Backup, Import, and Export

Orrique keeps everything you log in one place, and this article shows you how to get your data out and back in. You can make a full backup of your whole journal, move scents in and out as a spreadsheet, and add your wear diary to a calendar app. All of it lives in one screen: Settings, then Backup & Export.

In short

A full backup is the only file that captures your photos and can rebuild your whole journal on a new device. CSV and calendar exports are read-only snapshots: handy for spreadsheets and calendars, but they do not carry photos and only the CSV comes back in (and only to add new scents).

Which file do I use?

Pick the file that matches what you are trying to do.

Move to a new device

Use a Full Backup (.orrique). It carries scents, scent bases, diary, formulas, and photos, and it rebuilds your whole journal. See Make a full backup.

Open your data in a spreadsheet

Use a CSV export. It opens in Numbers, Excel, or Google Sheets. Read-only, no photos. See Export as a spreadsheet.

Add wears to a calendar

Use the Calendar export (.ics) Pro. It drops your wear history into Calendar or Outlook. One-way. See Add your diary to a calendar.

Only the full backup rebuilds a journal

A CSV or calendar file is a snapshot you can read elsewhere. It cannot recreate your journal and it does not include your photos. When you are setting up a new iPhone, iPad, or Mac, the full backup is the file you want.

When to use this

Reach for this screen when you want to:

• Make a safety copy of your whole journal before a big change, or just for peace of mind.
• Move your collection to a new iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
• Open your scents or your diary in a spreadsheet app like Numbers, Excel, or Google Sheets.
• Bring in a list of scents you already keep somewhere else (for example a spreadsheet, or an export from another fragrance site).
• See your wear history in your everyday calendar app.

How to use it

To open the screen: go to the Settings tab, then tap Backup & Export. You will see three sections: Full Backup, Spreadsheet (CSV), and Calendar.

Section	File	What it holds	Can be imported back
Full Backup Free	Orrique Backup (.orrique)	Scents, scent bases, diary, formulas (combos), and photos	Yes, replaces the journal on import
Spreadsheet (CSV) Free	Orrique Collection, Orrique Diary	One snapshot of your collection or your diary	Collection only, adds new scents
Calendar Pro	Orrique Diary (.ics)	Your wear history as calendar events	No, one-way export

Make a full backup Free

A full backup is the complete picture. It includes your scents, your scent bases, your diary, your formulas (combos), and your photos in one file.

1. In Backup & Export, find the Full Backup section.
2. Tap Export Backup.
3. Choose where to save the file (for example Files, or a cloud storage folder).
4. The file is named Orrique Backup and ends in .orrique. Keep it somewhere safe.

The Full Backup section also shows a Last backed up line so you can see when you last exported. It reads Never until your first backup.

Where to keep the backup

Save the .orrique file to iCloud Drive or another synced folder, not just on the device you are backing up. Orrique writes the file where you choose and does not sync it afterward, so a copy that only lives on one phone is lost if that phone is. Expect the file to be larger if you have many photos, since photos are stored inside it.

Restore from a full backup Free

Importing a backup replaces your current journal

Importing a backup replaces everything on this device with what is in the file. Nothing changes until you tap Replace Journal, and if you are unsure, make a fresh backup first.

Use it when you are setting up a new device or recovering your journal.

1. In Backup & Export, find the Full Backup section.
2. Tap Import Backup.
3. Pick the .orrique file you saved earlier. (Orrique can also read a backup saved as a .json file.)
4. A confirmation appears titled “Replace current journal?” It tells you exactly what the file contains, for example how many scents, diary entries, combos, and photos.
5. Read it carefully. Tap Replace Journal to go ahead, or Cancel to back out.

This step is meant to be deliberate, because it replaces your current journal on that device. If you are unsure, make a fresh backup first (see above), then import.

Your scent bases come along too

The confirmation summary counts scents, diary entries, combos, and photos, but a full backup also stores your scent bases. They are saved and restored with everything else, even though they are not listed separately in that count.

Export your collection or diary as a spreadsheet (CSV) Free

A CSV file opens in any spreadsheet app. This is a one-way export: it is a snapshot you can read and edit elsewhere, and editing the spreadsheet does not change anything back in Orrique.

To export your collection:

1. In Backup & Export, find the Spreadsheet (CSV) section.
2. Tap Export Collection.
3. Choose where to save it. The file is named Orrique Collection.

The collection spreadsheet includes one row per scent.

Columns in the collection spreadsheet

Brand, Name, Status, Format, whether it is empty, Concentration, Shelf, Rating, top, heart, and base notes, accords, Price, Currency, Bottle size, Favorite, Tags, and the date you added it.

To export your diary:

1. In the same Spreadsheet (CSV) section, tap Export Diary.
2. Choose where to save it. The file is named Orrique Diary.

The diary spreadsheet has one row per scent worn per day, so a day where you wore more than one scent becomes more than one row.

Columns in the diary spreadsheet

Date, the fragrance, sprays, placement, occasion, activity, mood, longevity, projection, sillage, rating, and notes.

