Company Text Backup, Database Text Backup
These functions provide you with an effective way to back up your data. They copy all data from the program to a separate file. You can also copy or duplicate the database file (1office.HDB) on your hard disk, but FirstOffice's method has two advantages:
- The back-up file takes up very little space.
- The back-up file is independent of the program version. IT CAN ALWAYS BE USED, whereas a new version of the FirstOffice program (for reasons of internal updates in the program) may have difficulties in reading old database files.
! | Use FirstOffice's built-in back-up feature to guarantee a successful restoration. |
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This is how you back up your data:
- In the System module, select 'Exports' from the File menu or click the [Exports] button in the Master Control panel. The 'Exports' list is shown.
- Select 'Company Text Back-up' (if you wish to back up the data in the database relating to the single Company currently selected) or 'Database Text Back-up' (if you wish to back up the whole database) in the 'Exports' window and press the Enter key. In a single-user system, you can use the [Backup] button in the Master Control panel as a short cut to the 'Database Text Back-up' option.
Usually you should use the 'Database Text Back-up' option, as this is the only choice that backs up the entire database. You must use it regularly for your safety and peace of mind. Some registers and settings (e.g. the Configuration setting and, if you are using the CRM and Mail Value Pack, Mailboxes and Conferences) are stored at database level, not Company level. These will not be exported by the 'Company Text Back-up' option, even if your database only contains a single Company. The 'Company Text Back-up' option is intended for use in the situation where you need to move all the information relating to a specific Company from one database to another.
In a multi-user system, you cannot use the 'Database Text Back-up' option on a client machine. You can only use it on the server machine, when no other user is logged in. On the server, select 'Quit, Remove Autoserver' from the File menu and restart FirstOffice. Then, choose the System module using the [Select Module] button in the Master Control panel. If it is not convenient to work from the server, use the Timed Operations setting in the Technics module. This will be the case if your server does not have a graphical interface, or if it is in another room or building.
- The "Specify Text Backup" window appears where you can describe the back-up file using up to 40 characters. This description will be shown in the list of importable files shown by the 'Imports' function. Click [Run] to proceed.
- FirstOffice opens a standard dialogue box where you can name and place the export file. Enter the name of the file in the filename area and locate it in the appropriate directory in the usual way.
The name of the back-up should include the date the back-up was made (e.g. TC0711 for Training Company and date). If you are intending to restore from the back-up file using the 'Automatic' function, add a .txt extension but do not include any spaces or other non-alphabetic characters in the file name (the 'Automatic manual file search' function can import files with names that include non-alphabetic characters and without extensions). Then, click [Save].
It is recommended that you store the back-up file in a folder or directory named "Backup" which should be in the same folder or directory as the FirstOffice application. All back-up files in this folder will be shown in a list of importable files if it becomes necessary to restore from a back-up.
- A message window informs you about the progress of the export.
- When the export is finished, you are brought back to the 'Exports' list. Close it using the close box.
! | Make a rule to take a safety back-up EVERY DAY! Your database can be damaged, through hardware failures, power cuts and other reasons. A back-up file is a safety guarantee against loss of data and loss of work, should anything go wrong. |
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Note that, for reasons of security and unlike the other export files produced by FirstOffice's Export functions, the files created by the 'Company Text Backup' and 'Database Text Backup' functions are encrypted files, not text files.
