Why a green checkmark is not enough
Backup software usually shows a status light or sends a nightly email saying the job finished. That is useful, but it only tells you the software ran. It does not prove the right files were copied, or that they will open when you need them.
Backups often fail quietly. A password changes, a drive fills up, a new computer never gets added, or someone starts saving files in a folder the backup never looks at. Nothing breaks that day, so nobody notices.
That is why government guidance for small businesses, including advice from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), says to test your backups regularly, not just keep them.
Tell your staff
If you ever see a backup warning email or message on your screen, forward it to the office manager the same day.
The ten-minute test, step by step
Pick one real file that someone worked on yesterday or the day before, like a spreadsheet, an invoice or a letter. A recent file makes the best test because it shows the backup is still running today, not just last spring.
Open your backup tool, or ask whoever manages it, and restore that file to a new folder, for example one on the desktop called Restore Test. Do not restore it over the original. That way, if something goes wrong, you have not lost anything.
Next, open the restored file. Check that it opens without errors, looks right, and includes yesterday's changes. If it does, your backup passed. If you cannot find the file, it will not open, or it is weeks old, you just found a problem while it is still easy to fix.
Tell your staff
Do not delete or move files to test the backup yourself. One person runs the test, and they restore to a separate folder.
Check what is actually covered
A backup can restore one file perfectly and still be missing whole parts of your business. Take a few more minutes and list the things you could not work without: your accounting files, the shared drive, client records and email.
Then ask one simple question about each item: is this in the backup? Files saved only on someone's desktop or in their Downloads folder are a common gap. Email and online accounts are another. Do not assume your email provider keeps a copy of everything forever. Ask, and get a clear answer.
Tell your staff
Save work files to the shared drive or company folder, not to your desktop or Downloads folder.
Make sure one copy lives somewhere else
If your only backup is a drive plugged into the same computer, or sitting in the same office, the same fire, theft or scam that takes out the computer can take the backup too. CISA's ransomware guidance recommends keeping backups offline or separate from your network, because attackers often go after any backups they can reach.
So while you run your test, also ask where the copies are kept. You want at least one copy that is away from the office and not connected all the time.
Tell your staff
If a screen ever says your files are locked or asks for payment, do not click anything. Unplug the network cable or turn off Wi-Fi, then call the office manager right away.
Put it on the calendar
One good test gives you peace of mind. Doing it regularly is what actually protects you. Set a repeating reminder (once a month is a sensible place to start for most small offices) and pick a different file each time. Write down the date, the file you tested and whether it worked.
If a test ever fails, do not just try again next month. Get it looked at that week, because until it is fixed, you do not really have a backup.
Tell your staff
When the backup test reminder comes up, treat it like paying a bill. It gets done that week, not someday.
The short version
A backup only counts if it restores. Once a month, pick a recent file, restore it to a separate folder, open it and make sure it is current. While you are at it, check that everything important is covered and that one copy is kept away from the office.
It takes about ten minutes, and it is much better to find a problem on an ordinary Tuesday than on the day you lose everything.