Backup & Recovery Guide

Audience: Managers & Administrators Difficulty: Intermediate Estimated Time: 25 minutes

Overview

TrafficPOS provides comprehensive backup and recovery features to protect your business data. This guide covers automated backups, manual exports, encryption, and disaster recovery procedures essential for cannabis dispensary operations.

Critical for Dispensaries: Data protection is essential for dispensaries. Regular backups ensure compliance and protect against hardware failures, theft, or accidental data loss.

Backup System Features

Automated Backup System

  • Runs automatically at configured intervals
  • Stored securely in browser storage
  • 7-day retention with automatic cleanup
  • Zero user intervention required
  • Continuous protection during operations

Advanced Encryption

  • AES-256-GCM encryption for sensitive data
  • Password-protected exports for security
  • PBKDF2 key derivation (100,000 iterations)
  • Employee PINs and passwords securely encrypted
  • Bank-level security standards

Complete Data Coverage

The backup system protects:

  • All products and inventory data
  • Complete sales transaction history
  • Employee records and credentials
  • Customer information and preferences
  • Driver data for delivery operations
  • Time clock records and payroll data
  • System settings and configurations
  • Business information and branding

Setting Up Automated Backups

1

Access Backup Settings

Navigate to Settings → Data Management → Automated Backups

2

Enable Automated Backups

  • Toggle "Enable Automated Backups" to ON
  • System will immediately begin backup scheduling
  • First backup creates baseline
3

Configure Backup Schedule

Choose frequency based on your operation:

Frequency Best For Description
Every Hour High-transaction environments Busy dispensaries (>100 sales/day)
Recommended for peak seasons
Every 4 Hours Standard retail operations Medium-volume dispensaries
Balanced protection and storage
Every 24 Hours Low-volume stores Minimal daily transactions
Basic protection level
4

Monitor Backup Status

  • Check "Last Backup" timestamp regularly
  • View stored backups list
  • Download any backup for external storage
  • Verify backup completion daily

Creating Manual Backups

Standard Data Export (Without Passwords)

1

Access Export Function

Go to Settings → Data Management → Export Data (JSON)

2

Generate Export

  • Includes all business data
  • Excludes employee passwords for security
  • Suitable for data analysis and reporting
  • Creates downloadable JSON file

Complete Encrypted Backup

Complete Recovery: Complete backups include ALL data including encrypted employee credentials and are essential for full system recovery.
1

Start Complete Backup

Navigate to Settings → Data Management → Export Complete Backup

2

Set Backup Password

  • Enter a strong, unique password (minimum 12 characters)
  • Use combination of letters, numbers, symbols
  • Consider using a password manager
  • Confirm password matches exactly
3

Download and Secure

  • Save the downloaded file immediately
  • Store in multiple secure locations
  • Record password separately from file
  • Test restore procedure immediately

Password Security Guidelines

Creating Strong Backup Passwords

Password Recovery: Backup passwords are NOT stored in the system and cannot be recovered if lost. Choose wisely and store securely.

Password Requirements:

  • Minimum 12 characters (20+ recommended)
  • Include uppercase and lowercase letters
  • Include numbers and special characters
  • Avoid dictionary words or personal information
  • Use unique password for each backup

Password Storage:

  • Store password separately from backup file
  • Use enterprise password manager
  • Consider physical backup of password
  • Document password recovery procedures

Recovery Procedures

Method 1: Standard Recovery (When Logged In)

1

Access Import Function

Navigate to Settings → Data Management → Import Full Backup

2

Select Backup File

  • Choose your .json backup file
  • Must be valid TrafficPOS backup format
  • System validates file integrity
3

Enter Backup Password

  • Input the password used during export
  • NOT your user login password
  • Case-sensitive entry required
4

Confirm Data Replacement

  • Review warning about complete data replacement
  • Understand ALL current data will be overwritten
  • Click confirm to proceed with restore
5

Verify Restoration Success

  • Check that all data appears correctly
  • Verify employee logins function properly
  • Test sample transaction processing
  • Confirm inventory levels are accurate

Method 2: Emergency System Recovery

Use emergency recovery when:

  • Forgot all user passwords
  • Database corruption occurred
  • Accidental data deletion
  • Browser data was cleared
  • System won't allow login
1

Access System Recovery

  • Navigate to login page
  • Locate "System Recovery" section at bottom
  • Click "Import Backup" option
2

Select Backup File

  • Choose your backup .json file
  • System validates file format automatically
  • Only valid TrafficPOS backups accepted
3

Enter Backup Password

  • Input password used during backup creation
  • This is the backup password, not user password
  • System decrypts and validates data
4

Complete Full Recovery

  • System restores ALL data automatically
  • All users and passwords restored
  • Can login normally after completion
  • Full system functionality restored

Backup Best Practices & Schedules

Daily Operations Checklist

  • Verify automated backup completed successfully
  • Check available storage space on device
  • Note any unusual system activity or errors
  • Monitor backup file sizes for consistency

Weekly Maintenance Tasks

  • Download automated backup for external storage
  • Create manual encrypted backup
  • Upload backup to secure cloud location
  • Verify backup file integrity and accessibility

Monthly Security Reviews

  • Test complete restore procedure
  • Archive old backup files securely
  • Review backup retention policies
  • Update backup passwords for security

Quarterly Disaster Recovery

  • Conduct full disaster recovery drill
  • Review backup procedures with all staff
  • Update emergency contact information
  • Audit backup access permissions

Storage Strategy & Recommendations

Local Storage (Immediate Access)

Browser Storage:

  • Automatic backups stored locally
  • Limited by browser storage quotas
  • Fast access for immediate recovery
  • Vulnerable to device theft or failure

External Storage (Physical Security)

Recommended Options:

  • USB drives for offline copies
  • Network Attached Storage (NAS) systems
  • External hard drives with encryption
  • Multiple copies in different locations

Cloud Storage (Geographic Protection)

Secure Cloud Services:

  • Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive
  • Encrypted cloud services preferred
  • Version history for backup recovery
  • Geographic redundancy protection
3-2-1 Backup Rule: Keep 3 copies of important data, on 2 different storage media, with 1 copy stored offsite.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Backup Creation Problems

Issue: Backup Export Fails

  • Check available storage space
  • Verify browser permissions
  • Try smaller manual backup
  • Clear browser cache and retry

Issue: Password Not Accepted

  • Verify exact password used during creation
  • Check for caps lock or special characters
  • Try typing password manually (no copy/paste)
  • Ensure backup file is not corrupted

Recovery Problems

Issue: Import Process Fails

  • Verify backup file is valid JSON format
  • Check file was not corrupted during transfer
  • Ensure sufficient storage space for restore
  • Try different browser or device

Issue: System Recovery Not Available

  • Ensure using HTTPS connection
  • Clear browser cache completely
  • Try incognito/private browsing mode
  • Contact administrator if access issues persist
Critical: If you experience repeated backup failures, immediately create manual backups and contact technical support. Data protection cannot be delayed.

Emergency Contact & Support

Immediate Actions for Data Loss

1
Stop all operations to prevent further data loss
2
Locate most recent backup from any storage location
3
Follow emergency recovery procedure outlined above
4
Document the incident for insurance or compliance
5
Contact technical support for assistance

Recovery Priority Order

  1. Complete encrypted backup (most recent)
  2. Automated backup (from local storage)
  3. Manual JSON export (for partial recovery)
  4. CSV exports (for essential data only)

Related Guides

Offline Mode Guide

Essential backup considerations for offline operations

Security Guide

Security best practices and compliance requirements

Initial Setup

System configuration and backup setup procedures