A green tick shows that a backup job ran, but it tells you little about how quickly you can get a file back. Try a restore on a quiet day when nobody needs the file for ongoing work.
Run one small restore test
- Pick an easy file to check. Use an old quote from a completed job, for example. Note its name, its original folder and the date of the copy you want to find. If possible, choose a file without sensitive information.
- Restore it to a new folder. Call the folder something like “Restore test” so you avoid overwriting a working file. Open the recovered file and compare the content or date with what you expected.
- Record what happened. Note the time it took, the age of the copy and who could restore it. If the file is a week old but the folder changes every day, review how often it is backed up.
- Ask someone else to repeat the test. See whether they can find the instructions and access the backup. Keep the instructions somewhere accessible even if the normal shared folder is down.
A one-file test is a good start. Run a separate test for accounting and other critical systems, which may have their own backup and recovery procedures.
If the restore test got stuck, we can help review your backups. Get in touch · See small business IT support