QuickBooks Offsite Backup: The Complete Cloud Backup Guide

Why Offsite Backups Are Critical

Local backups alone are insufficient for business continuity. If your server burns in a fire, floods, or gets hit by ransomware, your local backup drives are destroyed alongside your primary data. According to Intuit, proper backup procedures should include offsite storage to protect against catastrophic data loss. ^[1]

Cloud backup solutions like Backblaze B2, AWS S3, and Azure Blob Storage offer enterprise-grade protection at a fraction of traditional backup costs. With automated daily syncing, version history, and geographic redundancy, your QuickBooks data remains safe regardless of what happens on-premises.

What This Guide Covers

The 3-2-1 Backup Rule

Professional backup strategies follow the industry-standard 3-2-1 rule—a proven methodology that ensures your data survives any disaster scenario:

Applying 3-2-1 to QuickBooks

Here's how to implement the 3-2-1 rule for your QuickBooks environment:

Understanding QuickBooks File Types

Before configuring backups, you must understand which QuickBooks files need protection. A complete backup includes more than just the company file—several supporting files are critical for full data integrity. ^[1]

Essential QuickBooks Files

Additional Files to Backup

Complete Backup File Pattern

Your rclone backup configuration should include these file patterns:

# Include these file extensions in your backup
*.qbw          # Main company file
*.qbw.tlg      # Transaction log
*.qbw.nd       # Network data
*.qbw.adr      # Auto data recovery
*.qbb          # QuickBooks backup files
 
# Include these directories
Attach/        # Document attachments
Tax Forms/     # Tax forms folder
 

Cloud Backup Solutions Comparison

Several enterprise-grade cloud storage providers offer excellent options for QuickBooks backups. This guide focuses on Backblaze B2 due to its cost-effectiveness and simplicity, but we'll compare all major options to help you choose the best fit.

Cost Comparison Example

For a typical QuickBooks deployment with 5GB company file, daily backups, 60-day retention (300GB total stored):

Prerequisites & Requirements

System Requirements

Software Requirements

Setup: Rclone + Backblaze B2

This section walks through the complete setup process for automated QuickBooks backups to Backblaze B2 using rclone. We'll configure everything from creating your B2 account to testing your first backup.

1. 1
   Create Backblaze B2 Account

   Sign up for Backblaze B2 cloud storage and create a bucket

   1. Go to backblaze.com/b2/sign-up.html and create an account (free for first 10GB)
   2. After signup, navigate to B2 Cloud Storage in the left sidebar
   3. Click Buckets → Create a Bucket
   4. Configure bucket settings:
      • Bucket Name: quickbooks-backup-yourcompany (must be globally unique)
      • Files in Bucket: Private
      • Default Encryption: Disable (we'll encrypt with rclone)
      • Object Lock: Disable (not needed for our use case)
   5. Click Create a Bucket

   Pro Tip

   Enable lifecycle rules to automatically delete old backups. For example, keep daily backups for 30 days and monthly backups for 1 year. This controls storage costs while maintaining adequate retention.
2. 2
   Generate Backblaze B2 Application Key

   Create API credentials for rclone authentication

   1. In the Backblaze B2 console, click App Keys in the left sidebar
   2. Click Add a New Application Key
   3. Configure the application key:
      • Key Name: rclone-quickbooks-backup
      • Allow access to Bucket(s): Select your bucket (quickbooks-backup-yourcompany)
      • Type of Access: Read and Write
      • File name prefix: Leave blank (or set to quickbooks/ for organization)
      • Duration: Leave as default (key doesn't expire)
   4. Click Create New Key
   5. CRITICAL: Copy and save these values immediately (shown only once):
      • keyID (starts with 00X...)
      • applicationKey (long random string)

   Security Note: The applicationKey is shown only once. Save it in a password manager immediately. If lost, you must create a new application key.
3. 3
   Download and Install Rclone

   Install rclone on your QuickBooks server

   Download the latest rclone version for Windows:

