{% extends "base.html" %} {% from "security/_new_password.html" import new_password %} {% block title %}Books & backups{% endblock %} {% block content %}

Books & backups

Keep a separate set of books for each person โ€” each has its own accounts, properties, investments and tax return. Back each one up to a single file, and restore it on this or another computer.

{% if not single %}
Back up everything (.zip)
{% endif %}
{% if single %}

Bookkeeper was started with a single data file ({{ db_path }}), so switching between sets of books is turned off. Start it normally (without --db) to manage several sets.

Download a backup of this file

{% else %}
{% for r in rows %}{% set b = r.book %} {% if r.stats.locked %}{% else %} {% endif %} {% endfor %}
Books forProtectionAccountsPropertiesTransactionsLast changed
{{ b.name }}{% if r.active %} open now{% endif %}
Rename or delete
{% if b.encrypted %}{% if r.stats.locked %}๐Ÿ”’ Encrypted, locked{% else %}๐Ÿ”“ Encrypted, open{% endif %} {% elif b.sample %}Sample data โ€” no password {% else %}Not protected{% endif %}locked{{ r.stats.accounts }} {{ r.stats.properties }} {{ r.stats.transactions }}{{ r.stats.modified.strftime('%m/%d/%Y %I:%M %p') if r.stats.modified else '' }} {% if not r.active %}
{% endif %} Back up {% if b.encrypted and not r.stats.locked %}Change password{% endif %} {% if b.encrypted and not r.stats.locked and not r.active %}
{% endif %} {% if not b.encrypted and not b.sample %}Add password{% endif %}

Start books for someone new

{{ new_password(prefix='password', checked=False) }}

Each set of books starts empty, with the standard categories, and is encrypted with its own password โ€” give someone else's books their own password so only they can open them. You'll get a recovery key to print.

Restore from a backup

Restoring an older backup without a password (.db)?

Choose a password for the restored books:

{{ new_password(prefix='new_password', checked=False) }}

Demo books

{% if rows|selectattr('book.id', 'equalto', 'demo')|list %}{% endif %}

A separate set of books with sample data, two Connecticut rentals, four accounts and a year and a half of transactions, to try things out. Nothing you do there touches your own books.

Where the files are

All books live in {{ data_dir }} (one encrypted file per person in the books folder). Before any restore or delete, Bookkeeper saves a safety copy in the backups folder. Backups and safety copies stay encrypted: they open only with the books' password or recovery key.

Change the password that opens Bookkeeper

Good habit: after finishing each month, click Back up everything and keep the file somewhere safe โ€” a USB drive or an encrypted cloud folder. To move to a new computer, install Bookkeeper there and restore that file.

{% endif %} {% endblock %}