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