7.01.01 creating a microsoft access (default) database

Databases (Creating and Maintaining) video

Microsoft Access ® databases are the default database-type used by On-Screen Takeoff and require no additional software.  By default, Access databases are stored at C:\OCS Documents\OST although this location may be changed by setting a new "Database Folder" location in Tools > Options > Folders.  

• Access databases must NOT be shared or stored on a network drive.

See Creating a Microsoft SQL Server Database for instructions on creating a Microsoft SQL-type database.

Create an Access Database

On-Screen Takeoff makes creating new databases very easy.  The program does all the hard work for you.

• Click File > New > Database, or click the New icon drop down and click Database, or right-click anywhere within the Bid Tab and select New > Database from the Context Menu - the New Database Type dialog opens

• Select "Microsoft Access Database (Most Users)" - the Database Properties (Access) dialog box displays

• Enter a Name for the database,

• To create the database in the default location (see the next Chapter for information on setting Program defaults) just type in the name in the File Name box
• To create 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

• Database names must not contain special characters such as the following symbols: \ / : * ? ’ ; < > ";  only standard alpha-numeric English characters should be used.

• The "Requires login" option is only available after the database is created.  To make the database password protected, follow these steps to create it, add appropriate Estimators to the database,  then come back to Database Properties and check the box for this feature.  See Logging into a Database for more information.

• In the Measure mode field, select either Imperial or Metric as the system of measurement to use, see the article "Units of Measurement (UOM)" for more information.  All UOM boxes in the application are based on this setting although a Bid can be set to either type of measure system when it is created.  See, Units of Measurement (UOM) for more information.

• 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 performs the auto-backup upon application close.  See Database Maintenance - Backup and Restore for more information.

• 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 begins overwriting the oldest backup copy of the database.
• Select how often the Auto-Compress utility should compress the contents of the database to save hard disk space.  (This is not the same as performing routine maintenance (Compact & Repair) on your database - see Database Maintenance - Compact and Repair for details).
• Click OK

The Default Backup settings only backup your database once a week and only store the two (2) most recent copies of the database.  You may want to increase the frequency and number of backups.  

The database is created and listed on the Bids Tab.

Units of Measurement (UOM)

You can also right to Creating Bids at this point see, Creating Bids as many database settings can be built 'on-the-fly' although we recommend you take your time and learn about properly setting up your Program Defaults to get the most out of On-Screen Takeoff.