7.01.00 about databases
Databases (Creating
and Maintaining) video
A database is a file that stores all of the data used in On-Screen Takeoff such as: Takeoff, Employees, Styles and Style Sets, and links to image files along with all of the Projects created. Creating a database is the essential first step to working with the On-Screen Takeoff. There are two databases included with On-Screen Takeoff - one includes example projects, the other is a blank database where you can start creating Bids.
Some clients create a database for each employee, while others use one for each different geographic location, each office, or even a separate database for each Project. Keeping your databases organized makes it easier to apply the default settings that match the needs of a particular project.
Whatever method used to manage databases, you need to understand:
The following articles detail these concepts.
There are two types of databases: Microsoft Access® and Microsoft SQL Server®. The default is Microsoft Access - this type of database is suitable for a single user who stores their databases on their local computer. To share a database among multiple users or store a database on a network, you will need to use Microsoft SQL. Determine which type of database suits the needs of your organization and follow the directions provided in the following articles for creating that type of database.
Review the following Frequently Asked Questions for more information about database types and suggestions on use:
Many of our clients have asked us if they can store their images, databases, etc. in 'the cloud' using a service such as Google Drive, OneDrive/SkyDrive (Microsoft), or DropBox. The short answer is that it's not recommended. The way some of these services work places a temporary "lock" on files so they can be uploaded periodically to the 'cloud'. While this is OK for a word processing document or a photo, a live database should not be stored in this manner. Access-type databases set/remove file locks on the file to protect it from anyone, any program, from interfering with a user's ability to read-write to the database.
You are more than welcome to store your Backups in a cloud-synchronized folder, in fact, we recommend it!
Please see the FAQ "Can
I Store My Data in the Cloud".
Creating a new Microsoft Access database
Creating a new Microsoft SQL database