Backup and export

Folnaro backs up your data on its own and checks every backup. Here you learn where the backups are, how to bring one back, how long to keep your records and how to get data out of Folnaro.

Backup settings with the last backup, the location and the list of backups.

Back up automatically

A backup protects you when the Mac fails, is stolen or you change something by mistake. With Back up automatically, Folnaro backs up once a day and when you quit, if something changed. Every backup holds the database, the archived PDFs, receipts, attachments and your logo.

Choose Folnaro > Settings… > Backup.
Turn on Back up automatically.
Under Last backup you see when Folnaro last backed up. If it says Checked by a trial restore, Folnaro opened the backup as a test and checked that it is complete.

Folnaro keeps every backup of the last 24 hours, plus one each of the last 7 days, 4 weeks and 12 months. It removes older ones. A Manual backup counts on its own and never pushes out an automatic one. A backup only counts once it passed the trial restore. If that fails, Folnaro discards it and tells you.

When a backup fails or the last one is several days old, the Overview says so with Back Up Now, and a notification reminds you once. With Back up automatically off, Folnaro backs up only by hand and reminds you after 7 days without a backup.

Choose the location

Unless you choose otherwise, backups are kept in the Default folder on this Mac. If the Mac fails, they are gone with it. A folder in iCloud Drive or on an external drive keeps a copy outside this Mac. The same folder also takes your exports.

Choose Folnaro > Settings… > Backup.
Under Location, next to Backups and exports, click Choose… (or Change… when a folder is already chosen). Pick the folder and click Choose Folder.
Folnaro creates a first backup there right away. Older backups stay where they are and remain in the list.

With Reset, the default folder applies again. Folnaro does not accept a folder in the Trash, because emptying the Trash would delete the backups. Before each backup, Folnaro checks that it may write to the folder and that there is enough free space.

Note If the drive is not connected, Folnaro shows its name and the last backup there under Location. Meanwhile, Folnaro backs up to the default folder. Once the drive is back, backups go there again.

Time Machine and encryption

If the backups are on the same drive as your data, Folnaro tells you. Such backups help when data goes wrong, but not when the Mac fails or is lost. If you use Time Machine, it backs up Folnaro’s container too. A Folnaro backup on another drive or in iCloud Drive still makes sense, because it is checked and restores with one click.

Folnaro does not encrypt backups itself. On this Mac, FileVault protects the data. You encrypt an external drive in Finder: Control-click the drive and choose Encrypt. You encrypt a Time Machine backup in System Settings when you add the volume.

Back up right now

Before a bigger change, such as an import, a backup by hand is worth it.

Choose Folnaro > Settings… > Backup.
Next to Back up all data right now, click Back Up Now.

When it is done, Folnaro reports Backup created and checked. In the Backups list, the Actions menu next to each backup offers Verify for another test and Show in Finder.

Restore a backup

Restoring replaces all current data with the state of the backup. Before that, Folnaro creates a restore point that brings back the current state.

Choose Folnaro > Settings… > Backup.
In the Backups list, open the Actions menu next to the backup and choose Restore….
If the backup is somewhere else, for example on a new Mac, click Restore from Folder… and choose the backup’s folder. Its name starts with Folnaro Backup, followed by date and time.
Folnaro asks “Restore the backup from …?”. Confirm with Restore.

Afterwards Folnaro reports “Backup from … restored” and shows you the restore point in the Finder.

The same restore is available in two more places: under File > Import Data… with the source Folnaro Backup and the Restore… button, and at the first launch in the welcome window under Restore from a Backup.

What Folnaro checks for you:

Document numbers are never reset. Numbers issued after the backup may already be with customers and are not issued a second time.
Settings of this Mac stay as they are, such as folder access, permissions and the backup settings.
A backup from another Mac or from an older Folnaro version is taken over and adapted. Folnaro refuses one from a newer version before anything changes.

Restore points appear in the list as Restore point. You restore them the same way.

The question before restoring: all data is replaced by the state of the backup.

Retention periods

You have to keep invoices, receipts and books for several years. Folnaro works out the period for each receipt and protects it until then.

Choose Folnaro > Settings… > Backup.
Under Retention, Retention ended shows how many receipts are past their period.
Click Review…, select the receipts and click Delete. Folnaro asks “Delete the selected receipts permanently?” first.

Receipts still needed for a fixed asset, an invoice or a bank transaction are not in the list. The audit log records the deletion. Back up first if you want to keep a copy.

