Back up your Google data before leaving Berman

There are 2 methods to back up your Google data. The first is to create an archive of your files and download it to your personal computer or a thumb drive. The second is to transfer your data to a personal Gmail account. There are advantages and disadvantages to each. Read below for all the details about each option.

Option 1: Create an archive

Pros and Cons

• Google type files (Docs, Sheets, Slides, etc.) will be converted to another format. You can choose from a few options such as comparable MS Office types or PDF.
• Your email will be put into an archive file that you will need to open with another program such as Mozilla Thunderbird.
• If you have a large amount of data, you don't need to worry about going over the quota of a free Gmail account.

Instructions

• Go to takeout.google.com and log into your Berman account if you aren’t logged in already.
• You will be presented with a list of data types.
  • Check or uncheck depending on what information you want to keep.
  • You can select also what format each type will be exported to.
• Click "Next step"
• On the next page you will select delivery method, frequency, file type and size. We suggest the following:
  • Send the download link via email
  • Export once
  • .zip format
  • 10GB file size
• Click "Create export"
• Next, just wait for the email. It can take some time depending on how much data you have.
• Once your archive is created, you can download it.
• Click the link you receive in your email. Look for the archive that you created and click “Show Exports”. There may be several files if you had a large amount of data.
• Click to download each zip file and save them somewhere safe like your personal computer or a thumb drive.
• After they download, you can unzip each file to access your data. Documents, spreadsheets, slideshows, etc. will be converted to the Microsoft Office equivalent formats.
• If you chose to download email, it will be in MBOX format and can be opened using a compatible mail client such as Mozilla Thunderbird by following the instructions here: How to Open an MBOX File
• After you open the file, if you wish to import your emails into an existing Gmail account, instructions are available here: Import MBOX to Gmail

• Go to the “Shared with me” tab and select some or all of the documents.
• Then right click and select “Download”
• One or more zip files will be created and the download should begin automatically once the files are created.
• You may receive a notification that the site is trying to download multiple files. Click to allow all files to download.
  

Option 2: Transfer Files Directly to a personal Gmail account

Pros and Cons

• This is a simpler process with less steps.
• If you have more data in your Berman account than available storage on your personal account, it will transfer data until your personal account is full and then the transfer stops where it is. You should be sure that you have enough space (or purchase more space) before beginning a transfer with this method.
• Google file types like Docs and Sheets will stay the same.
• Emails will transfer directly into your account for easier access.

Instructions

• You can use an existing Google account, or create a new Google, to transfer your files to.
• To copy content that other people have shared with you, make sure those files have been added to your My Drive and are not only available in “Shared with me”.
• Go to takeout.google.com/transfer and sign in with your Berman gmail account.
• Enter the email address of the personal account you want to use and click "Send Code"
• Check your personal Gmail account for the confirmation email, and in the email select "Get confirmation code". A new tab will open with a code.
• Return to takeout.google.com/transfer and enter the code, and choose "Verify".
• Choose the content you’d like to copy and select "Start transfer".