Keep one master file
Your download is the original. Store it in a synced folder and treat it as read-only — duplicate it to create a working copy. That single habit means a corrupted or over-edited planner is never a disaster.
Turn on the app backup
GoodNotes and Notability both have automatic backup options that export notebooks to a cloud folder. Turn them on and point them somewhere you actually have space.
Sync is not backup
Syncing mirrors your mistakes. If you delete a page on one device and the sync is on, it is deleted everywhere. Backup keeps history; sync keeps devices aligned. You want both.
Check the restore once a month
An untested backup is a hope, not a plan. Once a month, confirm the backup folder contains a recent export and that you can open it. It takes two minutes and it is the only step that makes the rest worthwhile.
Where this lives in a planner
Every technique above has a home on the Notes & Ideas — Soft Navy — undated, A4, and ready for GoodNotes, Notability or a home printer. Not ready to buy? Download the free starter kit and try the method first.
