MYOB Online Backups - Clarification Required: Duration & Retention of Backups

ntoumba​ Earl_HD​ 2Dally​ Edwina​ 

Another big thing to remember in this as well is that if we dont have an actual physical, off line storage of a backup of the data file and the information is only available via printed reports, this shows nothing for a forensic investigation, maybe needed in the case of insolvency, embezzlement, liquidation, auditor reports, having access to the whole data file gives you the chance to view audit tracking reports.

Who, that wouldn't even think of these reports, would be printing them?  Also when selling, there are queries that a prospective buyer will ask that are not plainly seen by any number of years of P&Ls.  i.e. what percentage of sales is commercial and what is private (especially relevant in construction based industries), and the list can go on and on.  What bookkeeper has printed reports as well as exporting data that may be called for to excel so the data can be manipulated to format and usage required.

Simple answer to everyone's concerns is to give us back what we had and should never have been taken away from us.  The ability to make our own backup, when and where we want to keep it.

If ATO fine my clients for not producing these records then I am sending these onto MYOB for not giving my clients access to records and a file they have paid top $$ for for years.

we need to be able to download our final back up and be able to restore in a program on our PC if only read only, long enough to access any required attached documents and reports the ATO require for 7 years.

MYOB is still missing the point, reports do not give us access to the actual document stored in MYOB & attached to the tx.  As required by ATO we must produce the actual receipt, tax invoice, subbie statement etc, etc, if requested.  For years we have been encouraged to store these in the software and go 'paperless', if we cannot access our closed file or back up of the closed file prior to closing, then we have lost all these scanned receipts, invoices, pmts etc.  And that is not acceptable or available via a report!!!!!!!!!!!!

ntoumba​ extremely serious that will need action

ntoumba​ Do you know if anyone has begun a class action as a group?, this backup situation is a vilation of our Company records. 
We no longer have the right to produce a local copy that would form part of a sale should anyone of us decide to sell our businesses. Most sales require at least 3-5 years of records to prove its worth.

I find this issue concerning too. We have always had the ability to access saved files as required and now that has been taken away by stealth. I've also learned that I can't purge my own records to keep my file working efficiently as it all now 'live' but have to pay for that service using a third party MYOB provider.

It should have been made clear to your customers at the time of the change that we would need to download reports as you recommend above. This is a big change with some far reaching implications that MYOB does not wish to understand apparently.

Genreve_S​ Earl_HD​ ntoumba​ 

This is all entirely unacceptable.  We are NOT CHILDREN.  We can decide how and where we wish to retain something that belongs to us.

Just exporting reports to look at at a later stage does not help.

When I make a backup of a client's file prior to rolling over the year, I want a hard copy of my own, not one floating in the cloud to go wherever MYOB wants to send it.  This is what my clients pay for.

This needs to be changed back to how it was, that we can decide to do backups to our own external devices, when and how we choose to.

Thanks for the clarification, Earl_HD​ Earl, but unfortunately this still doesn’t resolve the core issue.

Accessing historical data only through the live file is not sufficient for real‑world accounting, audit, or compliance needs. A live file is constantly changing, and once historical data is overwritten, corrected, merged, or corrupted, there is no way to recover the original information without a proper historical backup.

To give a practical example: I recently had to access backups from a 2012 company file due to an ATO error that required detailed investigation. This was for a business that had not had an active MYOB subscription for over five years. The ability to open the original backup file was essential because:

• The required information was not contained in exported reports.
• I needed to view transaction notes, comments, and audit‑trail details that do not appear in reports.
• I needed to see the file exactly as it existed at that point in time, not the current live version.

This is a normal requirement in accounting, especially when dealing with ATO reviews, legal matters, historical payroll, asset records, or disputes.

Your current model, where MYOB deletes backups after 6 months and expects businesses to rely solely on the live file or exported reports,does not support these real‑world needs.

Exporting reports is not an adequate substitute for retaining full accounting records. Reports are snapshots; they do not contain the underlying data, audit trails, or transaction‑level detail required for compliance or investigation.

Removing downloadable backups has significantly reduced MYOB’s effectiveness and reliability as an accounting system. This change places businesses at risk and undermines MYOB’s long‑standing reputation as a product that supports proper record‑keeping.

I strongly recommend MYOB review this decision and either:

• provide a long‑term online retention period that aligns with ATO requirements, or
• reinstate the ability for users to download and store their own full company file backups.

Without one of these options, MYOB is not providing a practical solution for long‑term record retention.

Hi ntoumba,

Thanks for calling this out so clearly. 

To clarify the current position, the 6-month period applies to online backups used for recent recovery. It isn’t being presented as the sole way a business meets its record-keeping obligations. While your subscription is active and your AccountRight file is online, your historical records remain available in the live file back to file creation.
 

If a subscription is being cancelled, that’s when MYOB expects businesses to export and keep the records and reports they need for their own retention. For customers who need more detailed historical access after cancellation, the current guidance also points to read-only access or a one-off server export as the available options.
 

We understand that this is a significant concern for businesses that need confidence they can produce records later, and we appreciate you raising it.

Regards,
Earl