Ok, you have a program that configured properly, can add data to a SQL database

What I want to do is take a backup of that database just before the program runs. I’ve had a dig about on the internet but finding it hard to explain what I want to do. Basically, you double click to run the program that inserts the data, this kicks a batch file into life to take the database backup and drop it somewhere (a folder)

I was thinking some sort of scheduled task that works on the event of running the program, the batch file runs a SQL statement to take the backup

Am I dreaming just too darn big?

Windows? Yes, a simple batch file could do this.
Do you have a command line access to the backup program or do you not even have a backup program?

You can run SQL Server backups from the command line, so assuming your program can call a batch file,, away you go.

Edit: oops, misread the OP, not necessarily a SQL Server db!

groovy…….its a work thing and could be written into the program.

No backup program, just access to the server

Linky

What type of server is it? Oracle, SQL Server, …

Not that it makes that much difference, it should be fairly easy regardless.