What Zoho users get wrong about backups
“Just because Zoho has a parachute doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pack your own.”
That’s the reminder from Jake Holland, Business Engineer at A2Z Cloud, who spends much of his time designing smarter, safer systems for Zoho users.
Most people don’t think about backups – until they really wish they had.
Whether it’s a clumsy import, a rogue integration, or someone accidentally deleting a client file, these things happen more often than you’d think. And while Zoho does have its own crisis-level backups, relying solely on that can leave your business exposed.
“Think of it like using a sandbox before launching a new workflow – it’s just smart design,” Jake says.
“But not every business thinks of backups the same way. That’s where things get risky.”
It’s a conversation Jake has had countless times – businesses that didn’t realise what wasn’t being backed up until it was too late.
“The best time to back up your data was yesterday. The second-best time is now.”
Why regular backups should be a no-brainer
Jake outlines five key reasons why every organisation, regardless of size, should treat data backups as standard practice:
1. Data loss protection – Stuff happens. Files get deleted. Data gets overwritten. If you’ve got regular backups, it’s not a disaster.
2. Business continuity – If something goes wrong, how quickly can you recover? Having backups you control means you’re not stuck waiting.
3. User error mitigation – People make mistakes. Automations can misfire. A single wrong click shouldn’t wipe out your sales pipeline.
4. Compliance confidence – Especially for sectors handling financial or personal data. Regulators may not be kind if you can’t retrieve what’s been lost.
5. Security – Backups add another layer. If something’s compromised, you’ve got a clean copy to fall back on.
“It’s key to build resilience into your own system,” Jake adds.
Common assumptions (that just aren’t true)
Let’s address a few common misconceptions head-on:
“Zoho backs up everything for me, right?”
→ Not quite. Zoho backs up its infrastructure. Not every tweak you make. This also isn’t enabled by default.
“I’ve got version control, so I’m covered.”
→ Versioning helps, but it’s not the same as a full export or snapshot.
“I can just contact support and they’ll restore it.”
→ In some cases, yes, but it’s not instant. And it may come with a fee or limited options.
Here’s what Zoho actually offers
Not all Zoho apps are created equal when it comes to backup options. Some offer manual exports, others rely on versioning, but very few provide a built-in, automated backup solution that covers everything.
Here’s a quick overview of the most commonly used Zoho apps and how they handle backups:
CRM:
You can configure manual or scheduled data exports, but it’s not enabled by default. Modules, workflows, and attachments may need separate handling. More info.
Creator:
App versioning helps track changes, but it doesn’t count as a full backup. If something breaks or is deleted, restoring older states isn’t always straightforward. More info.
Books:
Limited export functionality. While you can back up financial records manually, many users don’t do this regularly, and it can be a headache to restore. More info.
Desk:
Tickets and customer interactions aren’t automatically backed up off-platform. A misconfigured automation or bulk deletion could result in permanent loss. More info.
Campaigns:
Email lists, templates and performance data are valuable assets, but most users don’t export them until it’s too late. More info.
Projects:
Task data, timelines and documents may be lost if something is deleted or archived incorrectly. No native backup mechanism exists beyond manual export. More info.
Forms:
Submissions are stored in Zoho but exporting or archiving the data is manual. If a form or workflow is altered, the submission data might be affected. More info.
People:
Sensitive employee data needs careful handling. While Zoho stores it securely, regular offsite backups aren’t part of the default setup. More info.
“These tools weren’t designed to be your last line of defence,” says Jake. “They’re fantastic platforms, but they work best when paired with smart data design and regular backup routines.”
Introducing: A2Z Guardian
At A2Z Cloud, we believe system design isn’t complete without a plan for resilience. That’s why we offer A2Z Guardian. A managed service designed to ensure your Zoho platform runs smoothly, improving stability, performance, and growth.
While A2Z Guardian primarily focuses on ongoing support, technical troubleshooting, and expanding your use of Zoho, we can also provide a dedicated backup and recovery service (available upon request.)
“A lot of businesses using Zoho assume backups are already handled behind the scenes. That they’re automated, retrievable, and covered by default,” says Jake Holland, Business Engineer at A2Z Cloud.
“In reality, most businesses don’t give backups much thought at all until something goes wrong. We want to change that by making it easy for our clients to add that extra layer of protection if they want it.”
If you’re not sure what’s being backed up (or what isn’t), we’re happy to check that for you. And if you’d like help building your own backup strategy, we can support that too.
You insure your car. You test your smoke alarms.
Backups for your business tools should be just as routine. Zoho gives you the foundations, we’ll help you build the safety net.
Not sure what’s backed up and what isn’t? We’ll check it for you.
Worried your Zoho data isn’t backed up?
We can review your current setup and advise on the next best steps for backups and ongoing maintenance – just ask.
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