How do we test the restore process, so we know the backups are working?

Hello there, Les.

Thank you for reaching out. While there isn't a direct way to test whether your backup data works, I can assure you that if you've been consistently running full backups and keeping them up to date, your backup should be fully functional.

A successful backup status is a good indicator that your data will be restored correctly when needed. Additionally, you can consult the Backup Status Report to verify that your data is being securely backed up and is readily available for restoration.

To learn more about what data can and cannot be backed up, please check this article: Back up and restore your QuickBooks Online Advanced company.

Need help managing your books? Our QuickBooks Live Expert Assisted team has your back. We have dedicated bookkeepers who assist you with streamlining your accounting processes.

If you have any questions or need additional assistance, the Community is always here to help.

This is not an acceptable answer.  We need proof the backups work not just an assurance. Also, QuickBooks own documentation says we do not have to do backups.

 https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/back-data/need-back-data-quickbooks-o....

 Based on this and the layout of the restore function, we expected that our data was being backed up automatically. It was only when we talked to support about a possible restore to a prior date, we found out that is not true.  Also, there are backups labeled "auto" on the backup screen but they seem to run at random times.  As someone who works for a nonprofit related to technology, we do not feel our data is very secure. Not being able to test a restore makes this situation even more concerning.

Please know that the system currently doesn't provide an isolated Test Restore environment to simulate a restoration without affecting live data, Les.

To ensure your backups are fully functional without impacting your current data. First, create a backup before testing restore functionality. Take a fresh manual backup of your current data before performing a restore. This ensures that you can revert to this point if needed.

In addition, if you'd like to explore the integrity of your backups in more depth, I recommend downloading and reviewing your Backup Status Report. This report includes the files and data included in each backup, so you can confirm that all necessary information is being captured, such as:

• Transaction History
• Customer Details
• Vendors Information
• Employee Data
• Company Settings.

Please note that certain types of data cannot be backed up or restored. For more specifics, you can refer to this article: Backup and restore your QuickBooks Online Advanced company.

We understand your concern about data security. QuickBooks Online uses bank-level encryption and advanced security protocols to protect your financial data. While nonprofits related to technology have heightened expectations around data integrity, we are confident that our safeguards ensure your data is secure during backups.

If there's anything else we can clarify, please don't hesitate to reach out. The Community is always here to assist you.

This is not a logical or acceptable solution.  What you are suggesting is to test a process which if it fails would be the process we would have to use to restore or original data. Clearly that is a logical fallacy. 

As you clearly stated in your suggestion, the backup and restore process does not restore everything. That means by doing our "test in production", if the test fails we would not be able to restore those items which are not backed up and restored.

Obviously, this is not a solution.

@cowardles 

If you prefer to have a perfect backup solution, why don't you consider QB Desktop?

We moved to QuickBooks Online because it was cloud based and any cloud based system should have robust backup and restore functionality.  We are a non-profit technology organization. Backup and restore is a basic function of any system.  I do not know how this product can even be on the market without a fully developed, robust backup and restore process which can be proven to auditors, funders, and government entities to function properly.