3‑2‑1 Backups for Singapore Accounting Files: A Simple Plan

A simple, reliable way to protect your accounting data (ABSS/MYOB or SQL Account) against mistakes, hardware failure, and ransomware. No jargon—just do this and you’ll sleep better.

What “3‑2‑1” Means (30 seconds)

• 3 copies of your data (1 live + 2 backups)

• 2 different media (e.g., computer + external drive)

• 1 off‑site copy (e.g., cloud drive)

That’s it. If one layer fails, the others save your day.

The Easiest Setup (Recommended for SMEs)

Copy A — Local daily

• Folder: C:\Accounting\Backups

• Naming: Company_YYYYMMDD.abk (ABSS) or Company_YYYYMMDD.bak/zip (SQL Account)

Copy B — External drive rotation (Mon/Thu)

• Two USB drives labelled Drive 1 (Mon) and Drive 2 (Thu)

• Keep the one not in use off‑site (home or safe)

Copy C — Cloud sync (continuous)

• OneDrive / Google Drive / Dropbox

• Sync only the Backups folder (not the live data file)

Ransomware‑Smart Habits

• Don’t keep the only backup plugged in—rotate USBs.

• Use version history in your cloud drive so you can roll back a bad/corrupted file.

• Back up forms/templates and any custom reports with the data.

Quarterly “Fire Drill” (15–30 mins)

1. Take last Friday’s backup

2. Restore on a spare PC/VM

3. Open and run: Trial Balance, Aged AR, Aged AP, GST Detail

4. Log results in a simple sheet: date, file name, pass/fail, who tested

Quick Recap

• 3‑2‑1 = 3 copies, 2 media, 1 off‑site

• Rotate USBs, enable cloud versioning, test restores quarterly

Need a Hand?

Using ABSS/MYOB or SQL Account? 

📩 Message Apscom Solutions for a quick check .