Reference Guide
NOTE
This documentation has been deprecated! While we will no longer update this documentation set, it will remain available for a short time while users transition to the new documentation site.
To see SmartBackup’s current documentation, go to and bookmark https://docs.acuworkflow.com
Deprecated Documentation below
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Table of Contents
- Editions Section - introducing the different Editions within SmartBackup
- Backup Section - reference guide for backups
- Archive Section - reference guide for archiving
- Export Section - reference guide for exports
- Additional Considerations Section - additional considerations SmartSheet
Editions
Since its first release SmartBackup is positioned as one of the leading backup solutions for Smartsheet. There are different editions of the product, depending on your needs, with differing capabilities as outlined further in this Reference Guide.
SmartBackup is offered in three Editions, one free and two commercial editions to accommodate the unique feature and price requirements of organizations and individuals.
Starter Edition
You can download from acuworkflow. This completely free product allows one to try it out without any obligations. The great thing about the Starter Edition is that there is no trial or time limit so you can experience it for as long as you like. Understandably it is the most basic version and it has built in soft restrictions.
Business Edition
You can purchase this directly from acuworkflow. This version is packed with features and should cater for most of the situations you encounter as an individual or small team.
Enterprise Edition
Please contact acuworkflow.
SmartBackup Platform
The SmartBackup Platform primarily consist of the following components:
Make an exact copy, preserving your formats, links, rules, attachments,
a feature not available from standard SmartSheet backups.
Drain your Backup Pool automatically to a file-store residing
outside SmartSheet.
On-demand or scheduled securing of all or individual sheets to
a file-store residing outside SmartSheet. Ideal for DRP.
Feature Comparison Summary
Headlines
- Backup/Archiving/Export can run Headless(no UI), therefore easy to integrate and automate within existing Enterprise processes.
- Allow Enterprise automation amongst others with PowerShell scripting, a favorite with Enterprise Administrators
- Can configure Bulk export from Smartsheet for in-process analytics
- Enterprises can use some of their standard tooling; e.g. standard schedulers, monitoring systems, automation scripting etc. to manage Smartbackup
Backup
Backup refers to the copying of a Smartsheet sheet from your Home/Workspace/Folder to a designated Workspace within Smartsheet called the Vault so that it may be used to restore the original after a data loss event.
Which sheets are backed up to the Vault?
SmartBackup will automatically determine which sheets to backup. It is based on the last modification date for every sheet you own. By default a backup run will include all sheets modified in the last 5 days. This period can be adjusted based on user needs. Refer to User Guide.
How many sheets will be backed up during a backup run?
The scope of sheets changed within the 5 day period (or period chosen) will determine the actual number.
| Feature | Starter | Business | Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scope | All Owned Sheets will be considered | All Owned Sheets will be considered | All Owned Sheets will be considered |
| Backup | Will only backup the first 3 sheets meeting set criteria | Will backup all sheets meeting set criteria | Will backup all sheets meeting set criteria |
What is included for every backed up sheet?
All sheets backed up will be an exact copy from the original barring the following:
| Component | Feature | Starter | Business | Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BACKUP | Data | |
||
| BACKUP | Formulas | |||
| BACKUP | Formatting | |||
| BACKUP | Attachments | |||
| BACKUP | Cell-links | |||
| BACKUP | Discussions & Comments | |||
| BACKUP | Shared Filters | |||
| BACKUP | Forms | |||
| BACKUP | Automation Rules | |||
| BACKUP | Shares |
Automation Rules and Shares is configurable to be backed-up or not NOTE: Cell history is not backed-up.
What format is the backup sheet?
The backup sheet is an exact copy of the original except for Starter Edition.
For every Backup run a folder will be created and all the sheets meeting criteria for a particular Tenant will be saved within.
Format
zz2.YYYY_MM_DD_HHMM_tenantid
Sheets within will be prefixed with id of zz2. followed by the original name. Reason for renaming is that it could by name be recognized as a backup copy and because of zz will likely appear last in case the user perform searches.
Optional Parameters
The following optional parameters can be supplied when you invoke Backup
| Parameter | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -d or -days | Backup all Sheets changed within the last -d period | backup.exe -d=40 |
| -t or -tenantfile | alternative path to the Tenants file | backup.exe -t=c:\myfolder\tenants.csv |
| -l or -logfile | alternative path to the Log file | backup.exe -l=c:\logs\log.csv |
Archive
Archive refers to the archiving(copying or moving) of a backed up sheet from your Vault to a designated local drive. Optionally User can specify that the Vaulted(backup copy) be removed during this process.
Which sheets are archived from the Vault?
SmartBackup will automatically determine which sheets to archive. It is based on the last backup date for every sheet in the Vault. By default a archive run will archive all sheets older than 5 days. This period can be adjusted based on user needs.
How many sheets will be archived up during a archive run?
The scope of sheets older than the 5 day period (or period chosen) will determine the actual number.
| Feature | Starter | Business | Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scope | All Vaulted Sheets(backed up) will be considered | All Vaulted Sheets(backed up) will be considered | All Vaulted Sheets(backed up) will be considered |
| Archive | Archive not available for Starter | Will archive all sheets meeting set criteria | Will archive all sheets meeting set criteria |
What is included for every archive sheet?
