877-375-2810 [email protected]

Back up Your TM Database

by | Jun 29, 2011 | General Technology, Practice Management, Time Matters

The other day I met with a client who wanted to update hundreds of records.  I recommended we first backup their Time Matters database.  “I didn’t know we would need to call our I.T. consultants!” he said.  I assured him that would not be necessary.

 

Time Matters, the award-winning practice management software application by LexisNexis is rich with useful features.  One of them is the backup command, accessible by going to the File | Backup Time Matters Data command.

 

Time Matters Backup Screen

Time Matters Backup Options

  1. Using this command, a Destination Backup Location may be selected.  Note that Time Matters automatically assigns the name of the day of the week to the file.  This may be overwritten or changed at the user’s discretion.
  2. There are also other options listed, determining what information may be included in the backup –
    1. Users may or may not wish to include files in the Document folder
    2. Users may or may not wish to include email attachments
    3. Users have the option to remember the destination folder for future backups
Once the user clicks on the OK button, Time Matters does two things –

The Begin Server Backup Window appears.

  1. This “first pass” by Time Matters saves the actual data in a SQL backup format
  2. Click on the Yes button to begin this process
  1. When this is complete, a new window appears
    1. This “second pass” by Time Matters saves all the customized features in the database
    2. It compresses them into a .ZIP file
  2. When the process is complete, you will see a confirmation window.  Click OK to complete the backup process
Did you know… ?
Using the backup command inside Time Matters allows a user to make a quick and easy backup of the database.  It’s very useful for those times when you want to try a new command, or when you have to perform a mass edit on, say, hundreds of records.
You may also make backups outside of the program, using Command Line Parameters.  Contact us at Eastern Legal Systems by calling 1-877-ELS-0555 or write to us at [email protected] and we’ll send you a copy for you (and your I.T. staff) to automate the process and control what and how much data is backed up.
Your data is irreplaceable.  It’s important to preserve it. This important tool helps you do just that.