In September, I did it – as part of Disaster Preparedness month, I finally put together my own disaster kit. Assembling my emergency water, blankets, and mapping out my evacuation routes got me thinking -- not so much about natural disasters, but about staying one step ahead of the worst case scenario. And, because all roads lead to Smartsheet in my world, I started thinking about some of the projects I’m managing with my team in Smartsheet. What would I do if someone inadvertently deleted something -- and can I make an emergency kit just in case that happens?
Not to worry. You can make your own Smartsheet emergency kit -- by backing up your data.
Who Can Backup A Sheet?
Anyone who is shared to a sheet, even as a Viewer, can request a backup of the sheet as often as once every 24 hours.
We recommend backing up your data at least every week.
How to Backup A Sheet
Open your Home tab and then right-click on the name of the sheet you’d like to backup. From the options that appear, select Request Backup.
A backup is an Excel (.xls) export of your sheet data, with discussions on tab 2 of the workbook. When you request the backup you have the option to include attachments -- they will be exported to a .zip folder alongside the Excel workbook.
When the backup file has been generated, it will be sent to you via email and saved in your Smartsheet account. To open your backup from Smartsheet, go back to the Request Backup screen, and click the View Recent Backups button.
Backing Up Multiple Sheets: Folders and Workspaces
Save time by requesting backups at the folder or workspace level and get multiple sheet backups at once. From the Home tab select Request Backup of a workspace or folder the same way you would an individual sheet.
When you backup on a mass scale like this, a workbook of every sheet contained in your folder or workspace will be stored in a .zip folder.
Workspace Bonus: Any of the collaborators shared to your workspace can access the backups you request, too! From View Recent Backups, you can see any backups from the last four weeks that you or your team have requested.
Backups are stored in your Smartsheet account for four weeks.
Other Tips for Regularly Backing Up Your Data
- Schedule Reminders for yourself to remember to create offline backups of your work.
- Customize the Notifications on your sheets and receive email alerts that reflect changes other collaborators make – that way you’ll always be in the know if something is deleted.
- If you’re part of a Team or Enterprise plan, set up automated backups on a weekly basis by selecting Schedule Recurring Backup.
Whew – the Smartsheet Emergency Kit is much easier to pull together than extra batteries and condensed soup.
Til next week, dig in and explore!
- Support Team