Back up the budget files you control.

Use more than one copy

Include the folder containing your budget files in a normal Mac backup, such as Time Machine. For important budgets, keep another recoverable copy on storage you control. Test occasionally that you can locate the copied file rather than assuming a backup is working.

Making a manual copy

1. Finish editing and close the budget in Escape The Paper.
2. Locate the budget file in Finder.
3. Copy it to the backup location instead of moving the working file.
4. Add a date to the copied filename if you want to keep historical versions.

If you place copies in third-party cloud storage, that provider’s privacy, retention, and security practices apply to those copies.

Exporting a portable archive

1. Open the budget you want to preserve.
2. Choose File > Export Archive or press ⇧⌘E.
3. Save the archive somewhere separate from the working budget.
4. Keep dated archives if you want several restore points.

To bring an exported archive back into the app, choose File > Import Archive or press ⇧⌘I. Archive import is not the command for bank CSV files.

Restoring a budget

For a copied .etpb file, copy it back to a suitable folder and open it with File > Open Budget or ⌘O. For an exported archive, use Import Archive. Preserve the backup until you have confirmed that the restored budget contains the expected data.