If you're using the PERRLA Add-in inside Microsoft Word (either the desktop app or Word for Web), your paper is automatically backed up every time you take an action using PERRLA. If something ever goes wrong with your local file or your computer, you can restore your work quickly from PERRLA Online.
What Is "Save to PERRLA"?
Save to PERRLA is a feature built into the PERRLA ribbon in Word. It automatically creates a backup copy of your paper every time you use a PERRLA tool – like adding a reference, inserting a citation, or applying a heading style. You can also create manual backups anytime you'd like.
These backups are saved to your PERRLA account, not your local device, so you can recover your paper from anywhere – even if your original file gets lost or deleted.
Where to Find It
You'll find Save to PERRLA in the PERRLA ribbon inside Microsoft Word (both the desktop application and Word for Web). It's located toward the right side of the PERRLA ribbon.
Click the Save to PERRLA button to open the panel and see your recent paper saves, or to trigger a manual backup.
Note: This feature is only available for papers created with the PERRLA Add-in, or where PERRLA has been added to the paper.
How It Works
Automatic Saves
Every time you take an action through the PERRLA Add-in, PERRLA automatically backs up your paper in the background.
This includes things like:
- Adding, editing, or deleting references or citations
- Applying heading styles
- Inserting tables, figures, or paper sections (like the abstract or appendix)
Manual Saves
You can also create a backup manually. Click the Save to PERRLA button in the PERRLA ribbon, then click Save my paper now in the side panel.
Manual saves are great when you've done a lot of writing or editing without using a PERRLA feature.
Note: Use a manual save if you've made changes but haven't used any PERRLA tools recently.
Viewing Your Backups
Inside the Save to PERRLA panel, you'll see a list of your recent saves from the past 30 days.
Each save includes:
- A timestamp
- A description of the action that triggered the save (e.g., "Added citation: (Smith, 2020, p. 4)")
You can also log into PERRLA Online to see and manage your saved versions.
To view your backups in PERRLA Online:
- Log in to PERRLA Online.
- Go to the Papers section.
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Open your paper and look at the Overview tab.
You'll see a list of your recent saves, each with a timestamp. - Preview or download any of them as a Word document.
Note: PERRLA keeps up to 30 days of paper history for each paper.
Can I Use This Instead of Saving My Word File?
No. Save to PERRLA is meant as a safety net, not a replacement for saving your file locally. You should still save your Word document as you normally would. But if anything goes wrong, a backup will be waiting for you.
Can I Delete Old Saves?
Not at this time. PERRLA automatically manages your paper save history and keeps backups for the last 30 days. After that, older versions are removed.
Save to PERRLA helps protect your work while you write with PERRLA in Word. If disaster strikes, you can recover your paper or download an earlier version in just a few clicks from PERRLA Online.