Monthly upkeep checklist
This page is for individuals who keep a site running alone. Do it on the same day each month; it takes about an hour when nothing is wrong. Note the date and anything unusual at the end.
Contents
Every month
Updates
- To do: Any new Exponential release or security fix? (Updates for one person)
- To do: Setup > Upgrade check shows no unexpected differences (The upgrade check).
- To do: Your host announced any PHP change? (PHP versions and extensions)
Backups
- To do: The automatic backups ran (check the newest date) (Backups for one person).
- To do: The newest backup copied off the server.
- To do: Old generations deleted as planned.
Accounts and visitors
- To do: New accounts: all recognized? Unknown ones removed (Spam and security basics).
- To do: People who should no longer have access disabled (Inviting family members).
- To do: Comments and form submissions read; spam removed; old submissions deleted on schedule.
Health
- To do: Front page, a deep page, sign-in and a form work.
- To do: Error log looked at (Logs for owners).
- To do: Broken links checked (Link and content checks).
- To do: The lock in the browser: the certificate is valid.
- To do: Mail from the site still arrives (send yourself a contact form message).
- To do: Cron ran, if you use it (the cronjobs page shows the last runs) (Cronjobs).
Content
- To do: Anything out of date on Home, About, Contact, the calendar?
- To do: Drafts you forgot: publish or discard (Drafts and pending).
- To do: The trash: empty what should really go (Archiving and the trash).
Twice a year
- To do: Restore a backup on another machine (Restore test).
- To do: Review roles and groups; nobody has more rights than needed.
- To do: Review tags; merge duplicates (Tags and categories).
- To do: Club sites: compare members with the club's list (Members and registration).
Once a year
- To do: Domain renewal date checked; payment method current (Domain names and HTTPS).
- To do: Hosting contract and costs reviewed (Running on a small budget).
- To do: About, Contact and privacy texts reread.
- To do: Family sites: the family privacy checklist again.
- To do: Deputy still knows where the backups and passwords are.
Your log
| Date | Done | Problems | Follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|
Related pages
- Checklists for individuals
- Running it alone
- Weekly owner routine
- SEO monthly checklist
- Free documentation: this page is free to copy, translate and improve under the GNU FDL 1.3.
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