Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: How to Set Up Automated Backups for Your Brisbane Architectural Firm's AutoCAD and Revit Project Files. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

How to Set Up Automated Backups for Your Brisbane Architectural Firm's AutoCAD and Revit Project Files

Architectural firms in Brisbane handle massive project files, including AutoCAD DWGs and Revit RVTs. Losing these files due to hardware failure or accidental deletion can bring a project to a standstill. This guide explains how to set up automated backups to ensure your design data is protected on a schedule.

Quick Fix Steps

1. Identify your project folders (e.g., C:\Projects).
2. Connect an external drive or configure a network location.
3. Open Windows Backup settings.
4. Schedule a daily backup for your design files.
5. Verify the first backup completed successfully.

Detailed Instructions

1. Organise Your Project Files

Before automating backups, ensure your AutoCAD and Revit files are stored in a central directory. Avoid saving project files across multiple desktops or random folders.

• Create a main folder such as C:\Architectural Projects.
• Use subfolders for each client or project number.
• Ensure Revit worksets and AutoCAD xrefs are stored within the same project root.

2. Connect Your Backup Destination

For small architectural firms, an external USB drive or a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device is recommended.

1. Connect your external drive to your workstation or server.
2. Ensure the drive is recognised in File Explorer.
3. Note the drive letter (e.g., E:) or the network path (e.g., \\NAS\Backups).

3. Configure Windows Backup

Windows 10 and 11 include a built-in tool for backing up specific folders to an external drive.

1. Click the Start button and select Settings.
2. Navigate to Update & Security (Windows 10) or System > Storage > Advanced storage settings > Backup options (Windows 11).
3. Under Back up using File History, click Add a drive.
4. Select your external drive or network location from the list.
5. Click More options to customise the backup.

4. Select Your AutoCAD and Revit Folders

By default, File History backs up user libraries. To ensure your design files are protected, move your project folders into your User libraries (e.g., Documents) or use a third-party backup solution for custom directory paths.

1. In Back up these folders, click Add a folder.
2. Browse to and select your Architectural Projects folder.
3. Repeat for any other folders containing design assets.
4. Under Back up my files, select Every hour or Daily.
5. Under Keep my backups, select Until space is needed or a specific timeframe.

5. Run the First Backup

1. Click Back up now.
2. Wait for the process to complete. Depending on the size of your Revit models, this may take some time.
3. Open the backup drive and verify that your project folders are present.

6. Implement Offsite Storage (Recommended)

To protect against fire, theft, or hardware failure at your office, keep a second copy of your backups offsite.

• Rotate two external drives: keep one at the office and one at a secure offsite location.
• Swap the drives weekly to ensure you always have a recent offsite copy.
• Alternatively, use a cloud backup service to synchronise your NAS or external drive data.

Troubleshooting

Backup Drive Not Detected

• Disconnect and reconnect the USB cable.
• Try a different USB port on the workstation.
• Check Disk Management to see if the drive needs a letter assigned.

Backup Fails or Times Out

• Ensure no large Revit files are open in another application during the backup window.
• Check that the external drive has sufficient free space.
• If using a NAS, verify your network connection is stable.

If you encounter issues setting up your backups, you can Open a Ticket with our Brisbane support team.

For guidance on backing up other file types, see How to backup photos to external drive.

Still Having Issues?