How to back up and restore AcboBooks company files

In this lesson you will

Back up the company file in two clicks
Turn on automatic backups each time the company closes
Make a password-protected backup to send to someone
Restore a backup

Before you start

Create your company file

The Back Up & Restore panel in Company Settings with the Back Up Company File button

Back up now

Step 1: Use the backup reminder

If the company has no backup from the last seven days, AcboBooks shows a reminder under the menus when you open it. Back up now makes a backup straight away; Dismiss hides the reminder for this session.

Back up now saves a dated copy of the company file.

The reminder No recent backup found, with Back up now and Dismiss buttons

Step 2: Or back up from Company Settings

Open Company → Company Settings and scroll to Back Up & Restore. Click Back Up Company File…. Windows asks where to save; the suggested place is Public Documents › AcboBooks › Backups, with the company name and today's date in the file name.

Back Up Company File… saves a complete copy of the company file.

Back Up & Restore panel with the Back Up Company File button marked

Step 3: Check where it went

A green banner at the top of Company Settings shows exactly where the backup was saved. The backup is encrypted with the same file password as the company, and AcboBooks copies the small .recovery file next to it, so the recovery key works on the backup too.

Banner: Backup saved to C:\Users\Public\Documents\AcboBooks\Backups, in a file named Maple Street Bakery-backup plus the backup date

Careful: A backup on the same computer does not survive a failed drive or a stolen laptop. Copy backups to a USB drive or cloud storage regularly, and keep one copy away from the office.

Automatic backups

Step 4: Turn on backup on close

Further down Company Settings, tick Automatically back up to a "Backups" folder each time this company closes (keeps the last 5). From then on, closing the company (or exiting AcboBooks) copies the file into a Backups folder beside the company file. AcboBooks keeps the five most recent copies and removes older ones.

Tick this box. It saves as soon as you click it.

Tip: Automatic backups sit beside the company file, so they protect you from mistakes, not from a failed drive. Keep making off-computer copies too.

Encrypted backups for sending

Step 5: Export an encrypted backup

To email a copy or put it on a shared drive, use Encrypted backup in Company Settings. Export Encrypted Backup… asks for a password for this backup only, then where to save it. The file ends in .acbo.enc and opens only with that password.

Export Encrypted Backup… makes a password-protected copy.
Restore Encrypted Backup… turns one back into a company file.

Encrypted backup section with Export Encrypted Backup and Restore Encrypted Backup buttons

Step 6: Choose the backup password

Type the password and click Export. Send the password separately from the file, for example by phone or text message.

The Encrypt backup dialog with a password typed and the Export button

Careful: There is no recovery for an encrypted backup's password. If it is lost, that backup cannot be opened.

Restore

Step 7: Restore a backup

A backup is a complete company file, so restoring means opening it. Choose File → Close Company, then on the welcome screen click Open another company file… (or Open an existing company) and pick the backup. If AcboBooks asks for a password, enter the file password that was in use when the backup was made.

Tip: Opening a backup works on the backup file itself. If you want to carry on in a fresh copy, first copy the backup in File Explorer and give it a new name, then open the copy.

Step 8: Restore an encrypted backup

In Company Settings, click Restore Encrypted Backup…, enter the password used when it was made, and choose the .enc file. AcboBooks then asks where to save the restored company file. Open it from the welcome screen like any other company.

Recap

You can back up from the reminder or from Company Settings.
You have turned on automatic backups each time the company closes.
You can export an encrypted backup and send its password separately.
You can restore a backup or an encrypted backup.

Saved in this browser only. No account needed.

Questions

How often should I back up?

At least once a week, and before anything big: a year-end close, a large import, or a software update. With automatic backups on, you also get a copy every time you close the company.

Can I keep my company file in OneDrive or Dropbox?

Keep backups there, not the live file. A sync service can copy the file halfway through a save. The company file help article explains the safe setups.

Can a user on another computer make the backup?

No. When the company is shared on your network, backups are made on the host computer, where the file lives.

Screenshots from AcboBooks 0.2.2 with the built-in sample company. Updated October 25, 2026. Your screens may differ slightly with another version or window size.

Back up and restore your company file