Zoho CRM backup and recycle bin: what you can and cannot get back

The recycle bin

Zoho says records and files deleted from the account are stored in the recycle bin, and you can restore them within 60 days, after which they are permanently deleted. Items can also be permanently deleted from the bin early. The path is Setup, Data Administration, Recycle Bin: select items and click Restore, or Delete to remove them permanently; a filter helps with large volumes. Zoho says what you see depends on your role hierarchy and your permission to view the records.

The pages we read do not say how related records are handled on restore, or whether availability differs by edition. Check feature availability for your edition.

Source: Zoho Help: Recycle Bin

Data backup, per Zoho

• Users with an administrative profile can request a backup. Zoho notes the revamped process is available only to select users in certain data centers, so check your account.
• Schedules listed are every two weeks, weekly and monthly, plus Backup Now, and a finished backup can be sent to Zoho WorkDrive or Google Drive.
• Zoho says Ultimate users get four backups without payment, other paid editions get two free backups, and Free edition users must buy a one-time backup add-on or upgrade.
• Data comes as CSV files in ZIP archives, with attachments in a separate ZIP. Zoho says the download link is active for a maximum of 7 days from backup creation.
• A backup can take from minutes to hours depending on data size, and cannot be stopped once running or ready for download. The backup is stored in the same data center as the account.

Source: Zoho Help: Data Backup in Zoho CRM, Zoho Help: Troubleshooting Data Backup

What a backup does not cover, per Zoho

Zoho says emails configured with IMAP are not supported, documents and data obtained through integrations are excluded, and a contact's Account Name appears only as an Account ID in the backup file. Zoho's pages are inconsistent about whether activities and some email content are included, so check the live page rather than assuming.

Source: Zoho Help: Data Backup in Zoho CRM, Zoho Help: Troubleshooting Data Backup

Recovery options Zoho describes

Zoho's backup page does not describe a one-click restore. It lists these routes: investigate changes through the audit log, restore from the recycle bin within 60 days if it has not been emptied, re-import a single module's file (not advised when records have related data in other modules), import the full backup through data migration when related lists are affected or all data was erased, and contact Zoho support. Zoho says not to change the unique record IDs in the files because that impedes restoration.

Source: Zoho Help: Data Backup in Zoho CRM

A recovery habit worth having (practical advice)

This section is advice from experience, not vendor documentation.

• Schedule a recurring backup and note who receives the completion email, since the download link expires.
• Download and store each backup somewhere you control; do not rely on the link.
• Restrict who can mass delete, and check the recycle bin as soon as someone reports missing records.
• Before large imports or mass updates, take a backup first and test the change in a sandbox.
• Confirm with Zoho support what your edition includes before an incident, not during one.

Want a recovery plan before you need one?

Skyfall Labs sets up safe change processes, backups and clean-up in Zoho CRM. Because we are a Zoho Partner, treat our view with the interest we have disclosed.