Creating a Microsoft Access Database

Microsoft Access ® databases are the default type for On-Screen Takeoff. No additional software is required to use this database type. By default, Access databases are stored at C:\OCS Documents\OST. This default location may be changed using Tools > Options.

1. Click File > New > Database, click the New icon drop down , and click Database, or right-click anywhere in the Bid window and select New > Database from the Context Menu - The New Database Type dialog opens

2.  

   

    

3. Select Microsoft Access and click OK
4. The Database Properties (Access) dialog box displays. File name and Database settings are entered in this dialog box

    

   

    

5. Name your database

    

   • To store the database in the default location, enter a File Name (see Options Dialog - Folders Tab for more information on setting the default database folder)
   • To save the database in a location other than the default location, click the lookup button and browse to the desired location and enter a file name for the database - The full file location pathway is displayed in the File name field

    

   WARNING: Database names cannot contain special characters such as the following symbols: \ / : * ? ’ ; < > |

    

6. Requires login is only available after creating the database and employee logins
7. See Logging into Databases for more information.
8. In the Measure mode field, select either Imperial or Metric as the system of measurement to use

    

   Additional Information: See Units of Measurement for more information. All UOM boxes in the application are based on this setting.

    

9. Select how often the Auto-backup utility should make a backup copy of the database, and indicate the number of backups to retain - At the scheduled time, On-Screen Takeoff will perform the auto-backup upon application close
10. Set the number of backup copies of the database to be stored in the No. of Backups field - Once this number is reached, On-Screen Takeoff will being overwriting the oldest copy

     

    Additional Information: See Backing up a Microsoft Access Database for more information.

     

11. Select how often the Auto-Compress utility should compress the contents of the database to save disc space
12. Click OK, the database is now available and listed on the Bids tab

Set Database Options and Defaults 

Setup database for Sharing 

Synchronize a new database with an existing database