Introduction / Overview
We now have an option at the policy level that allows the user to choose whether or not they want to back up primary contacts. By default, this WILL be enabled when you create a new policy, alongside all other items.
If you are editing an existing policy this will need to be enabled by the user and will not be defaulted.
Only primary contacts will be backed up.
Contact fields to be backed up.
Name
First name - mandatory field
Surname
Additional information for Name
Prefix - Additional
Middle name
Suffix
Phonetic first
Phonetic middle
Phonetic surname
Nickname
File as
Company
Company name
Additional information for company
Job Title
Department
Email Address
can add multiple email addresses
Single Email field -
Phone number -
Can add multiple phone number
Single Phone number field - can add multiple phone numbers
Address
Address - can add multiple addresses
Country
Street address
Street address line 2
Post town
Postcode
PO box
Label
Birthday
Day
Month
Year
Significant date
Can add multiple significant dates
Day
Month
Year
Label - Anniversary or Other
Website
Can add multiple websites
Website link field
Related person
Label - relation to main contact -
Custom field
Free format text field
Notes
Free format text field
Out of scope
Photo / Image - out of scope
Label - out of scope
Favourites - out of scope
- Frequency
- Only resaving list if there are changes, this is the same as calendars
- Deltas are not required as it is treated as an initial backup every time because it is so small. A Delta can be run, comparing the first list with the next list and if there is any difference it will pull a new list. This can be done with synctoken
- Data
- There is a small amount of data so will take seconds to back up contact data
- Full restoration only
- All the contacts will be restored from a given point in time
- They will be stored to an original location or different user account
- You can export in PST and VSF formats (AFI)
- Limitations
- Google allows a user to have a maximum 25000 contacts for an account
- You can save up to 25,000 contacts or 20 MB with photos not included.
- For each contact, you can save up to:
- 128 KB
- 1,024 characters per field (except "Notes")
- 500 fields total
Back-up of contacts Configuration:
Select Backup from the side bar > Create and Edit Policies > Create New Policy
Select the User Backup radio button > enter the policy name and description > Backup enabled needs to be selected to allow you to select an item type > Select the relevant item types - contacts are now included as an option
Inactive Backups > configure for a period of time or indefinitely > retention periods apply for when a user has left the organisation or no longer has a backup policy assigned
Backup Frequency > Configure the frequency depending on the item types > there is a recommended option which is the most optimised frequency > you can select alternative options if you require but consider costs.
You need to ensure you select contacts in the policy.
The settings will default every 4 hours (recommended)
Select save to create the new policy
Full Restoration
Select Backup from the side bar > You can select an individual user or ALL users
Users > select the user from the list
Users
Select the timestamp field to make a selection for the date and time you wish to restore the back up
The restore to field will default to the original source user
Select the contacts item type in the user screen
Click on restore
Once selected Yes, restore data you will be taken to the restoration status page
Select the line entry and further detailed information is displayed
Successful restoration:
Full restoration > All users
Select All Users > Select the timestamp field to select the backup date / time to fully restore for all users
Select contacts > enter a target label if required > if not entered the label will be displayed as name_date_time
Select the restore button > select Yes, restore data button
Once select the Yes, restore data button you will be taken to the restoration status page
Full restoration - Deleted users
Backup Status
Backup purge for contacts
Contacts now added to purge backups
Backup dashboard for contacts