Backup

Once you put your edited pictures you've worked on in a folder do these synch programs synch your edits  into elements?

Or just any further edits you've made?

If these synch programs you mention do not synch your edits into elements how is that done as at some point you will want to get the edits into elements.

Such syncing softwares just ensures that the folders copy are exactly the same as the original;  new and modified files are updated, deleted file are also deleted depending on your choice. This has nothing to do with your edits which are stored in the catalog. You can also use the 'sync' feature for the catalog folder, but it's not faster than just copying the catalog folder elsewhere.

A catalog folder can be stored in the default (hidden) location or where you want. Its contents don't change.

But if your original drive is no longer available, the catalog still points to that precise drive, and you can't easily change the catalog to point to the 'synced' new drive. That would need 'reconnecting' everything, which is a real chore with a big library. That's the reason why the organizer backup is the solution when you want to move to another drive or computer.

The "sync" solutions do work perfectly to restore (copy back) to the original drive. It's very usefel even if the original drive is not available, since you don't lose any file of your photo library. Let's say you do regular organizer backups every month and you sync after each editing session. What's the risk? The organizer backup lets you restore the media files and the catalog in the state they were on your last backup. Using the last 'sync' folders will update your work (the media files) since the backup. New and edited files will be updated, deleted files will be deleted if you you have set your preferences for that, and your catalog will need manual updating, that is importing new files in the catalog and searching for missing files to delete them from catalog. Much easier and faster than trying to reconnect all files in your library.

Also do you see any issues using my cloud to organize my pictures in folders by year? Would be another backup and  a way I can share pictures with the my kids.

Organizing by year is an excellent way to store your images, that's what I am doing too.

FWIW, I use a utility called Folder Match to synchronize my backup folders.  I copy all of my media to a number of different hard drives, internal and external, as my backups.  I separately copy my catalog folders.  I find this simpler and faster than using the Organizer's backup and restore.  Each backup can be synchronized by copying "orphan" files which are those created since the last synchronization, and/or can replace an older unedited file with an edited or more recent file.

My advice is: Don't use incremental backups, especially when storing the catalog folders in the Cloud. 

How big is your photo library in items number and size in GB (the media files folders) and the catalog folder (from the menu help >> System Information)?

To add to what Greg correctly states,

Next question is: When I am finished with the incremental back up how will that look. 

You'll have the original full backup folder, and a new backup folder for each incremental backup. Each incremental backup contains copies of only new or changed  media files, plus all the contents of the catalog itself (the database).

Remember that the backup folder can ONLY be used for a restore, it's not a working copy of your library or catalog. With incremental backups, you have to first run the restore from the full backup, then restore each other incremental one in the order asked by the program.

The .json files contain face recognition information.  The .xmp files are "sidecar" files that contain the edit information for files you have edited.

When you do any backup, you should create a new folder for the backup.

So, no, you should not use your original backup folder for the incremental backup.  If you try to do so, you will get a message that you will overwrite your original backup files.

When you do an incremental backup, it will contain only the files that are not contained in the earlier backup.  The same thing happens with each incremental backup.  As part of the incremental backup, you will be asked where the earlier backup folder is located. So, I would recommend putting a date on the folder name to help you keep track. 

You also need to make sure not to delete any of the incremental backup folders as that will destroy the integrity of the backup.

For more detailed instructions about the Backup and Restore process, look at this article.