Backups and data retention are easy to ignore right up until you need them, at which point they are the only thing that matters. A funeral home keeps records that families and regulators may ask about years later, and a single failed drive or a messy vendor exit should never put them at risk. The questions here are unglamorous, but they decide whether your records survive.
Backups: what to confirm
- Backups run automatically, not on someone remembering.
- They are stored off-site, not only on the same system.
- They can actually be restored, and restoration has been tested.
- How quickly a restore happens if something fails.
Retention: what to confirm
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| How long are records kept? | Some must be retained for years |
| Are closed cases retained too? | History does not stop at close |
| Can I export for my own retention? | You control your long-term archive |
| What happens if I cancel? | You need a final, complete copy |
Retention is also your responsibility
Even with a good vendor, keep your own ability to export a complete copy of your data. Vendor backups protect against system failure; your own export protects against everything else, including a future decision to switch. The two together mean your records survive both a technical failure and a business change.
What to ask software vendors
- How often are backups taken, and where are they stored?
- How does restoration work, and how fast is it?
- How long are records, including closed cases, retained?
- Can I export a complete copy on demand and when I leave?
How FuneralHQ handles this
FuneralHQ keeps data backed up off-site automatically and lets you export a complete copy of your records at any time, so your firm’s memory is protected against both a technical failure and a future switch. Review the controls on the security page.
Related resources
Read the data security checklist for owners and how to export funeral home data before switching.