> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://enercalc.com/docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://enercalc.com/docs/sel-user-manual/main-menu/program-settings/project-file-backup-limits-wal.md).

# Project File Backup Limits Walkthrough

How session and overall backup limits interact to retain and delete project file backups over time.

This document walks through an **example scenario** showing how project file backups are retained and deleted over time during an example workweek.

It demonstrates how session backup limits and the overall backup limit interact as a user saves their file multiple times across multiple sessions.

{% hint style="info" %}
NOTE: This example organizes sessions by day and AM/PM for clarity, but SEL actually tracks sessions based on when a file is opened and closed. That means there can be multiple sessions per day, depending on how often SEL is opened and closed. This example could just as easily occur within a single day.
{% endhint %}

This is intended as a **reference example**, not a full explanation of how the backup system works.

## Initial State

The user has saved their SEL project several times across numerous sessions (Sessions #1, #2, and #3) on Monday morning, Monday afternoon, and Tuesday morning. No backup limits have been exceeded yet. Each session has 2 or 3 backups, and the total is still under the overall limit.

| <p><strong>Session 1</strong></p><p>(Mon AM)</p> | <p><strong>Session 2</strong></p><p>(Mon PM)</p> | <p><strong>Session 3</strong></p><p>(Tues AM) <em>Current</em></p> |
| ------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| 9am ✅                                            | 1pm ✅                                            | 8am ✅                                                              |
| 10am ✅                                           | 2pm ✅                                            | 9am ✅                                                              |
| 11am ✅                                           |                                                  | 10am ✅                                                             |

**Total backups:** 8 / 12

**Session Backup Limit:** 3 per session

**Overall Backup Limit:** 4 \* Session Limit = 12 total → No deletions. All sessions within limits

## 4th Save in Session #3 (Session Limit Exceeded)

The user is still in their third session and has saved the file again (Tuesday morning at 11am). Since that session already has 3 backups (8am, 9am, 10am), this new save exceeds the session limit of 3.

To stay within the session cap, SEL deletes the oldest backup in the current session (Tuesday morning), which is the 8am save.

At this point, the user closes SEL to go to lunch, thus ending Session #3.

| <p><strong>Session 1</strong></p><p>(Mon AM)</p> | <p><strong>Session 2</strong></p><p>(Mon PM)</p> | <p><strong>Session 3</strong></p><p>(Tues AM) <em>Current</em></p> |
| ------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| 9am ✅                                            | 1pm ✅                                            | ~~8am~~ ❌                                                          |
| 10am ✅                                           | 2pm ✅                                            | 9am ✅                                                              |
| 11am ✅                                           |                                                  | 10am ✅                                                             |
|                                                  |                                                  | **11am 🆕**                                                        |

**Total backups:** 8 / 12

**Session Backup Limit:** 3 → Session #3 exceeded session limit → 8am deleted

**Overall Backup Limit:** 12 → Still under global limit — no deletions from prior sessions

## Sessions #4 and #5

After lunch, the user returns to work and reopens SEL, starting a new session (Session #4). They save their file three times (at 3pm, 4pm, and 5pm), bringing the total number of backups to 11. No session limits were exceeded. Then they head home for the night, thus ending Session #4.

It's now Wednesday morning, and the user reopens SEL, starting a new session (Session #5). They save once again (at 9am). The total number of backups increases to 12, reaching the global cap, but still without triggering any deletions.

| <p><strong>Session 1</strong></p><p>(Mon AM)</p> | <p><strong>Session 2</strong></p><p>(Mon PM)</p> | <p><strong>Session 3</strong></p><p>(Tues AM)</p> | <p><strong>Session 4</strong></p><p>(Tues PM)</p> | <p><strong>Session 5</strong></p><p>(Wed AM) <em>Current</em></p> |
| ------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- |
| 9am ✅                                            | 1pm ✅                                            | ~~*8am*~~                                         | 3pm ✅                                             | **9am 🆕**                                                        |
| 10am ✅                                           | 2pm ✅                                            | 9am ✅                                             | 4pm ✅                                             |                                                                   |
| 11am ✅                                           |                                                  | 10am ✅                                            | 5pm ✅                                             |                                                                   |
|                                                  |                                                  | 11am ✅                                            |                                                   |                                                                   |

**Total backups:** 12 / 12

**Session Backup Limit:** 3 → Sessions #4 and #5 are still below limit

**Overall Backup Limit:** 12 → Global cap reached, but no deletions required yet

## 2nd Save in Session #5 (Overall Limit Exceeded)

At 10am Wednesday (still Session #5), the user saves the file again. This pushes the total backup count to 13, exceeding the global limit of 12.

To make room, SEL deletes the oldest retained backup across all sessions which in this case is Monday 9am.

| <p><strong>Session 1</strong></p><p>(Mon AM)</p> | <p><strong>Session 2</strong></p><p>(Mon PM)</p> | <p><strong>Session 3</strong></p><p>(Tues AM)</p> | <p><strong>Session 4</strong></p><p>(Tues PM)</p> | <p><strong>Session 5</strong></p><p>(Wed AM) <em>Current</em></p> |
| ------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- |
| ~~9am~~ ❌                                        | 1pm ✅                                            | ~~*8am*~~                                         | 3pm ✅                                             | 9am ✅                                                             |
| 10am ✅                                           | 2pm ✅                                            | 9am ✅                                             | 4pm ✅                                             | **10am 🆕**                                                       |
| 11am ✅                                           |                                                  | 10am ✅                                            | 5pm ✅                                             |                                                                   |
|                                                  |                                                  | 11am ✅                                            |                                                   |                                                                   |

**Total backups:** 12 / 12

**Session Backup Limit:** 3 → Session #5 session is still below limit

**Overall Backup Limit:** 12 → Global limit exceeded → Oldest backup deleted (Mon 9am)

This process would continue for all subsequent saves. If the user makes a third save in Session #5, it will not exceed the three-backup session limit, but it will increase the total backup count to 13. SEL will then delete the oldest remaining global backup, which in this case is Monday at 10 AM.

If the user makes a fourth save in Session #5, it will now exceed the session limit, resulting in the deletion of the oldest Session #5 backup (Wednesday 9 AM) to accommodate the new one.


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