Offline Backups

AmandaMYOB​ This answer is not correct.  We are using an online version of AccountRight desktop, yet we have no access to a non MYOB cloud back up facility but we did last week. It is not acceptable that there is no user control of the backup. It's useless MYOB having both the original data in the Cloud and the backup in the same Cloud. If it crashes or is hijacked, we lose both. We always do a weekly backup to our own Dropbox and we do manual backups for each milestone date (eg EOFY), to that Dropbox.   We want the capacity to have our own copy somewhere separate.  It's not rocket science and it's a huge risk to your clients. You leave yourselves open to a massive claim against you, if a large number/ all clients lose the original and the backup.

Our payroll data held in the Cloud by MYOB was hacked a number of years ago. There is insufficient confidence that you can guarantee our data, so we want our own copy. None of your clients should be happy with this change.  You took it away in April and brought it back. You need to bring it back again now. It's our data... we have the right to hold a copy anywhere we want. Please advise when this will be rectified.  

The change to the log in, through the browser is also a pain in the backside. We never use the browser, so it just adds extra steps to our morning log in and I'm pretty sure there are lots of other clients in the same boat. 

Please bring back off-line. When you system is unresponsive, at least I can keep working. Also remove the online log in only! This is a nightmare. I would much rather log into my desktop version than online!!

Offline backup was removed without any notice to users.  I would like it brought back as I want to be able to keep the files myself.  In the meantime is there a way of accessing the online backups on your servers to make a copy for ourselves?

Hi MYOB,

It seems you are conflating removal of the option for Offline Backups with "offline mode" and being a cloud based service. Offline Backups are required to have an external copy of our cloud based data that we can control. It is about risk mitigation. Removing the offline backup option increases the risk of losing data and gives us no control of that data. It is not good business practice.

If there is an alternative to only storing backups in your online cloud, please let us know.

This answer is what suits MYOB not its customer base.

Nothing that MYOB has done in the last 12 months has "reflected the evolving needs of our customers, delivering solutions that save time, increase efficiency, and improve collaboration between small businesses and their advisors."

The number of complaints you have had on every single update must even be getting to you.  Logging a support note is useless - it takes over 4 weeks to respond.  Phoning is useless with wait times over a couple of hours.  The best we have is the "Community" to help solve problems.  Need help with a subscription - too bad.

And you expect us to trust you with our data file in the cloud and also its backup in the very same place.  Security 101 is to store them in a different place.

Hi AmandaMYOB​ 

As per all the above responses - offline backups for a client is a MUST. For record keeping it is crucial that we can have a snapshot in time backup - to prove accounts at a time. Going back in time in current data could well be different to what was done at the time. I don't mind that MYOB takes online backups - we just need to be able to download specific backups - MYOB only intends to keep these backups for 6 months - this is not long enough.

This is client data - which they have paid for - why can't they have a copy for their records?

Agree. Can't login this morning as stuck in backup mode. We operate on Saturday, and I need to do payroll. So frustrating when there's no one to call on the weekend. Can't even work off-line.

The answer also only relates to clients who were using MYOB offline and ignores the fact that they have removed the access for clients using MYOB online.  I don't think Amanda has understood the question or what the update has actually done. The customer base is very unhappy, judging by the comments and unhappy customers leave.

Can we access these online backups ourselves to save them to an external drive? I have tried looking for them on my PC but cant find them.

It is absolutely insane to prevent MYOB users from being able to back up their own files offline/locally. 

We are constantly reminded about the importance of keeping our data safe and having backups in the event of something going wrong. I don't accept that comment from Amanda that the ability to backup offline is the same as the push to move all MYOB files online to browser only; 2 different things.

Amanda says that the offline versions are built on technology that no longer meets current performance standards.  There is a lot I could say here about the online version of MYOB and its comparative functionality - for another day. 

The issue of being able to carry out a local backup and also being able to restore that back up if required is extremely important to meet IT risk management responsibilities.  Those companies who have ISO Risk Management Certification will not be meeting their standard obligations if they cannot safely and securely backup to a "trusted" location and restore from that file if required.

I personally like to hedge my bets and have some backed up in the cloud and backed up on my secure locations.  It would appear I can no longer do that.  Correct me if I am wrong, but that option seems to has been removed from the Set Up menu with one of the recent updates.  

When will it occur to MYOB developers that the opinion of clients actually matters?  If clients want to keep an offline backup of their data - why is this a bad thing?  Why won't MYOB support offline backups & restoration of these files as required?  The subscriptions have been paid.  The service should be available if the client deems it necessary and important.