Backups and data export

This page answers two questions that site administrators ask early: is my data backed up, and can I take it with me. It covers what the hosted service does for you. It also lists the exports you can run yourself in Orbit, Orbit Forge, Orbit Pulse and Orbit Folio.

Backups on the hosted service

You do not run backups and there is nothing to switch on. The platform backs up three things.

What	How it is backed up
Database	One backup holds all records and all configuration: workflows, fields, schemes, rules and settings
Attachments	The attachment files are archived together with the database
Forge repositories	Each repository is written as a Git bundle with every branch and tag, with a checksum for each bundle

Restore drills

A backup counts only if it can be restored. The platform therefore runs restore drills. A drill restores a backup into a scratch copy, away from live data, and checks the result:

The restored row counts are compared with the backup.
Every attachment file is checked by its SHA-256 hash and size.
For Forge, each bundle is restored, its branches and tags are compared with the bundle, and a repository integrity check runs. The drill records the timings and the result.

This page does not state the backup schedule, how long backup copies are kept, or recovery time targets, because they are not published yet.

What you can export today

Exports follow the permissions of the person who runs them. You get only what that person may read.

Data	What you get	Who can run it
Work items	A CSV of a list or a search, with the visible columns or every field. Up to 5,000 work items per file. Each export is recorded.	People who can read the work
Audit events	A CSV of up to 10,000 events. See Audit log.	Site administrators, and project administrators for their projects
Project configuration	A bundle of work types, custom fields, screens, field configurations, workflows with transition rules and approval steps, and schemes. It carries no site identifiers and lists anything left out as a warning.	Administrators who may change the project’s configuration
Automation rules In development	One file for each rule. People, groups and statuses travel by name, and secret values never leave the project.	Project administrators
Folio	A Markdown zip of a page, a page with its subtree, or a space, with attachments. Pages can also be printed to PDF.	Anyone who can read the page
Forge repositories	A Git bundle of every branch and tag, and downloads of files as zip or tar.gz	Anyone who can read the repository
Pulse	Dashboards as JSON, and log search results as CSV	People with access to the project in Pulse

Spreadsheet formulas in CSV cells are neutralized, so a file opens safely in a spreadsheet application.

Where to find each export

Work items: see CSV import and export.
Folio pages and spaces: see Import and export.
Automation rules: see Automation rules.
Pulse log results: see Logs.

Deleted data can be recovered for a while

Orbit does not delete in one step.

Data	Recovery
Projects	A site administrator can archive a project or move it to the trash, and restore it from either state. A project in the trash is deleted for good when its retention period ends, or earlier by hand. The period is 1 to 365 days, 60 by default, and applies to projects moved to the trash afterwards.
Forge repositories	A deleted repository can be restored within 7 days
Folio pages	A deleted page and its subtree go to the trash. Restoring puts them back. Only space administrators delete for good.

Full organization export Planned

A single export of a whole organization is planned. It is listed with the next platform work on the roadmap.

Until then, use the exports in the table above. Together they cover work items, configuration, Folio content, Forge repositories and Pulse dashboards.