Legal background Since 2025 you keep receipts and invoices for 8 years, books and records for 10 years, and business letters you received or sent for 6 years (§ 147 (3) AO, § 14b UStG). The 8 years also apply to older receipts whose period had not ended by January 1, 2025 (Art. 97 § 19a EGAO). The period starts at the end of the year in which the record was created. While the assessment period is still open, it ends later (§ 147 (3) sentence 5 AO). Under the GoBD, the records must stay complete, unchanged and readable for that time. That is why reading, searching, exporting and backing up always stay possible in Folnaro, even without a subscription.

Hand documents on to an archive

If you use a document management system, Folnaro hands finalized documents on to it: into a folder your archive watches, or straight to Paperless-ngx. Each document is handed over once.

Choose Folnaro > Settings… > Archive.
For Paperless-ngx: connect the server in the Paperless-ngx section with Connect…. The token stays in the Keychain. Under Send your invoices to Paperless, turn on Upload to Paperless-ngx and, if you like, set Correspondent, Document type and tags, or use the document’s customer with Customer as correspondent. Folnaro creates missing names in Paperless.
For a folder: under Archive folder, turn on Copy to a folder and choose the folder with Choose…. Existing files are never overwritten.
Under Handover, turn on Hand over documents right after finalizing, and every finalized document goes to the archive at once. You hand over older documents with Hand Over Now.

Afterwards Folnaro reports, for example, “Handed over: 12. Already there: 30.” and names documents that were not handed over, with the reason. How to bring receipts in from Paperless-ngx is described under Receipts from Paperless-ngx.

Archive settings with Paperless-ngx, the archive folder and the handover.

Export lists and PDFs

The File > Export menu adapts to the view and shows its exports by name. ⇧⌘E runs the first item, ⌥⇧⌘E the alternate.

View	Exports
Invoices, quotes	List as CSV…, alternate Save Shown as PDFs…
Time	Export Time Sheet…, Export List as CSV…, Export List as Excel…, with a selection also Export Selection as CSV… and Export Selection as Excel…
Reports	DATEV Entries…, alternate DATEV Customer Master Data…, plus Values for ELSTER…, Annual Returns…, DATEV XML with Receipt Images…, Artists’ Social Security Levy… and the journals as CSV
Tax Advisor	Export to Folder…, alternate Export as ZIP…, plus the year archive, Procedure Documentation… and the data medium for the tax audit

You save a single document with File > Save as PDF… (⇧⌘S) or as an e-invoice with File > Save XRechnung… (⌥⇧⌘S). More on the reports is under Export a report, on the package under Export the package.

Note Backups and exports are always available to you, with or without a subscription.

Export all data

To read your data without Folnaro, for example when you switch or for your own records, export everything at once.

Choose Folnaro > Settings… > Backup.
Under Data, click Export All Data… and choose a folder.

Folnaro creates a folder Folnaro Export with date and time there. It holds every table as a CSV file, all PDFs, receipts, attachments and your logo, and a file Lies mich.txt (read me) that explains the layout. You bring data back into Folnaro with a backup, not with this export. With sample data, the folder name ends in Beispieldaten.

Where the database is

Under Folnaro > Settings… > Backup, Database with Show in Finder shows the folder where Folnaro keeps its data. It is in the app’s container, which Folnaro and its agent access share. Don’t change anything there by hand while Folnaro is running. A copy of the database does not replace a backup.

To use your data on several Macs, use Sync with iCloud. A backup still makes sense, because sync also carries over a deletion made by mistake.

Common problems

“The backup folder is not available.”: The drive is not connected or the folder was moved. Until then, Folnaro backs up to the default folder. Connect the drive or choose another folder under Backups and exports with Change….
“The backup folder is in the Trash.”: Put the folder back from the Trash or choose another one. Otherwise emptying the Trash deletes your backups.
Not enough space or no write access: Folnaro names the drive and how much space is missing. Free up space there or choose another folder. Without write access, allow writing in Finder under Get Info.
The last backup did not pass the check: Folnaro discarded it, your data is unchanged. Click Back Up Now. If it fails again, choose another folder, for example on another drive.
A backup can’t be restored: If it comes from a newer Folnaro version, update Folnaro first. If you pick the folder above it, Folnaro opens it so you can choose the backup inside. Unpack a backup in a zip archive first by double-clicking it in Finder. If a Folnaro Backup folder lacks the file manifest.json, it was not copied completely.
Numbers are missing after a restore: That is on purpose: Folnaro does not issue numbers again that were issued after the backup. You explain the gap in the checklist under Tax Advisor.
A receipt can’t be deleted: Its retention period is still running, or it belongs to a fixed asset, an invoice or a bank transaction. Only after the period ends does it appear under Retention ended.
Paperless-ngx receives no documents: Check in the Paperless-ngx section that the server is connected. Then click Hand Over Now. Folnaro names documents that were not handed over, with the reason.