Protecting against data loss does not have to be arduous. A few good habits can go a long way

• ALWAYS keep a copy of your raw data in a separate file from any analysis or manipulation
  • Set this file to read-only
• Use separate tabs or documents to clean and analyze your data
  • Keep track of all steps you perform on your data in a separate tab or metadata file
• Save early and often
• Keep multiple backups of your data in at least two physical locations
  • Example: keep one copy on your hard drive, one in SharePoint, and one on another cloud-based server like Google Drive
• Keep multiple versions of files in case one gets corrupted
  • Use a clear naming convention like file_v1.txt, file_v2.txt
• When not actively working with data, set files to read-only or open in read-only mode