All sheets archive is different to the original format. Mainly due to the fact that it is re-instantiated outside smartsheet environment as an Excel file. Therefore most Smartsheet features cannot be archived, in part due to Excel incompatibilities and what is available in the Smartsheet API.
| Component | Feature | Starter | Business | Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARCHIVE | Data | |
||
| ARCHIVE | Formulas | |||
| ARCHIVE | Formatting | |||
| ARCHIVE | Attachments | |||
| ARCHIVE | Cell-links | |||
| ARCHIVE | Discussions & Comments | |||
| ARCHIVE | Shared Filters | |||
| ARCHIVE | Forms | |||
| ARCHIVE | Automation Rules | |||
| ARCHIVE | Shares |
What format is the archive sheet?
The archive sheet is an Excel XLSX file.
For every Archive run a folder will be created and all the sheets meeting criteria for a particular Tenant will be saved within.
Format
zz3.YYYY_MM_DD_HHMM_tenantid
Sheets within will be prefixed with id of zz3., followed with 100 step up number, followed by the original name. Reason for renaming is that it could by name be recognized as a archive copy and the step-up number ensure sheetnames(within Smartsheet one can have same name sheets) that are the same are archive as unique files.
Optional Parameters
The following optional parameters can be supplied when you invoke Archive
| Parameter | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -a or -archive | archive all backup sheets older than x days | archive.exe -a=30 |
| -t or -tenantfile | alternative path to the Tenants file | archive.exe -t=c:\myfolder\tenants.csv |
| -l or -logfile | alternative path to the Log file | archive.exe -l=c:\logs\log.csv |
Export
Export refers to the copying of a smartsheet sheet from Smartsheet to a designated local drive. It is ideal for creating regular copies of your data for snapshot and history purposes. The major differences between Backup and Export are:
| Characteristic | Backup | Export |
|---|---|---|
| Copy | Backup from Smartsheet to Smartsheet (Vault). Stay within smartsheet and therefore preserve all | Smartsheet to file-store drive, therefore some elements are unfortunately lost when exporting |
| Operation | Automatically determined which sheets | Automatic or User specified |
Which sheets are exported?
You need to tell SmartBackup which sheets to export (-i=specific) unless you are exporting all (-i=all) or incremental (-i=incremental -d=6).
specific
This option requires you to specify the id of the Sheet or Report to export. Using this method you may export individual Sheets from the Backup Vault if you so desire.
all
This option will automatically Export all Sheets except Backup Vault contents. In the latter case the folder structures will be exported.
incremental
This option will export only sheets that was modified within the last x days. The number of days indicated with the -d=x option
outline
This option will only export the Workspace and folder structures
How many sheets will be exported up during a export run?
User specified.
| Feature | Starter | Business | Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scope | Any sheet can be exported | Any sheet can be exported | Any sheet can be exported |
| Export | Limited to 3 with 3 attachments each | No limit on number of sheets, limit on 10 attachments each | No limit, yet soft limits can be set by Administrator |
What is included for every exported sheet?
All sheets exported is different to the original format. Mainly due to the fact that it is re-instantiated outside smartsheet environment as an Excel file. Therefore most Smartsheet features cannot be archived, in part due to Excel incompatibilities. However the exported copy contains more data than the archive copy.
Features
| Component | Feature | Starter | Business | Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXPORT | Data | |
||
| EXPORT | Formulas | |||
| EXPORT | Formatting | |||
| EXPORT | Attachments | |||
| EXPORT | Cell-links | |||
| EXPORT | Discussions & Comments | |||
| EXPORT | Shared Filters | |||
| EXPORT | Forms | |||
| EXPORT | Automation Rules | |||
| EXPORT | Shares | |||
Supplied in Packing Instructions a .txt file included in the ZIP archive, hence require some eyes-over when you want to use it for Restore operations Export include packing sheets that helps with the import process.
What format is the export sheet?
The export sheet is an Excel XLSX file contained within a zipped folder. It will contain multiple folders depending on what is present. For example images and pdf attachments.
For every Export run a folder will be created and all the sheets meeting criteria for a particular Tenant will be saved within.
Format root folder with the tenantid with one or more subfolders
YYYY_MM_DD
For every exported sheet a zip file is created with one or more folders within the zip file. The main contents will be an Excel XLSX file.
Optional Parameters
The following optional parameters can be supplied when you invoke Export When no parameters are supplied, Export scans the data\runtime.yml file to see which sheets or reports must be exported. Entries of what needs to be exported should be supplied by the User. When you supply the optional -include parameter the data\runtime.yml file is ignored. In this case the -include determines what needs to be exported.
| Parameter | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -i or -include | Export according to the following conditions | export.exe -i=all |
| all export everything in the User space and maintain the tree folder hierarchy. Ideal for a DRP recovery point | export.exe -i=all | |
| outline export only the Tree folder hierarchy | export.exe -i=outline | |
| specific export specific sheets or reports | export.exe -i=specific | |
| incremental export sheets based on last changed date | export.exe -i=incremental | |
| incremental should be use in conjunction with how many days last changed | export.exe -i=incremental -d=5 |
This is only introduced from V3.3.0 onwards
Additional
Smartsheet Rate Limits
SMARTBACKUP MAKE USE OF THE Smartsheet API and as such are bound by its limitations. The Smartsheet API currently imposes a rate limit of 300 requests per minute per Access Token. (Smartsheet reserve the right to change this limit at any time.) Certain resource-intensive operations, such as attaching a file or getting cell history, count as 10 requests toward the rate limit. If you exceed this rate limit, subsequent API requests (within a one-minute period) will return a 429 HTTP status code.
Smartsheet Rapid fire updates
SmartBackup was design to wait on certain conditions to avoid exceeding the SmartSheet limitations, some of which are listed here. Dev Guidelines