protection.
Keep Backups Separate and Protected
If your Sage data and your only backup sit on the same server, a hardware failure, fire or theft can take out both. Sage recommends storing Sage 100 backups separately from the server running Sage and notes that disconnected or off-site storage adds protection against ransomware.
For Sage 50, Sage recommends saving automatic backups outside the company folder and periodically copying them to an off-site location or external drive.
Ransomware raises the stakes. A backup that the same attack can reach and encrypt won't help you recover, so your backups need their own access controls and storage protections, separate from production.
Retention matters too. If you discover files were compromised several days ago, your most recent backup may already be affected. Keeping multiple recovery points lets you go back to a clean version of your data.
For Sage 50, Sage recommends saving automatic backups outside the company folder and periodically copying them to an off-site location or external drive.
Ransomware raises the stakes. A backup that the same attack can reach and encrypt won't help you recover, so your backups need their own access controls and storage protections, separate from production.
Retention matters too. If you discover files were compromised several days ago, your most recent backup may already be affected. Keeping multiple recovery points lets you go back to a clean version of your data.
Test Your Sage Backups Regularly
A backup can exist without being useful. Files get corrupted, jobs fail quietly, a backup can leave out something you assumed it included, and people forget where it's stored or how to access it.
The only way to know your recovery process works is to test it.
A test can be as simple as restoring a backup to a separate environment, so production stays online, and confirming you can open company data, find important forms and reports, run integrations and complete everyday tasks.
For Sage 100, Sage's backup and restore instructions recommend restoring the entire system when appropriate rather than individual pieces.
If you've never tested a restore, now is a good time to find out whether it works, before you need it.
The only way to know your recovery process works is to test it.
A test can be as simple as restoring a backup to a separate environment, so production stays online, and confirming you can open company data, find important forms and reports, run integrations and complete everyday tasks.
For Sage 100, Sage's backup and restore instructions recommend restoring the entire system when appropriate rather than individual pieces.
If you've never tested a restore, now is a good time to find out whether it works, before you need it.
Your Recovery Plan Should Cover More Than Sage Data
Getting your Sage data back is only part of the recovery process. Your team may also need the Sage application itself, Windows, printers, file shares, Microsoft Office, third-party Sage add-ons and other applications that integrate with Sage. They also need a way to connect, whether that's in the office or remotely.
This is especially important for businesses that have customized their Sage environment over the years with reports, forms and integrations. Think about what your employees need to sign in each morning and do their jobs. That's the environment you need to be prepared to recover.
See Also: An In-Depth Guide to Remote Access for Sage Users
This is especially important for businesses that have customized their Sage environment over the years with reports, forms and integrations. Think about what your employees need to sign in each morning and do their jobs. That's the environment you need to be prepared to recover.
See Also: An In-Depth Guide to Remote Access for Sage Users
Keep the Plan Simple Enough to Use
A disaster is not the best time to start asking, "Who handles our backups?"
Your recovery plan doesn't need to be a 50-page IT manual. A simple document someone can actually follow is more valuable. At minimum, the people responsible for your Sage environment should know where backups are stored, how often they run, how long they're kept, who can restore them and who to contact if Sage goes down. Note when your last successful restore test was completed, too.
A short, usable document removes guesswork when your business is already dealing with a problem.
Your recovery plan doesn't need to be a 50-page IT manual. A simple document someone can actually follow is more valuable. At minimum, the people responsible for your Sage environment should know where backups are stored, how often they run, how long they're kept, who can restore them and who to contact if Sage goes down. Note when your last successful restore test was completed, too.
A short, usable document removes guesswork when your business is already dealing with a problem.
Sage Backup and Disaster Recovery FAQs
Here are some frequently-asked questions that Sage customers often have about the backup and recovery process:
How often should I back up Sage?
Daily backups are a common starting point for businesses that use Sage every day. Higher transaction volumes or stricter recovery requirements may call for more frequent backups.
Is syncing files to the cloud the same as backing up Sage?
No. Sync tools copy changes as they happen, so a deleted record, a corrupted file or ransomware-encrypted data can sync along with everything else. A backup keeps separate recovery points you can return to. Sync services can also conflict with open Sage company files, so check with your Sage partner before relying on one.
How long should I keep Sage backups?
Long enough to get back to a clean copy if a problem goes unnoticed for a while. Many businesses keep a mix of daily, weekly and monthly recovery points. Your accountant or industry requirements may also set how long financial records need to be kept.
How do I know if my Sage backup works?
Restore it to a separate environment and confirm your data and key workflows function. A successful backup job doesn't guarantee a successful recovery.
Does Sage hosting include backups?
It depends on the provider. Ask about backup frequency, retention, storage location, restore testing and what happens if the entire hosted environment needs to be recovered.
How often should I back up Sage?
Daily backups are a common starting point for businesses that use Sage every day. Higher transaction volumes or stricter recovery requirements may call for more frequent backups.
Is syncing files to the cloud the same as backing up Sage?
No. Sync tools copy changes as they happen, so a deleted record, a corrupted file or ransomware-encrypted data can sync along with everything else. A backup keeps separate recovery points you can return to. Sync services can also conflict with open Sage company files, so check with your Sage partner before relying on one.
How long should I keep Sage backups?
Long enough to get back to a clean copy if a problem goes unnoticed for a while. Many businesses keep a mix of daily, weekly and monthly recovery points. Your accountant or industry requirements may also set how long financial records need to be kept.
How do I know if my Sage backup works?
Restore it to a separate environment and confirm your data and key workflows function. A successful backup job doesn't guarantee a successful recovery.
Does Sage hosting include backups?
It depends on the provider. Ask about backup frequency, retention, storage location, restore testing and what happens if the entire hosted environment needs to be recovered.
Final Thoughts on Sage Backup and Disaster Recovery
Start with the basics: back up your full Sage environment regularly, keep copies separate and protected, and test your ability to restore them.
Then ask the bigger question: If Sage were unavailable tomorrow, would you know what you'd lose, how you'd recover it and who would get your team back to work? If the answer is "I'm not sure," now is a good time to take a closer look, while everything is still working.
Then ask the bigger question: If Sage were unavailable tomorrow, would you know what you'd lose, how you'd recover it and who would get your team back to work? If the answer is "I'm not sure," now is a good time to take a closer look, while everything is still working.
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Encryption, daily backups, 24/7 support, and 99.99% uptime SLAs come standard on every plan.
Sage Runs Better on Summit
Click below to learn more about Summit hosting or to secure a free 30-day trial!
