Prove a budget archive can be restored
A backup is only useful when a representative budget package can be restored, decrypted and reconciled without overwriting the active proposal. Recovery must include both the workbook and the evidence needed to understand its totals.
Before the sponsor deadline, the research office restores a milestone package into an isolated folder, opens the workbook with retained recovery material, recalculates totals and compares the result to the recorded hash.
Run the control in five steps
- 01Select a representative milestone and separate backup.
- 02Restore into an isolated test location.
- 03Authenticate using approved retained recovery material.
- 04Open, recalculate and compare totals and hashes.
- 05Remove test residue and close corrective actions.
Preserve the decision trail
Keep backup ID, archive version, recovery-material owner, test location, totals, hash, errors, cleanup and reviewer.
Stop and investigate when
- Backup creation is treated as a completed restore test.
- One unavailable person holds the only secret.
- Testing overwrites the active proposal folder.
State what this does not prove
Does not replace provider permissions, guaranteed backup, password recovery or enterprise identity management. Sponsor rules, institutional approval, submission systems, provider permissions and recovery remain separate.
Grant budget security questions
Will password reset decrypt every old archive?
Do not assume it; test the specific product and version.
When should the drill run?
Before critical deadlines and after material software or workflow changes.
Sources for this decision
Links support specific controls and do not imply endorsement.