This article applies to Classic products (On-Screen Takeoff, Quick Bid, and Digital Production Control).
Your data (your bids, projects, jobs, plans etc.) are valuable to your business. You need to take action to ensure they are safeguarded in the event your computer is lost, damaged, infected with malware, or for any other reason, no longer accessible.
When working with On Center Software there are many Backup options available. Which back-up option you choose is up to your business, but it is very important that you always have a disaster recovery plan. We have provided this information to give you an idea of ways to protect your important data.
On Center is not responsible for backing up or maintaining your data. We are providing this information as a courtesy - your computer is your property and all data stored on it is your responsibility to safeguard. Our programs include database backup functions for default (Access) databases, but that may not be sufficient to adequately safeguard your data in the event of a system failure or virus.
Never work in a Backup copy of your
database - you will lose work when the automatic backup routine runs.
Application backups (Program Defaults)
By default, the program makes a copy of your database once a week and stores the last two 'backups' in the 'Backups' folder on your local hard drive. We recommend, at a minimum, setting this to "After Each Use" with at least 10 copies. This provides a measure of safeguarding but may not be an adequate backup plan. Backups are systematically overwritten so if a user opens/closes the product multiple times, they could overwrite a valid/usable backup. Also, if you hard drive fails, you will have no backups from which to restore your date. You need to take steps to ensure these backup copies are copied someplace safer:
- If you are connected to a Network, you can set your Backup folder to store the database copy on a network drive but never work in an Access database stored on a network drive.
- You can even backup your database to a Cloud folder such as OneDrive or Google Drive. We do not support storing the working copy of your database "in the Cloud" although many of our users do it. Be sure it is set to always keep a copy on your computer so you are not accessing a Cloud-only file.
If you must share a database or store a working database on a network drive, you must use SQL. See Using SQL with Classic Products for more information.
Please refer to the application's Help file or User Guide for instructions on setting your application options such as Backup folder.
Third Party Backup Software and Online Software
There are many backup options when it comes to 3rd Party Back-up. Make sure the option you choose is right for you. You will also want to make sure that anyone can find and restore a back-up if necessary and that the vendor provides appropriate technical support (products not produced or sold by On Center Software are not supported by On Center's technical support department).
Some options include but are not limited to Carbonite, CrashPlan, Dropbox, Amazon, Backup Exec, Mozy, Norton Online Backup, IDrive, SOS. Many of these options store your BACKUP 'in the cloud' - that's OK, but you cannot work from a cloud-stored database.
To safeguard your data, you will want to backup "C:\OCS Documents" and all sub-folders. Adjust this folder if you have store your databases/projects in a different location.
If you are working in an SQL database, your SQL Administrator will determine the best way to store/safeguard backups of your database.
Backup to External Hard disk drive
Using an external hard drive for data backups is a very common method for safeguarding data. Most estimators who have lost their data will tell you that this is the fastest way to be able to restore databases or plans to a computer if the PC’s main hard drive has failed.
On Center Software does not recommend working off of an external drive. The purpose of the external drive is a place to store your backups (set your Backups folder to the external drive...).
Backing up SQL Databases
Application backups work only with Microsoft Access-type databases. Backing up SQL databases is handled by your SQL Administrator. Your SQL Administrator will determine the best way to store/safeguard backups of your SQL database(s) including off-site storage, if necessary.
On Center does not assist with installing, configuring, troubleshooting, or maintaining SQL Servers.
