Cashington

Guides Now and then

Back up, restore and move to a new computer

What you'll do

Cashington backs up your ledger by itself: a copy at each start and once a day, each one verified. You can make an extra copy before a big change, download one to keep elsewhere, restore any of them, or bring a ledger over from another computer.

Updated October 2026 · Cashington 0.2.3 · 8 steps · screenshots show an invented household

  1. Open Backup and restore

    Open Settings, under App in the menu. Under This app, click Backup and restore.

    Settings, This app: Activity history, Backup and restore (a copy at each start and once a day, verified today, 2 copies), Import from another computer and Month maintenance, above the Danger zone.

  2. Make a backup now

    Cashington keeps the newest 10 start-up copies and 30 daily ones. Click Make a backup now for an extra copy before a big change.

    Backup and restore with Import from another computer, Make a backup now, Last check: passed, and a list of backups with when each was made, its size and whether it was verified.

  3. Verify, restore or download

    Each copy can be verified, restored or downloaded. Download one to keep on a USB drive or another computer.

    A backup marked Verified, with Download, Verify, Restore and Delete.

  4. Bring in a ledger from another computer

    To move to a new computer or combine two, make and download a backup on the other computer. Then, on this one, open Import from another computer (in Settings, or the button in Backup and restore) and choose that .db file.

    Import a ledger from another computer, with steps for the other computer and for this one, and Choose a ledger file (.db).

  5. Compare before anything changes

    Nothing changes yet. Cashington compares the file with this computer side by side: transactions, dates, accounts, closed months and net worth.

    The comparison of This computer and The file: transactions, dates, last transaction added, accounts, closed months and Net Worth today.

  6. Merge

    Merge adds what only the file has and keeps everything here. Where both have a record and they differ, you choose. The counts show exactly what would happen.

    Merge selected, with counts of new transactions, differences to decide, and Net Worth today after merging.

  7. Decide the differences

    Under Differences, pick Keep this computer's or Take the file's for each record, then click Merge into this computer. A verified safety backup is made first.

    Differences: choose which version to keep, showing the Utilities: Internet bill with Keep this computer's and Take the file's, and Merge into this computer.

  8. Or replace

    Replace makes this computer's ledger an exact copy of the file, which suits a brand-new computer. Records only here would be gone, so it asks again before Replace everything.

    Replace selected, with Replace everything and Cancel, and the note that a verified safety backup of this computer's ledger is made first.