Blog Post
Dear MYOB,
I am very disappointed by the decision to remove or restrict the ability for customers to create and maintain their own offline backups in AccountRight.
AccountRight has long been a desktop-based accounting application, and many businesses have chosen it on the understanding that they would retain control over their company files and backup processes. While cloud services can provide convenience, they should not replace a customer's ability to create and store independent backup copies of their own data.
A key concern is what happens when a subscription is cancelled. Businesses invest years of valuable financial information into MYOB, and customers need confidence that they will continue to have practical access to their historical records without being entirely dependent on an active subscription or cloud access.
Offline backups are an important safeguard for business continuity, compliance, record retention, and disaster recovery. Removing this capability reduces customer control and increases reliance on a single platform for access to critical business information.
I strongly encourage MYOB to reconsider this decision and continue supporting customer-managed offline backups. Customers should have the right to maintain independent copies of the data they have created and paid to manage.
Thank you for considering this feedback.
Hi camvas_myob , thank you for the feedback post.
I understand the reaction to this change and hope that I can provide some additional info.
The removal of offline mode (and therefore offline backups) is definitely going to be a change to how our customers think about their data.
Some of the biggest reasons for an offline backup previously (to my knowledge) were:
- Viewing previous financial years *because AR desktop locks them
- This is no longer an issue, with online files as you can simply access your file via the browser and change the date, previous financial years are not locked when accessing via browser.
- Sharing data with an accountant/bookkeeper
- With an online file, this is a simplified process now with no need to sharing backups as customers can invite their accountant/bookkeeper to access the file directly.
- EOFY or other point in time backups
- Point in time online backups can still be taken and restored via the online backup functionality. an EOFY backup should no longer be necessary based on the first point.
- 7 year record keeping
- This should really only be an issue when a business has stopped using MYOB or closed down - which you noted as a concern in your post.
If the business is still running and has an active subscription, then access to all data exists online.
If a customers wants to retain their data when they closing their business or cancel their subscription with MYOB, they can export the data they need from their file OR there is an option to request a server backup retrieval from MYOB (currently incurs a cost).
- This should really only be an issue when a business has stopped using MYOB or closed down - which you noted as a concern in your post.
An additional benefit of online backups, is that they are automatically taken once every 7 days to provide peace of mind! While still being able to take a point in time backup at any time.
There is more info about the online backups here
Regards Mike
Thank you, Mike.
While I understand the benefits of online backups, I still strongly believe customers should have the option to create and maintain their own offline backups.
AccountRight has traditionally been a desktop application, and having independent backup copies provides an important sense of control over our own business data. With this option being removed, it feels as though we no longer fully own or control the files that contain years of valuable business information.
I appreciate MYOB's investment in cloud services, but I don't see why cloud backups and customer-managed offline backups cannot coexist. I hope MYOB will listen to our concerns and reconsider this decision.
Thank you.
Hi camvas_myob
Totally agree and if you don't need payroll or multi currency MYOB's server edition still allows offline backups
Hello Mike.
I completely agree with all of camvas_myob points (made extremely well and respectfully). I too have great concern with access to point in time backups for historical record keeping, control of our own data, multiple backup options as a safeguard in the event of data loss etc.
In response to your point regarding data retention on business closure/subscription cancellation - if the option to retain our own backups is not provided, we certainly shouldn't be charged in the event of requesting a server backup retrieval.
Please add another request to reinstate the offline backup option. Thank you.
Hi Mike
How am I meant to request the backup file when I close a business? I have a support request since 12/6/26 requesting my backup file to only be left unanswered. The business closes 30/6/26 and so does my active subscription.
You can write all the processes/instructions to us that are meant to happen, but in real life, it is the complete opposite.
Either MYOB needs to employ more people that actually use the program or tell your developers to leave the program alone for a while. We didn't ask or need anything that has happened in the last 12 months.
As much as I dislike Xero, I have to tell my clients it a lot less hassle, and I have used MYOB since its inception.
Good morning Marlyse, we are actively onboarding more staff into our support roles right now, but the training process can take some time.
We hope to have our support experience in a better position as soon as possible.
Assuming that the support request you raised was a cancellation request? The team will process your request for a backup and cancellation (due to business closure) in due course when they action your case.
Given that you would want the backup to include all data up to the 30th June, I would also presume that if the team actioned this now/immediately it would need to be redone, whereas it can be retrieved at any time after the 30th.Why do we have to ring to cancel the subscription and request the back up, especially for a business closure. It is not like you can convince the business to stay with MYOB so why do we need to talk to someone? Why can't it just be a request we fill out and you action it?
Where also does it say how much it costs to get the backup of your own data for which you have already paid for? You talk about this is other posts but cannot find anything on MYOB's site. I would not have a need for this if backups weren't all online now and we have no access to put them on our own servers- I presume it's just another fee for service?