   1. Open a browser on your QuickBooks server and go to rclone.org/downloads
   2. Download rclone-current-windows-amd64.zip
   3. Extract the ZIP file to a permanent location (recommended: C:\rclone\)
   4. Open PowerShell as Administrator and add rclone to the system PATH:

   PowerShell - Install Rclone

   Copy

   # Add rclone to PATH permanently
   [Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable(
       "Path",
       [Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable("Path", "Machine") + ";C:\rclone",
       "Machine"
   )
    
   # Verify installation (open new PowerShell window)
   rclone version
    

   You should see output showing the rclone version (e.g., rclone v1.65.0).

4. 4
   Configure Rclone for Backblaze B2

   Set up rclone remote connection to your B2 bucket

   Run the rclone configuration wizard: ^[2]

   PowerShell - Start Rclone Config

   Copy

   # Start rclone configuration
   rclone config
    

   Follow the interactive prompts:

   e) Edit existing remote

   n) New remote

   d) Delete remote

   r) Rename remote

   c) Copy remote

   s) Set configuration password

   q) Quit config

   e/n/d/r/c/s/q> n

   name> b2-quickbooks

   Type of storage to configure:

   [...list of providers...]

   Storage> b2

   Account ID or Application Key ID

   account> [Your keyID from Step 2]

   Application Key

   key> [Your applicationKey from Step 2]

   Edit advanced config? (y/n)

   y/n> n

   [Configuration confirmed]

   e/n/d/r/c/s/q> q

   Test the connection:

   PowerShell - Verify B2 Connection

   Copy

   # List buckets to verify connection
   rclone lsd b2-quickbooks:
    
   # You should see your bucket listed:
   # -1 2025-01-29 10:30:00        -1 quickbooks-backup-yourcompany
    

5. 5
   Test Your First Backup

   Perform a manual backup to verify configuration

   Before automating, test backing up your QuickBooks files manually:

   PowerShell - Test Backup

   Copy

   # Set your QuickBooks data path
   $qbPath = "C:\Users\Public\Documents\Intuit\QuickBooks\Company Files"
    
   # Perform a dry-run first (shows what would be backed up without actually copying)
   rclone sync "$qbPath" "b2-quickbooks:quickbooks-backup-yourcompany" `
     --dry-run `
     --progress `
     --transfers 16
    
   # If the dry-run looks correct, run the actual backup
   rclone sync "$qbPath" "b2-quickbooks:quickbooks-backup-yourcompany" `
     --progress `
     --transfers 16 `
     --fast-list
    

   Explanation of flags:

   • --dry-run - Simulates the sync without making changes (safe for testing)
   • --progress - Shows real-time progress during transfer
   • --transfers 16 - Upload 16 files simultaneously (optimal for B2 ^[2])
   • --fast-list - Reduces API calls for faster sync (recommended by Backblaze)

   Success Indicator

   Your first backup may take 10-30 minutes depending on file size and internet speed. Subsequent backups will be much faster as rclone only uploads changed files.

Automating Backups with Task Scheduler

Manual backups are prone to human error and forgetfulness. Automate your QuickBooks cloud backups using Windows Task Scheduler to ensure daily protection without intervention.

1. 1
   Create Backup Script

   Write a PowerShell script to handle the backup process

   Create a new file at C:\Scripts\QB-CloudBackup.ps1:

