Backups and Archives

In this screencast, I'll show managers how to keep a backup and an archive of their rotas.

A backup is a recent copy of your current and upcoming shifts. If a network or system outage ever stops you from reaching Rotaville, your business can carry on using the backup.

An archive is a copy of your past shifts. Rotaville doesn't keep shift history forever, so if your business needs records for longer, for example for compliance, you should keep your own archive.

You might already have a backup. If you regularly print the rota or employee schedules, or put them up at work, those printouts are your backup.

For example, open the Print menu and choose the Timeline PDF for this week.

The Timeline shows every shift and assignment, day by day. It's the same report that Rotaville can upload to your Google Drive for you, automatically.

To set up automatic backups, click Google Drive Backups on your Home page.

Rotaville can upload a backup to your Google Drive each night.

For each workforce you manage, the backup includes the Timeline report and the employee schedules for the next seven days, plus client and resource schedules when you use them.

Backups are kept for seven days and then deleted automatically, so they don't fill up your Google Drive.

Archives are different. Once a month, around the 15th, Rotaville uploads a Timeline report of the previous month's shifts. Archive files are never deleted, so month by month they build up into your own permanent record.

To get started, click Authorise Access to Google Drive.

Google will ask you to sign in and allow access. Rotaville only asks for access to the files it creates, so it can't see anything else on your Google Drive.

Google then brings you straight back to this page.

Now Rotaville is connected to your Google Drive.

Your files will appear in a folder called Rotaville Backup. It can take up to 24 hours for the first files to arrive.

If there's ever a problem connecting, a red alert here explains what went wrong. Use this button to authorise access again.

Next, choose what to upload.

Personal backups are a copy of your own schedule.

Workforce backups are for managers. They include the Timeline report and employee schedules for every workforce you manage. Both backups are on to start with.

Personal archive keeps a monthly copy of your own past shifts, and Workforce archive keeps a monthly Timeline report for each workforce you manage. Let's turn both archives on.

Then click Save Drive Settings.

The Activity Log at the bottom of the page shows when your Google Drive was connected.

After that, each night's entries list the files that were uploaded, and any problems. It's worth checking it now and then to make sure your backups are arriving.

Archives can also come by email. In your Settings, the Personal archive email sends you a monthly PDF of your own past shifts.

And as a manager, the Workforce archive email sends you the monthly Timeline report for each workforce you manage. Let's turn both on. They're sent around the 15th of each month.

Save your settings, then keep these emails safe as your own archive.

With a backup of your upcoming shifts, and an archive of past ones, your business is ready for the unexpected.

Automatic backups and archives are available while your workforce is on a free trial or an upgraded plan.

Thank You.