Protect your data,
restore with confidence.

StringsTheory gives you granular control over what goes into each backup. A full backup captures everything in your database -- inventory, work orders, customers, bill of materials, and production data -- in a single file. A partial backup lets you choose exactly which data sets to include.

When creating a backup, you will see checkboxes for each data category:

• Inventory -- all items, categories, subcategories, item types, images, and stock levels
• Work Orders -- every repair order, status history, signatures, and linked line items
• Customers -- contact records, addresses, and associated order history references
• Bill of Materials -- BOM definitions, component lists, and assembly instructions
• Production Data -- serialized units, production fields, custom field values, and color/revision tracking

For most shops, a full backup is the safest choice. Partial backups are useful when you only need to transfer a specific data set to another machine or want a lighter file for frequent snapshots.

Set it and forget it. StringsTheory can run backups automatically on a schedule that suits your workflow. Navigate to Settings → Backup and choose a frequency:

• Hourly -- best for high-volume shops processing many work orders per day
• Every 6 hours -- a good balance between safety and storage use
• Daily -- the most common choice; runs once per day in the background
• Weekly -- suitable for shops with lower transaction volume

Scheduled backups run silently in the background while you work. The app does not need to be in the foreground, but it must be running. On macOS, you can verify the last backup time in Settings → Backup, which shows a timestamp of the most recent automatic run.

On iPad, automatic backups run whenever the app is active. If the app is backgrounded for an extended period, the next backup triggers automatically when you reopen it.

Need a backup right now? You can trigger one at any time without waiting for the next scheduled run.

• Open Settings → Backup
• Select or deselect the data categories you want to include
• Click the "Backup Now" button
• Choose a save location when the file dialog appears (macOS) or confirm the default location (iPad)
• Wait for the progress indicator to complete -- large inventories may take a few seconds

The resulting file is saved as a .json file with a timestamp in the filename, making it easy to identify when it was created. You can save it to your Desktop, an external drive, or a cloud-synced folder like iCloud Drive for off-site protection.

Restoring from a backup is straightforward and safe. StringsTheory validates the backup file before applying any changes, so you always know exactly what you are getting.

• Open Settings → Backup → Restore tab
• Click "Select Backup File" and choose your .json backup
• The app reads and validates the file, checking for structural integrity and data consistency
• A summary screen shows entity counts: how many inventory items, work orders, customers, BOMs, and production records the backup contains
• Review the counts to confirm this is the right backup
• Click "Restore" to apply the data

The restore process replaces your current data with the backup contents. If the validation step detects a corrupted or incompatible file, the app will warn you and refuse to proceed -- your existing data remains untouched.

All StringsTheory backups are stored as standard JSON files. This means they are human-readable, portable, and can be opened in any text editor if you ever need to inspect the raw data.

• Backup files are saved to the directory you chose during manual backup, or to the app's default backup location for scheduled backups
• Each file is named with a timestamp (e.g. StringsTheory_Backup_2026-04-01_14-30.json) for easy identification
• Old backups can be safely deleted from Finder (macOS) or Files (iPad) when they are no longer needed
• There is no built-in limit on how many backups you can keep -- manage storage at your discretion

For best practices, keep at least three recent backups at all times: one from today, one from last week, and one from last month. Store at least one copy in a different physical location (cloud storage, external drive, or a second machine) in case of hardware failure.

StringsTheory believes your data is yours, always. Even if your trial has expired or your subscription has lapsed and the app is in read-only mode, you can still export all of your data.

• The "Export Data" button is available in Settings → Backup regardless of your subscription status
• Export produces a complete JSON file of all your records -- inventory, work orders, customers, BOMs, and production data
• You can also use CSV export from individual sections (Inventory, Customers, Production) to get spreadsheet-compatible files
• Exported CSV files open directly in Excel, Numbers, Google Sheets, or any spreadsheet application

This guarantee means there is zero risk of data lock-in. Whether you are evaluating the app during a free trial, have an active subscription, or have decided to move on, your data is always accessible and exportable.