   C:\Scripts\QB-CloudBackup.ps1

   Copy

   1# QuickBooks Cloud Backup Script
   2# Created: 2025-01-29
   3 
   4# Configuration
   5$qbDataPath = "C:\Users\Public\Documents\Intuit\QuickBooks\Company Files"
   6$rcloneRemote = "b2-quickbooks:quickbooks-backup-yourcompany"
   7$logPath = "C:\Scripts\Logs\QB-Backup-$(Get-Date -Format 'yyyy-MM-dd').log"
   8 
   9# Create log directory if it doesn't exist
   10New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path (Split-Path $logPath) | Out-Null
   11 
   12# Log function
   13function Write-Log {
   14    param($Message)
   15    $timestamp = Get-Date -Format "yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss"
   16    $logMessage = "[$timestamp] $Message"
   17    Add-Content -Path $logPath -Value $logMessage
   18    Write-Host $logMessage
   19}
   20 
   21Write-Log "=== QuickBooks Cloud Backup Started ==="
   22 
   23# Verify QuickBooks files exist
   24if (!(Test-Path $qbDataPath)) {
   25    Write-Log "ERROR: QuickBooks data path not found: $qbDataPath"
   26    exit 1
   27}
   28 
   29# Count files before backup
   30$fileCount = (Get-ChildItem -Path $qbDataPath -Recurse -File | Measure-Object).Count
   31Write-Log "Found $fileCount files to backup in $qbDataPath"
   32 
   33# Run rclone sync
   34try {
   35    Write-Log "Starting rclone sync..."
   36 
   37    rclone sync "$qbDataPath" "$rcloneRemote" `
   38        --transfers 16 `
   39        --fast-list `
   40        --log-level INFO `
   41        --log-file "$logPath" `
   42        --stats 1m `
   43        --stats-one-line
   44 
   45    if ($LASTEXITCODE -eq 0) {
   46        Write-Log "SUCCESS: Backup completed successfully"
   47    } else {
   48        Write-Log "ERROR: Rclone exited with code $LASTEXITCODE"
   49        exit $LASTEXITCODE
   50    }
   51} catch {
   52    Write-Log "ERROR: Exception during backup: $_"
   53    exit 1
   54}
   55 
   56Write-Log "=== QuickBooks Cloud Backup Completed ==="
   57exit 0
   58 

   Test the script manually before scheduling:

   Test the Backup Script

   Copy

   # Run the script to test
   PowerShell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "C:\Scripts\QB-CloudBackup.ps1"
    
   # Check the log file
   Get-Content "C:\Scripts\Logs\QB-Backup-$(Get-Date -Format 'yyyy-MM-dd').log"
    

2. 2
   Create Scheduled Task

   Configure Windows Task Scheduler for daily automated backups

   Use PowerShell to create a scheduled task (run as Administrator):

   PowerShell - Create Scheduled Task (Run as Admin)

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   # Define the action
   $action = New-ScheduledTaskAction `
       -Execute "PowerShell.exe" `
       -Argument '-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -NoProfile -File "C:\Scripts\QB-CloudBackup.ps1"'
    
   # Define the trigger (daily at 11:00 PM)
   $trigger = New-ScheduledTaskTrigger -Daily -At "11:00PM"
    
   # Define settings
   $settings = New-ScheduledTaskSettingsSet `
       -AllowStartIfOnBatteries `
       -DontStopIfGoingOnBatteries `
       -StartWhenAvailable `
       -RunOnlyIfNetworkAvailable `
       -ExecutionTimeLimit (New-TimeSpan -Hours 2)
    
   # Define the principal (run as SYSTEM or specific user)
   $principal = New-ScheduledTaskPrincipal `
       -UserID "NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM" `
       -LogonType ServiceAccount `
       -RunLevel Highest
    
   # Register the task
   Register-ScheduledTask `
       -TaskName "QuickBooks Cloud Backup" `
       -Description "Automated daily backup of QuickBooks company files to Backblaze B2" `
       -Action $action `
       -Trigger $trigger `
       -Settings $settings `
       -Principal $principal
    
   Write-Host "Scheduled task created successfully!"
   Write-Host "Next backup: 11:00 PM today/tomorrow"
    

   Schedule Recommendation

   Schedule backups during off-hours when QuickBooks is not in use (11 PM - 6 AM). This prevents file locking issues and ensures minimal network impact during business hours.

