Can we get it back? A Microsoft 365 restore worksheet
Use this with your IT provider during a small, planned recovery test. The idea is to leave with a clear answer about what worked, what needs attention and who's handling the next step.
Before you start
Pick a harmless test file or email and have your IT provider agree on a safe place to restore it. Make sure everyone understands what the test will change. Keep your normal retention and access rules in place, and avoid deleting real business records or rolling back a working site to try things out.
Keep the completed worksheet in your business's own systems. Leave passwords, recovery codes and private customer information out of these notes.
| Question | Your notes |
|---|---|
| When are we testing, and who in the business is checking the result? | |
| Where does the test item live: an email account, OneDrive or a SharePoint site? | |
| Which harmless file or email are we using? | |
| Which backup service or built-in recovery feature are we testing? | |
| How have we checked that this account or site is covered? | |
| Which date or version do we need, and is it available? | |
| Who is doing the restore, who approves it and who is the backup contact? | |
| What will be restored, and where will it go? | |
| How will we keep everyone's newer work safe? | |
| When did we start, and when could someone use the restored information? | |
| Does it open and contain what we expected? | |
| Can only the intended people access it? | |
| What needs fixing, who's handling it and when is it due? | |
| When will we check again? |
What did we learn?
Result: worked for this test / not finished / something needs attention.
Write down what actually happened, including anything your team still needs to investigate. The time this test took is useful planning information; another account, a larger restore or a different problem may take longer. Revisit the plan when your systems, staff or provider change.
If you'd like help working through these questions, explore IT MGMT cloud services or book a free Business IT consultation.
Use your browser’s Print command to print this worksheet or save it as a PDF.