Database maintenance involves removing old data from your database to free up disk space and improve performance. The data removed includes bookings, invoices, credit notes, receipts and refunds. You carry it out using the Database Maintenance option on the Tools Database menu to display the following form.
WARNING: Once the data has been removed the information is no longer available for enquiry purposes.
The Database Maintenance form is used as follows:
- Use the drop down to select how old the data to be removed should be.
- If you aren't using Booking Pro to keep track of whether or not invoices have been paid then check the Ignore outstanding balances option.
- Click the OK button to remove the old data.
What happens when I run Database Maintenance?
First, it takes a backup of your data and then permanently removes any bookings, invoices, credit notes, receipts and refunds with dates older than you specified. Finally if you haven't checked the Ignore outstanding balances option it adds a balancing invoice or receipt for any Hirers where the total of the items removed is not zero. This ensures that statements and reminders continue to show the correct outstanding balance. This is shown in the list of accounts and statements as B/F which stands for "brought forward".
What should I do if I use the Database Maintenance option incorrectly?
Unfortunately the data will have been permanently removed from your database and your only options are to continue without the old data or to restore a backup taken prior to carrying it out. However restoring a backup will lose any data you have input since the backup was taken so with both options you will lose some data unless of course you haven't entered any since using Database Maintenance.
How long are backups kept?
Backups taken by Database Maintenance are kept indefinitely and are not automatically removed along with other backup files (see Taking Backups).
How do I restore a backup?
Backups taken by Database Maintenance are restored using the Restore Database option on the Tools Database menu. The backups are named as follows:
xxxxxx_DatabaseMaintenance_yyyymmdd_hhmmss.BAK where
- xxxxx is the name of the database (e.g. BookingPro)
- yyyymmdd_hhmmss is the date and time Database Maintenance was used (e.g. 20050712_091827 for 12th July 2005 at 09:18:27)
E.g. BookingPro_DatabaseMaintenance_20050712_091827.BAK