> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.alforse.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Backups

> Snapshot a company's data and files, see at a glance whether each backup can still be restored, and restore in place with one-click revert.

A backup snapshots one company's records and, optionally, uploaded files. Create backups under **Settings → Backups**. Restore a backup to the same company, or (for Alforse staff) use it to seed a new company during onboarding.

HEADS UP

**A backup is not disaster recovery**

This feature creates manual per-company snapshots, not full database dumps. It does not provide scheduling or point-in-time recovery. Maintain a separate disaster-recovery system.

## What a backup contains

A backup captures company data across sales, purchasing, items, production, accounting, quality, and people. Select the **i** button next to **Create a backup** to view current record counts by area and in total.

HEADS UP

**Secrets never travel**

Backups exclude credentials, integration tokens, and webhooks. Reconnect integrations after a restore.

When you export, **Include** offers two options:

FieldType

<details>
  <summary>**Data only**</summary>

  Customers, items, orders and every record. Smaller and faster.
</details>

<details>
  <summary>**Data + files**</summary>

  Also bundles uploaded files, such as 3D models, documents and images.
</details>

## Create a backup

Under **Settings → Backups**, enter an optional label, select **Data only** or **Data + files**, and select **Create backup**. The background export appears immediately as **Creating backup…**; select it to view progress. When complete, the row displays its date, size, status, and **Download** and **Delete** actions.

[![Settings → Backups, the Create a backup card with the Data only / Data + files choice and the i contents button](/screens/platform-backups.png)](/screens/platform-backups.png)

Export snapshots the company's data; the contents popover shows a live count per area.

### If the backup fails

A failed export displays a **Backup failed** banner with the cause. Rows that reference data outside the company are a common cause because they cannot be restored safely. Select **Skip corrupted rows and retry** to exclude them. The resulting backup displays **N rows excluded** and lists those rows in its information popover.

## Is it still restorable?

Each backup's status is computed against the current schema when the page loads. Status is not stored and backups do not have a fixed expiration date.

FieldType

<details>
  <summary>**Ready**</summary>

  Loads into today's app unchanged.
</details>

<details>
  <summary>**Restorable with changes**</summary>

  Loads, but some things differ from when it was taken. The restore screen spells out what, and asks you to confirm.
</details>

<details>
  <summary>**Not restorable**</summary>

  A hard refusal, with the reason. The restore button never appears for it.
</details>

<details>
  <summary>**Incomplete**</summary>

  The export died partway and never finished. Not restorable.
</details>

## Restore in place

Restoring replaces the company's current data. In **Restore from a backup**, select **Choose a backup** to use an existing backup, or **Upload new backup…** to provide a `.alforse.tar.gz` file. Select **Data + files** (records plus any files in the backup) or **Data only** (records only; current files stay in place), then select **Restore…**.

The **Restore this company from a backup** screen describes compatibility changes before execution:

* Compatible backups require confirmation only.
* **Filled with a default** lists fields that receive current default values.
* **Discarded** lists records that cannot be restored and requires entering `restore` to continue.
* **Can't be restored** provides the reason and no confirmation action.
* Uploaded backups are checked when restoration begins.

Each group names product areas, like Production or Sales, with a **"Details"** expander for the exact fields.

Before replacement, Alforse snapshots the current company. If restoration fails, the current data remains unchanged. After a successful restore, use the **Restored — review** card to choose:

* **"Keep"** accepts the restored data.
* **"Revert"** rolls the company back to the snapshot taken just before the restore.

NOTE

**One restore at a time**

A company can have only one restore awaiting review. Choose **Keep** or **Revert** before starting another restore.

### If the restore is blocked by corrupted data

A restore first creates a safety snapshot, so corrupted rows can block it. Select **Remove corrupted data and restore** to review the affected rows, then **Delete and restore** to delete them permanently and retry. If any row is shared with another company in the group, Alforse deletes nothing and does not start the restore.

## Start a company from a backup

The same file powers onboarding. When Alforse staff create a new company, the **How would you like to start?** step asks how to seed it, and **"Restore from a backup"** sets the new company up from an uploaded Alforse backup of another one. The other option, **"Use a demo template"**, doesn't use a backup at all; it seeds sample data for the chosen industry from scratch. See [Demo data](/docs/platform/demo-data.md).

NOTE

**Who can see this page**

Backups require the **settings: update** permission and the Business plan. Without the plan, **Backups** does not appear under **Settings**. Restoring from a backup during company onboarding is limited to Alforse staff.


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