How to Sign Up and Create an Account

There are two options when you sign up for an account on WOW Backup and Restore. You can create your account with an email and password of your choice, or you can sign in with your existing Xero account.

Email/Password

To create an account with an email and password of your choice:

  1. Type in your email address in the "Email" box
  2. Enter a password of your choice in the "Password" box
  3. Press the "Sign Up" button

You will then land on a page that will ask you to scan the QR code with an authenticator app. For security purposes, WOW Backup and Restore requires two-step authentication with an authenticator app. Please open the authenticator app of your choice (for example: Google Authenticator), scan the QR code, and type in the passcode that appears on the authenticator app.

Important: In order to finalize your account creation, you will have to verify your account. Check the inbox of your email address and you should have received an email asking you to verify your account. Follow the instructions in the email and verify your account.

Existing Xero Account

To create an account with an existing Xero Account:

  1. Select "Sign Up / Login In with Xero"
  2. Enter your Xero account credentials and press "Log In"
  3. Press "Allow Access" to proceed

How to Connect your Xero Account

  1. Go to "Xero Account"
  2. Press the green "+Add New Account" button on the top right corner
  3. Enter your Xero account email address and press "Add"
  4. Log in with your Xero credentials

Note: If your WOW Backup and Restore account was created with your Xero account, you will not be asked to enter your Xero credentials.

How to Connect an Active Organization

Please complete the "How to Connect your Xero Account" guide first.

  1. Click the "Select an Organization" dropdown button
  2. Select the organization you would like to connect
  3. Press "Allow access" at the bottom of the page
  4. Add the Conversion Date when prompted
  5. Press "Save Changes"

If you do not know what the Conversion Date for the organization is, please follow the next guide "How to Find the Conversion Date."

How to Find the Conversion Date

  1. Open up the organization on Xero
  2. Select "Accounting" and then "Advanced"
  3. Select "Conversion Balance" under the "Advanced Settings" column
  4. Press the "Conversion Date" date button near the top of the window
  5. Take this Conversion Date and input it into the "Conversion Date" box during the connection of an organization

How To Backup An Organization

Backups automatically occur every day at 12:00 AM PST.

For manual backup:

  1. Locate the Active Organization you would like to backup on the "Xero Accounts" page
  2. Press the "Backup" button (cloud with downwards arrow)

How To Adjust The Backup Duration

  1. Locate the Active Organization you would like to adjust
  2. Press the "Backup Duration" button
  3. Select the date of which the backup will start from in the "Backup from" box
  4. Enter the duration in the "Validity Period" box (default is 7 days, can be 3-30 days)
  5. Press "save"

How To Restore an Organization

Important: You first need to create a new Organization on Xero. Unless you have your Chart of Accounts available to import, please select the default Chart of Accounts provided by Xero, and delete all accounts that are unlocked and can be deleted.
  1. Create a new Organization on Xero
  2. Connect the new, blank Organization to WOW Backup and Restore
  3. Locate the original Organization you would like to backup from
  4. Press the "Restore" button (cloud with upwards arrow)
  5. Select the backup date in "Backup Date" box
  6. Select "All" in the "Module" box
  7. Select the target organization in "Sync Data To" box
  8. Press "Restore Xero Data"
  9. Review confirmation and press "Start"

How To Disconnect an Active Organization

  1. Locate the Active Organization on the "Xero Accounts" page
  2. Press the "Disconnect from Xero" button under the "Action" column
  3. Verify disconnection in Xero by checking "Connected Apps" in settings

How To Reconnect an Organization

  1. Locate the Inactive Organization on the "Xero Accounts" page
  2. Press the "Connect to Xero" button under the "Action" column
  3. Complete the Xero login process if prompted
  4. Select the organization you would like to reconnect
  5. Press "Allow Access"

How To Delete An Organization

Warning: Deleting an Organization will also delete its backup data.
  1. Locate the Organization on the "Xero Accounts" page
  2. Press the blue "Delete" button (trash can icon)

How To Download a Backup

  1. Locate the Organization on the "Xero Accounts" page (Active or Inactive)
  2. Select "View" to view completed backups
  3. Select the file with the date you want to download
  4. Press the blue "Download" button above the "Module" label

How To Delete the Backup Data

Note: This will delete all backup data of an Organization. If you want to reduce the number of backups stored, use "How to Adjust the Backup Duration" instead.
  1. Locate the Organization on the "Xero Accounts" page
  2. Press the blue "Clear Data" button (square icon with line)
  3. Press "OK" to confirm

FAQ

What is an Active Organization?

An Active Organization is an organization that is active on Xero and connected to our WOW Backup and Restore services. This means that the organization will be backed up daily.

What is an Inactive Organization?

An Inactive Organization is an organization that is no longer connected to our WOW Backup and Restore services. Daily backups will no longer occur on these accounts.

Can I get a free trial?

Yes! Every new user will have a 14-day free trial. In addition, the first 2 Active Organizations are free indefinitely.

How does pricing work?

Please review our pricing page here: WOW Backup and Restore Pricing

Where is my data stored?

Your data is stored on a secure cloud-based storage. We follow all data protection guidelines and provide different storage locations for all regions we service. Please select the correct region when using WOW Backup and Restore.

How long is my data stored?

Your data can be stored from 3 days up to 30 days. By default, every backup is stored for 7 days. You can adjust this using the "Backup Duration" feature.

How long does it take to complete a backup?

Depending on the organization file size, it may take 1-3 hours, or up to 1-2 days. Xero restricts daily data transfer limits, so large organizations may require resuming the backup the next day.

How long does it take to restore an Organization?

Similar to backups, restoration time depends on file size and may take 1-3 hours to 1-2 days due to Xero's API transfer limits.

Can I access my backups even if the Xero Organization is no longer active?

Yes! As long as the backup data is still stored on WOW Backup and Restore, you can access it as an "Inactive Organization" even if the Xero Organization is no longer active.

Can I keep a copy of my backup locally?

Yes! You can download any completed backup from any date within your Backup Duration period.

Limitations

Current API Limitations

Since WOW Backup and Restore relies on Xero's API, we are limited to what data can be transferred. The following items are not backed up or restored:

  • Bank Statements
  • Branding Themes
  • Budgets
  • Journals
  • Repeating Invoices
  • History/Notes
  • Payroll

Note: As the Xero API continues to improve, WOW Backup and Restore will regularly update to provide the most comprehensive service possible.

Additional Notes

  • When backing up a Xero organization with multiple users, each organization has its own unique ID; therefore, only one user per company should backup each organization.
  • Conversion balances need to be entered into the new restored Xero organization.
  • Locked account numbers and names must remain as default format set by Xero.
  • Tax rates created from other SaaS software may be archived automatically by Xero.
  • The Xero API does not list the General Ledger report; therefore, a copy should be downloaded separately.
  • Changing contact info in original Xero organization can cause errors. Best practice is to create new contacts and archive old ones.

Items that need to be addressed on a RESTORED Xero organization:

  • Reconnect bank feeds for all bank and credit card accounts
  • Set up new credit card accounts for credit card bank feeds
  • Unreconciled bank transactions do not appear on restored organizations
  • Some credit items for vendors will need manual matching
  • Re-establish online payment connections (PayPal, Stripe, etc.)
  • Recreate invoice reminders and messages
  • Recreate email settings
  • Ensure restored organization has same options as original (Projects, Expenses, etc.)
  • Manually enter ROUNDING account amounts
  • Reattach files to transactions
  • Re-archive accounts if needed
  • Recreate repeating invoices