Export & Backup is two related utilities in one: Export pulls a subset of Bizuno data out to CSV or Excel for analysis or sharing; Backup captures the full database and attachments for disaster recovery. Treat them as different tools for different jobs.

How to get there #

Menu: Tools → Export & Backup
Direct URL pattern: https://yourdomain.com/?bizRt=bizuno/tools/backup

Export — data subsets #

Export is for extracting specific data — giving your CPA the journal detail, pulling a customer list for a marketing email, reviewing inventory in a spreadsheet.

What you can export #

• Customers, Vendors, Contacts.
• Inventory items, Vendor prices, Customer prices.
• Transactions by journal (Sales, Purchases, Cash Receipts, Payments, JEs).
• Trial Balance, GL detail, Account activity.
• Chart of Accounts.

Running an export #

1. Pick the Export Type.
2. Set filters (date range, status, category).
3. Pick columns — Bizuno offers a default set; add or remove.
4. Output format: CSV / Excel.
5. Click Export. The file downloads to your browser.

What export is not #

Export is not a backup. It only captures the selected records, not attachments, not settings, not historical transactions outside your filters, not the database structure. Never rely on an export to rebuild the system.

Backup — the whole system #

Backup captures the full database plus uploaded attachments (invoice PDFs, photos attached to items, receipts on journal entries) into a single archive.

When to back up #

• Before any import.
• Before a mass update, bulk delete, or price list change.
• Before editing PhreeForm templates you can’t afford to lose.
• Before a Bizuno version upgrade.
• Monthly at minimum — nightly is better.
• Always before year-end close.

Running a manual backup #

1. Click New Backup.
2. Choose Include Attachments if you want the full archive (recommended).
3. Optionally add a Label (“Pre-inventory-import, 2026-04-20”).
4. Click Run. Bizuno produces a compressed archive file.
5. Download the archive immediately to offsite storage. A backup on the same server as Bizuno is not a backup.

Important: A backup you haven’t tested restoring from is a hope, not a backup. Once a quarter, attempt a restore into a sandbox (your host or admin can help) and verify the data comes back. The first time you try a restore shouldn’t be during an emergency.

Where the backup goes #

• Default location: the /backups folder on the Bizuno server.
• Configurable: S3, Google Drive, FTP, or local disk — under Admin → Settings → Backup.
• Download-to-browser is always offered after a manual run.

Automating backups #

Under Scheduled Tasks you can set a recurring backup (e.g., nightly at 2:00 AM). Recommended pattern for a small shop:

• Nightly full backup, retained 14 days on the server plus pushed offsite.
• Weekly backup retained 12 weeks.
• Monthly backup retained 12 months.
• Pre-close backup retained indefinitely for the last three fiscal years.

Restore #

Restore is available from the same screen: upload a backup archive, confirm, and Bizuno replaces the current database. This is destructive — current data after the backup timestamp is lost.

• For a full-system recovery, restore in a fresh Bizuno instance (your host can spin one up quickly).
• For restoring a single accidentally-deleted record, consider restoring into a sandbox first, copy the record out as CSV, then re-import into the live system. Restoring live to fix one record throws away everything after.

Important: Restore overwrites the live database. Never restore on a live system without an immediately-prior backup of the current live state. You need a path back if the restore doesn’t solve the problem.

Encryption and secrets #

Backup archives contain everything, including any sensitive data captured in Bizuno. Treat them like credentials:

• Encrypt at rest if your backup destination isn’t already encrypted.
• Don’t email backup archives.
• Shared storage should be restricted to owner-and-IT-only.

Tips for Ridgeline Cycles #

• Run a nightly backup scheduled task, and test the restore quarterly. Ten minutes a quarter for peace of mind.
• Label manual backups descriptively (“Before CrankCo price import”). You’ll thank yourself when scrolling the list a month later.
• Export the Chart of Accounts and PhreeForm templates annually as separate files. They make a new Bizuno install go faster if you ever need one.
• Don’t skip the monthly test of the offsite backup. “Offsite” must mean downloadable, not just “replicated to another bucket owned by the same admin.”

Where to go next #

• Scheduled Tasks — automate nightly backups.
• Import Manager — pair export with import to reshape data via Excel.
• Admin → Settings → Backup — configure storage destinations and retention.