If you are unsure/unclear on any of the instructions, find someone to assist you. You could cause more troubles for yourself going off half-cocked.
Be aware, there are multiple ways to do this.
Backup from within easyfile
- Open easyfile employer & Login
- Go to UTILITIES>Utilities
- Click Database Utilities
- Click Backup DB Directory
- Select a destination folder and click OK
- Please be patient, for people with lots of companies and/or who have lots of employees, the backup can take some time
- A message will be displayed indicating whether the database backup was successful or not, click OK
Are you aware of the risks of only backing up to your PC. Fire, flood, theft or ransomware means your data will be lost. Create offsite and online/cloud backups as well, to keep your data safe.
Restoring your easyfile database, from a backup
Easyfile can only restore all companies, there is no capacity to restore a single company, the only way to restore a single company is to do it manually.
If easyfile is working properly you can use the following, if not you’ll have to do a manual restore
First
- From the login screen click Restore Backup
- Browse to the location from which to restore the database, and select the backup file you want to restore & click Open
- Read the warning and click Yes or Cancel
- If you clicked Yes you should get a Restore Complete message
Second
- Go to UTILITIES>Utilities
- Click Database Utilities
- Click Restore EasyFile DB
- Browse to the location from which to restore the database, and select the backup file you want to restore & click Open
- Read the warning and click Yes or Cancel
- From the login screen click Restore Backup
- Browse to the location from which to restore the database, and select the backup file you want to restore & click Open
- Read the warning and click Yes or Cancel
- If you clicked Yes you should get a Restore Complete message
Manual backup
This is primarily for when easyfile is not working properly. Be aware, that this is your data & your responsibility.
- Go into File Explorer, in the address bar type %appdata% and hit enter
- You will see one or possibly two easyfile Employer folders, open the one with the numerical code at the end
- You should now see a folder called Local Store, right-click the folder and click Send to>Compressed (zipped) folder it will create an archive in the folder you are in
- Once it has created the zip, you can move the zip to a safe location
You can also use a zip tool to select your data and archive it. As an example, the path to my local store folder is C:\Users\USER\AppData\Roaming\easyFileEmployer.0612E4541602589CA8807A3EA214FDF182FEF49D.1\Local Store
Manually restoring a backup
Go into Windows Explorer, in the address bar type %appdata% and hit enter. You will see two easyfile Employer folders, open the one with the numerical code at the end, you should now see a folder called Local Store, open that. Now you should see your company database/s.
Now open your easyfile backup ZIP and drag all the files to the Local Store folder, your PC will ask if you want to replace the files, select for all and click OK.
Restoring a single company
You can use the manual restore technique to only restore a single company.
Why is easy file stuck on backing up database.and wen I end task it doesn’t create a zipped file of d backup
Most likely the incorrect version of Java. Follow instructions here https://www.handshake.co.za/2021/sars-easyfile-employer-problems-troubleshooting/
How do you get the backup file’s password? Passwords I have do not seem to work?
Something is wrong with your easyfile installation. Most often incorrect Java version.
There is no password on the backup file.
I updated the version, now my login credentials are not working anymore. Easyfile has redected that your login information does not match that of the local information and as such you will not be allowed access easyfile.
To fix, the simplest is to restore a backup from a period before credential issues. If it still gives the error your backup credentials are also corrupted.
Hi I’m trying to just transfer one company file from one computer to my laptop. I’ve managed to do the manual transfer of just that company file (after creating that company first in the existing Easyfile Employer). But the transferred company when I try to open it, I get an Error. Easyfile Company Select – Easyfile could not change to the selected employer – Error #3138. I’ve checked the 2 versions are the same (7.4.1 or 741.44.0). I’ve tried also to copy accros the entire DB folder as recommeded here – but then my 2 existing companies no longer are available to open – they not on the compnay list (although they are in the Local folder). So I restored a backup, and found the 3 companies again, (one without data). So I went back to the first method, which seemed to get me further, but again got error 3138.
good day my computer went corrupt with the new windows updates.
I could restore backups for easyfile but the last backup for the irp 5 that i did for 2024 are corrupt,
Can you send me a copy of the file or how am i going to get that back on my system?
Facinated as to how you think I have a copy of your data.
There are only the backups you have on your PC. SARS does not have a copy but utilises what you send them in their own systems.
Corruption of data can sometimes be just easyfile omstalled correctly.
Hi Grant,
thanks for this page you setup to help with EasyFile, a great resource.
I have a question about importing my 7.4.4 backup into the new version of EasyFile which im not mistaken is 2.5.2.
I import my backup and it says completed but when I open the new version of EasyFile it’s completely empty and I dont find any of my data.
I use the same backup file to import on another pc with 7.4.4 and the file works and all my data is there,.
is there anything I need to do with the 7.4.4 backup file before I upload to the new EasyFile software ?
Hi Grant,
I have the same issue as Adam. No issues when importing the backup, but there’s no data.