Data backup policy

It is free to fill in online and needs no account. The finished Word document and PDF cost €4.99, paid once. See all IT and projects templates

• Company

  For example: Northgate Building Ltd

• In force from

  For example: 1 January 2027

• Policy owner

  For example: IT Manager

• What is backed up

  One system per line.

  For example: File server and shared drives Accounting system database Email and calendars (cloud) Customer database Laptop work folders

• What is not backed upoptional

  For example: Personal files on company laptops Temporary and cache folders

• How often

  For example: Databases: every hour, plus a full copy each night File server: every night Cloud email: daily by the provider's backup service

• Where copies are kept

  A good rule is three copies, on two kinds of storage, with one off site.

  For example: Copy 1: on a backup server in the office Copy 2: encrypted, in cloud storage in a different region Copy 3: monthly offline disk kept in the safe

• Protection

  For example: All backups are encrypted. Keys are kept apart from the backups, and only two people can use them.

• How long copies are kept

  For example: Daily copies: 30 days Monthly copies: 12 months Yearly copies: 7 years for accounts

• Target time to restore

  How long the business can wait.

  For example: 4 hours for the accounting system, 24 hours for everything else

• Most data we can afford to lose

  For example: 1 hour for databases, 24 hours for files

• Restore tests

  For example: A test restore of one system every month and of every system each year; results recorded.

• If a backup fails

  For example: The system sends an alert to the IT team. A failure is fixed the same day and a manual backup taken. Two failures in a row are reported to the owner.

1. 11. Purpose
2. 22. What is backed up
3. 33. What is not backed up
4. 44. How often
5. 55. Where copies are kept
6. 66. Protection
7. 77. How long copies are kept
8. 88. Recovery targets
9. 99. Testing
10. 1010. If a backup fails
11. 1111. Responsibilities
12. 1212. Review

1. 01

   Fill in

   Type your details in the form. The document fills itself in as you type; click any gap to jump to its field.

2. 02

   Check

   Read it through. Gaps you have not filled stay marked, so nothing goes out half done.

3. 03

   Download

   Pay once and get it as a Word document to edit further and as a PDF to send or print. The link comes by email too.

What details does this template ask for?

The form asks for 13 details, starting with Company, In force from, Policy owner, What is backed up, How often. 1 more are optional.

How much does this template cost?

€4.99, paid once. Filling it in and seeing the first part is free. You pay when you download the finished Word document and PDF, with no account and no subscription. Every paid nerix plan includes it.

Can I download this template as Word or PDF?

Yes. When you have filled in the form, press Download and pay once. You get the finished document as a Word file to keep editing and as a PDF to send or print, and the link by email.

Is what I type sent anywhere?

While you fill it in, what you type stays in your browser. When you buy the document, your answers go to nerix to make your files. They are kept for seven days so you can download again, then deleted.

What should I check before I use this template?

Laws and contracts may set how long you must, or must not, keep data, and where it can be stored. Check them, especially for personal data. This is not legal advice.

Are these IT and project templates free?

Most are. Fill in and download them for free as Word or PDF, with no account. A few longer documents are premium: free to fill in, paid once to download, and marked with their price.

Does a security policy make us secure?

No document does that alone. A policy helps when it matches what people really do, so keep it short, explain it to your team and review it every year.

Is a project charter only for large projects?

No. A small project benefits too, because one page that names the goal, the limits and the decision maker prevents most arguments later.

• API integration specificationSpecify how two systems connect: what data moves, how it is secured, how errors are handled and who owns it.IT and projects
• Architecture decision recordRecord a technical decision with its context, options, reasons and consequences, for the team to find later.IT and projects
• Bring your own device policySet the rules for using personal phones and laptops for work: security, privacy, support and leaving.IT and projects
• Bug reportReport a software problem so a developer can repeat it, judge its impact and fix it.IT and projects
• Change management planPlan how people will be told, trained and supported through a big change, and how you will know it worked.IT and projects
• Change requestAsk for a change to a project or system, show its impact and record whether it is approved.IT and projects

See all IT and projects templates