The Export Collection button is available once you have at least one scent, and the Export Diary button is available once you have at least one diary entry.

Import scents from a spreadsheet (CSV) Free

You can bring in a list of scents from a CSV file, whether it came from Orrique itself or from another spreadsheet or fragrance site. Orrique adds only new scents and never overwrites or removes anything you already have.

1. In Backup & Export, find the Spreadsheet (CSV) section.
2. Tap Import Collection.
3. Pick the CSV file.
4. A sheet titled Import CSV appears. It does two things: it previews what will happen, and it lets you match the columns.
5. In the preview you will see New scents and Already in your collection counts. Under Match columns, Orrique tries to line up each field with the right column from your file automatically. You can change any of these, or set a column to Skip. Extra columns you do not need are fine: just leave them on Skip.
6. Make sure Brand and Name are matched. They set each scent’s identity and are how Orrique spots duplicates. If either is missing, it is shown in red and you cannot import yet.
7. Tap Import. Only the new scents are added; anything already in your collection is left as it is.

When nothing is new

If every scent in the file is already in your collection, the preview says so (“Everything in this file is already in your collection, so there is nothing new to import”) and the Import button stays unavailable. A greyed-out button here means there is simply nothing to add, not that something went wrong.

Add your diary to a calendar app Pro

You can turn your wear diary into a calendar file (.ics) that you can open in Calendar, Outlook, or another calendar app that supports the standard format.

Orrique Pro

Exporting your diary to a calendar is a Pro feature. Full backup, restore, and the CSV tools are available to everyone.

1. In Backup & Export, find the Calendar section.
2. Tap Export Diary Calendar.
3. Choose where to save the file. It is named Orrique Diary and ends in .ics.
4. Open that file in your calendar app to add your wear history as events.

Each day in your diary becomes a calendar event titled with the scents you wore that day. The event details can include:

• the occasion
• the season
• your mood
• your rating
• longevity
• the weather
• any compliments
• your notes

This is a one-way export: later changes in Orrique are not sent automatically to the calendar you already imported.

If an import fails

Orrique tells you what went wrong rather than guessing, and your current journal is never changed by a failed import.

A backup that is too new or damaged

If a .orrique file was made by a newer version of Orrique, or the file is damaged, the import explains the problem and leaves your current journal untouched. Update Orrique to the latest version and try again, or use a different backup file.

A CSV with only a header and no rows

If a CSV has column titles but no actual scents under them, Orrique says there is nothing to import. Re-export the file (or check that the rows were saved) and try again.

What to expect

• When you export anything, your device shows the standard save screen so you can pick a folder or app. Once you confirm, the file is written there.
• After a full backup export, the Last backed up line updates to the date and time.
• When you import a full backup, the confirmation tells you what is inside before you commit, and nothing changes until you tap Replace Journal.
• When you import a CSV, the preview shows how many scents are new versus already in your collection before you tap Import.
• If a file cannot be read, Orrique tells you rather than guessing (see If an import fails above).

Good to know

• A backup or CSV file is a snapshot from the moment you export it. It does not keep updating as you change your journal, so export again when you want a fresh copy.
• Importing a full backup is the one place that replaces your existing journal on a device. CSV import never does this; it only adds new scents.
• Duplicate scents on CSV import are matched by an exact brand and name. Closely related releases (for example a base scent and its elixir version) are treated as different scents, so they are imported rather than skipped.
• The full backup file includes your photos, so its size grows with how many photos you have. Save it to iCloud Drive or another synced folder so it is not stranded on one device.
• These export and import tools are available on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. The Apple Watch app does not have a file export or import screen, so do your backups and exports from one of the larger devices.
• Exporting your diary to a calendar is a Pro feature. If you are not on Pro, the Export Diary Calendar row shows a Pro badge, and tapping it opens the upgrade screen. Full backup, restore, and the CSV tools are available to everyone.
• The Export Diary Calendar and Export Diary buttons need at least one diary entry, and Export Collection needs at least one scent.
• Backup, CSV, and calendar files are saved wherever you choose; Orrique does not move or sync those files for you afterward.

A note on iCloud

If you use iCloud Sync, your scents and diary already travel between your own devices on their own, so you do not need a manual backup just to move data between your devices. A full backup is still worth keeping as a separate safety copy you control. When you import a backup or scents while iCloud Sync is on, the restored data syncs up to iCloud as usual. On a brand new device, give iCloud a moment to finish bringing your collection down before assuming anything is missing; it can take a little time to appear. You can see your current sync state and choose between iCloud Sync and Local Only in Settings under Data & Sync.

Related articles

iCloud and Sync How your data moves between your own devices, and how it works with backups.

Diary Log wears and build the history that powers the CSV and calendar exports.

Collection Add and manage the scents that a full backup and CSV export capture.

Pro Subscription What Pro unlocks, including the diary calendar export.

Troubleshooting What to try when an import or export does not behave as expected.