Storing and Backing Up Your Access Database

We all work hard on our databases and no one in this world can deny that, in most companies, a database will hold some of the mission critical information.

Just think about the types of information that can be stored on a database:

• Customer or client contact information
• Financial projections and sales information
• Results of customer satisfaction surveys

The loss of this type of information can cripple a business. In case of disaster, having a backup plan of your own can help you to get up and running without having to wait on IT or your backup vendor to get your data back.

Creating your own backup plan can be surprisingly simple. Let's look at some of your choics:

Methods of Backing Up

Choice 1: Save it to a floppy disk. Let's be honest, this one is dead in the water. These are rarely used anymore and most new models of computers don't even have the drives. One possible extension of this idea that is a bit more feasible is using a zip drive.

Choice 2: Burn it onto CD. This option is easily accessible, provided you have a CD burner on your machine. The only downside is that unless you use a CD-RW (rewritable) then you will go through a lot of CDs as you are forced to burn and re-burn disks when your files are updated. This one can work if your databases are updated monthly or quarterly.

Choice 3: Use a web-based service. For this to work you will have to have a fair amount of space (at least 500mb) and the permission of management. A good option if you can use it.

Choice 4: Save your files to an external memory source. This means any removable storage like a flash drive or larger memory storage like an external hard drive. These are both very good options. They have a large amount of space so you can store multiple databases, and you can save files with a copy and paste job. No burning or special tools needed.

Choice 5: Use a laptop or a PDA. These options will let you save a file and still give you the ability to alter it while the systems are down. Just be sure, if you use a laptop that your system does not save to a shared virtual drive. If it does than this is not a good choice for you because when the network goes down you will still lose your files and be back at square one.

If you know that you will need to have immediate ability to make changes to the database, then you should take the full and original file. This is the copy and paste or burn of the database.

The small file size method is to convert to a PDF. This will only give you a view of the sheets but no ability to make changes. In a pinch however it is better than nothing.

To save your Access database as a PDF:

Step 1: Open the database

Step 2: Click on the Windows logo.

Step 3: Click on "save as" then choose "PDF or XPS"

Step 4: Name the file and make sure it says "PDF" in the "save as type" list.

Step 5: Find the words "optimize for" and be sure to click on "standard".

Step 6: Click on "ok".

Step 7: Look for the words "publish as a PDF or XPS" in that dialogue box click on "publish"

Now you can be a database saving office wonder!