How to Correctly Create Local Backups for Quickbooks
Did you know that backing up QuickBooks Desktop locally is an important task for maintaining a healthy database? When you perform a local backup, QuickBooks also checks the integrity of your database and cleans it up. So even with an online backup, there is still value in backing up locally.
How do you back up locally?
Creating a backup file
To back up your QuickBooks company file to your local computer, you simply backup your company file as you usually would within QuickBooks, then transfer the backup to your local computer.
1. Log into the QuickBooks company file you would like to backup.
2. Navigate to File > Back Up Company > Create Local Backup by hovering over the options until a drop-down menu appears.
3. Select “Local Backup” and then click “Next.”
4. The “Backup Options” window will appear. Click on the Browse button on the right.
5. Select This PC on the left, then any location that works for you, then select “OK.”
6. Ensure that the checkbox labeled “Remind me to back up when I close my company file” is not checked off and that Complete Verification” is selected. Then, click the OK button.
7. On the window that pops up, click the Use this Location button.
8. You will be asked when you want to save your backup file. Select the “Save it Now” option, then click the Next button.
9. Click “OK” in the warning pop-up that appears.
10. In the following pop-up, click the Save button. If you get a message about storing the file, select “Use this Location.”
11. The backup process will now start. Once it’s finished, click “OK.