   Verify the task was created:

   Verify Scheduled Task

   Copy

   # View task details
   Get-ScheduledTask -TaskName "QuickBooks Cloud Backup" | Format-List
    
   # Manually run the task to test
   Start-ScheduledTask -TaskName "QuickBooks Cloud Backup"
    
   # Check task history
   Get-ScheduledTask -TaskName "QuickBooks Cloud Backup" | Get-ScheduledTaskInfo
    

3. 3
   Configure Email Notifications (Optional)

   Get notified of backup success/failure via email

   Add email notification to your backup script using PowerShell Send-MailMessage:

   Add Email Notifications

   Copy

   1# Add this to the end of QB-CloudBackup.ps1
   2 
   3# Email Configuration
   4$smtpServer = "smtp.gmail.com"  # Or your email provider's SMTP server
   5$smtpPort = 587
   6$emailFrom = "backup@yourcompany.com"
   7$emailTo = "admin@yourcompany.com"
   8$emailSubject = "QuickBooks Backup - $(if ($LASTEXITCODE -eq 0) {'SUCCESS'} else {'FAILED'})"
   9 
   10# Email credentials (use app-specific password for Gmail)
   11$emailPassword = ConvertTo-SecureString "your-app-password" -AsPlainText -Force
   12$emailCredential = New-Object System.Management.Automation.PSCredential($emailFrom, $emailPassword)
   13 
   14# Get log content
   15$logContent = Get-Content -Path $logPath -Tail 50 | Out-String
   16 
   17# Send email
   18try {
   19    Send-MailMessage `
   20        -From $emailFrom `
   21        -To $emailTo `
   22        -Subject $emailSubject `
   23        -Body "QuickBooks Cloud Backup Log:
   24 
   25$logContent" `
   26        -SmtpServer $smtpServer `
   27        -Port $smtpPort `
   28        -UseSsl `
   29        -Credential $emailCredential
   30 
   31    Write-Log "Email notification sent to $emailTo"
   32} catch {
   33    Write-Log "WARNING: Failed to send email notification: $_"
   34}
   35 

   Security Note

   Store email credentials securely. For Gmail, use App Passwords instead of your main password. For production environments, consider using a dedicated monitoring solution or SMTP relay service.

Encryption & Security

QuickBooks company files contain highly sensitive financial data. While cloud providers offer server-side encryption, you should implement client-side encryption before files leave your network. This ensures only you can decrypt your data—not even your cloud provider can access it.

Option 1: Rclone Crypt (Recommended)

Rclone includes a built-in crypt backend that encrypts files before upload. This is the simplest and most integrated solution.

# Run rclone config
rclone config
 
# Follow prompts to create crypt remote
# n) New remote
# name> b2-encrypted
# Storage> crypt
# remote> b2-quickbooks:quickbooks-backup-yourcompany
# filename_encryption> standard
# directory_name_encryption> true
# password> [Enter a strong password]
# password2> [Confirm password]
# y) Yes this is OK
 
# Test the encrypted remote
rclone lsd b2-encrypted:
 
# Update your backup script to use encrypted remote
$rcloneRemote = "b2-encrypted:"
 

Option 2: Pre-Encrypt with 7-Zip

Alternatively, encrypt QuickBooks files with 7-Zip before syncing to cloud:

# Install 7-Zip command line
# Download from: https://www.7-zip.org/download.html
 
# Encrypt QuickBooks files before upload
$qbPath = "C:\Users\Public\Documents\Intuit\QuickBooks\Company Files"
$encryptedPath = "C:\Backups\QB-Encrypted"
$password = "YourStrongEncryptionPassword"
 
# Create encrypted archive
& "C:\Program Files\7-Zip\7z.exe" a `
    -t7z `
    -mx9 `
    -mhe=on `
    -p"$password" `
    "$encryptedPath\QB-Backup-$(Get-Date -Format 'yyyy-MM-dd').7z" `
    "$qbPath\*"
 
# Sync encrypted archives to cloud
rclone sync "$encryptedPath" "b2-quickbooks:quickbooks-backup-yourcompany/encrypted" `
    --transfers 16
 

Security Best Practices

References