You can set up QuickBooks to automatically back up after closing your company data file a certain number of times. For example, every three times you close the company file, QuickBooks can make a backup without any further input from you. To set up automatic backups:

QuickBooks 2010 and newer versions:

1. Go to the File menu and select Save Copy or Back Up.  The Save Copy or Backup window opens.
2. Select Backup Copy and click Next.
3. If you haven't already done so, click Options to set your backup defaults (such as where you want to save your local backup) and then click Next.
4. Select Change Location or Use this Location.
5. Click Next.
6. Click Save it now and schedule future backups or Only schedule future backups, and then click Next.
7. Select the Save backup copy automatically when I close my company file every [number] times box.
8. Enter a number in the field provided, and then click Finish.

QuickBooks 2008:

1. Go to the File menu and select Save Copy or Back Up. The Save Copy or Backup window opens.
2. Select Backup copy and click Next.
3. Click Save it now and schedule future backups or Only schedule future backups, and then click Next.
4. Select the Save backup copy automatically when I close my company file every [number] times checkbox.
5. Enter a number in the field provided, and then click Finish.

QuickBooks 2006 and earlier:

1. Go to the File menu and select Back Up (for SimpleStart, go to the File menu, select Maintenance, and then click Back Up).
2. Click the Schedule a Backup tab.
3. Select the Automatically back up when closing data every [number] times checkbox.
4. Enter a number in the field provided, and then click OK.

QuickBooks 2008:

1. Go to the File menu and click Save Copy or Backup to open the backup wizard.

2. Click Backup Copy and then click Next.

3. If you haven't already done so, click Options to set your backup defaults (such as where you want to save your local backup) and then click Next.

4. Click Only schedule future backups (to create a schedule without running a backup) and then click Next.

5. In the Backup on a schedule section of the window click New.

6. Enter a Description for your scheduled backup. This name appears in your list of scheduled backups so you can easily find it later.

7. Click Browse to select the folder where you want to store your backup copies. This can be on a network drive or on portable storage media such as a USB flash drive or Zip disk.

   Note: You cannot schedule a backup to a CD-ROM.

8. Optionally, click the checkbox to Number of backups copies to keep and enter a number in the field provided.

9. Click Store Password to open the Store Windows Password window and enter the requested Windows login information. Be sure the login you enter has Windows permission for the location you've selected for the backup.

10. Select the time, weekly frequency, and day(s) for the backup to take place. For example, if you want to run your backups daily, select every day of the week and run the task every "1" week.

11. Click OK to return to the previous window. The backup appears in the list in the Backup on a schedule section of the window.

12. Click Finish to close the wizard.

QuickBooks 2006 and earlier:

1. Go to the File menu, choose Back Up (for SimpleStart, go to the File menu, select Maintenance, and then click Back Up).

2. Click the Schedule a Backup tab.

3. In the Schedule backup section of the window click New.

4. Enter a Description for your scheduled backup. This name appears in your list of scheduled backups so you can easily find it later.

5. Click Browse to select the folder where you want to store your backup copies. This can be on a network drive or on portable storage media such as a USB flash drive or Zip disk.

   Note: You cannot schedule a backup to a CD-ROM.

6. Click Set Password to open the Enter Windows Password window and enter the requested Windows login information. Be sure the login you enter has Windows permission for the location you've selected for the backup.

7. Select the time, weekly frequency, and day(s) for the backup to take place. For example, if you want to run your backups daily, select every day of the week and run the task every "1" week.

8. Click OK to return to the previous window. The backup appears in the list in the Schedule backup section of the window.

9. Click OK to close the wizard.

If you want to be reminded periodically to make backups but you still want the option of whether or not to actually create the backup, you can set up reminders. With this feature, you can determine how often you will be reminded, and when the reminder appears, you can choose whether or not to back up. To set up backup reminders:

QuickBooks 2008:

1. Go to the File menu and select Save Copy or Back Up.
2. Select Backup copy and click next.
3. Click the Options button.
4. In the Tell us where to save your backup copies (required) field, either enter or browse to the directory where you would like to save backups. (You can change the location when actually making the backup, but setting up the default can save time.)
5. Select the Remind me to back up when closing data every [number] times checkbox, and then enter a number in the field provided.
6. (Optional) Select the Add the date and time of the backup to the file name (recommended) checkbox.
7. Click OK.

QuickBooks 2006 and earlier:

1. Go to the QuickBooks File menu and select Back Up (for SimpleStart, go to the File menu, select Maintenance, and then click Back Up).
2. Click the Back Up Company File tab, and then click the Set Defaults button. The Set Defaults window open.
Select the Remind me to back up when closing data every [number] times checkbox, and then enter a number in the field provided.
• In the Default Backup Location field, either enter or browse to the directory where you would like to save backups. (You can change the location when actually making the backup, but setting up the default can save time.)
• (Optional) Check the Append date and timestamp to the name of this backup file checkbox.
• Click OK.