# Complete Backup

**URL:** <https://forum.manager.io/t/complete-backup/6787>\
**Category:** Uncategorized\
**Created:** [August 25, 2016, 10:27pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/complete-backup/6787 "2016-08-25T22:27:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jrenehome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jrenehome](https://forum.manager.io/u/jrenehome)\
**Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 10:27pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/complete-backup/6787/1 "2016-08-25T22:27:35Z")

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Please explain how to make a complete back up of my data.

Do clicking on the Backup label to the right of the business name makes a complete back up?

I’ve been doing that but the file size on my external drive (Company(Date).manager) looks too small.

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**Author:** ![dalacor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7bcc69/32.png) [@dalacor](https://forum.manager.io/u/dalacor)\
**Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 10:49pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/complete-backup/6787/2 "2016-08-25T22:49:36Z")

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This is normal. Backups only backup the actual database. When the program is upgraded or things get deleted such as the tables (within the database), this does not reduce the file size of the accounting file, but when you backup the accounting file it will backup the database without all the deletions and tables/rows removed from the database over the years. Hence the backup file will always be smaller than the original file.

This is known as database shrinkage so is perfectly normal and to be expected.

If you are worried about it, you can rename the backup file and import it and you will see all your data is there with no loss of data.

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**Author:** ![jrenehome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jrenehome](https://forum.manager.io/u/jrenehome)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2016, 1:46pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/complete-backup/6787/3 "2016-08-26T13:46:04Z")

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Thank you very much.  
You are right.

I installed Manager in another machine (Ver 16.8.84 VS 16.8.11 in mine) and clicked on Add Business / Import Backup.  
Everything is there.

Keep up the good work

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**Author:** ![Ealfardan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.manager.io/ealfardan/32/63166_2.png) [@Ealfardan](https://forum.manager.io/u/Ealfardan)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2023, 3:31pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/complete-backup/6787/4 "2023-01-18T15:31:42Z")

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