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May
15, 2008
Volume 4 Issue 5
In this issue:
Exporting Reports | What
causes database corruption?
 From
the Editor
Many of you may not be aware of the Report Exporting feature
in the Agency Advantage. Those of you who are may have noticed some recent
changes to that feature. These changes were to allow a broader range of
our clients to utilize this feature. The article below and our website
article will further explain these changes.
Also, with the increased stormy weather here and in the
western states, we've had a slight increase in calls regarding corrupt
databases. A corrupt database is usually very simple to fix, but if you
suspect there is a problem (besides tornados and lightning shutting off
your power!), review the article below.
If you have a question or topic you would like
explained, a story to share, or just a quick useful tip, we'd love to
hear from you. Please send your responses to tina@agencyadvantage.com.
Tina Stewart
Editor
Exporting
Reports
One of the many useful features in The Agency Advantage
is the ability to export reports. If you are using the Export Function,
you may be wondering why you want to export data from a report. Exporting data to an Excel spreadsheet
gives you the ability to edit the report data and provides advanced
sorting of the report data. You
can also export customer lists to be merged with a Microsoft Word
document if you need advanced document creation.
In the past the Export function was limited to users
who were using Microsoft Excel 2000. Recent updates make the export work with
any version of Microsoft Office.
When viewing a print preview of a report, you will find
the Export button on the toolbar at the top. If the Export button is
grayed out then it means that Exporting isn't available for that report
in particular.
When you export a report, it is put in a *.csv file
format. This is a generic format that allows you to import the data into
a variety of Microsoft Office products, most commonly Microsoft Excel.
For detailed instructions on exporting reports, please
see our support
article.
What
causes database corruption?
Database corruption isn't to be taken lightly. However,
most of the time, if your database becomes corrupt it can be easily
repaired. There are very few instances where databases cannot be
repaired. That alone is reason to have a reliable backup. Below you'll
find the more common reasons for database corruption, though not limited
to the following:
·
Power failure - electrical storms,
power surges, power outages – Installing a UPS (universal power source)
could possibly reduce database corruptions in areas prone to power
failures. For best protection, install one on your server and each
workstation. If you suspect bad
weather is moving in, simply shut down Agency Advantage or turn off your
computers for the night.
·
Network failure - switches,
routers, hubs - One bad piece of equipment in the network can cause the
network to lose stability or stop working. If the network goes down while
people are working in the program, it increases the risk of a corrupt
database.
·
Computer hardware failure -
Ethernet card, hard drive - If a hard drive is going bad, it can cause it
to lock up and drop the connection to the database unexpectedly. Faulty
Ethernet cards can also cause inconsistent network connections.
·
Computer locking up - virus or spy
ware infection, lack of memory (RAM) - If your computer is constantly
freezing up then you may want to consider cleaning it up with anti-
spyware and virus protection. Upgrade your RAM if necessary – 1 GB minimum
with XP and 2GB with Vista is a good minimum. Browsing the Web
automatically fills your computer with cookies, temporary internet files,
images, etc. Sometimes these can be malicious and cause speed issues and
even occupying 100% of the CPU’s capacity causing your system to
seemingly of freeze. At this point you have to do a ctrl+alt+del to end
tasks and this raises the possibility of database corruption.
·
Wireless networks - Wireless
networks work great for browsing the internet and checking email. However,
The Agency Advantage requires a network to have constant communication
between workstation and server. Wireless networks do not provide that. In
that respect they are unstable and can cause unexpected drops in the
database connection. These drops in connection can cause database
corruption.
Safeguard your agency by making sure your equipment and
operating systems are up-to-date and functioning correctly.
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