Tip: DM Backup strategies / a few ideas / updated !

[jmuehleisen]

I often get requests for ideas on the best way to back up Donor Manager data. Let me share a few ideas and tell what what I do

First of all, the Donor Manager has some built in routines for making backups. Basically, you just select the destination for the backup and the Donor Manager copies the files to that place.

If you are backing up to a CD, be aware that some CD burning software works great with the DM (putting the backup directly on the CD from within the DM). Other CD burning programs do not do as well.

Now, keep this in mind also. Whenever the Donor Manager exits, it makes a backup of the data files in a folder called "Donor Manager Data Backup" in the "My Documents" folder. If you regularly back up your "MY Documents" folder, then you are good shape.

So, if you want to do a manual backup, you can backup that folder in the "My Documents" folder, or you can back up c:\donor5\data or c:\Program Files\Donor Manager\data (depending on where you installed your copy of the program) and that will do it too.

But, lately, I've been using the "Pack and Go" routine for my backups. Although it was designed to transfer your DM data from one computer to another, it's actually a very nice and easy backup routine as well. It puts everything into a single file and compresses it (basically like a zip).

You can put that file on a CD, a USB Flash Drive, or even a diskette.

Or do what I do: e-mail it to some web based account (Yahoo, GMail, Hotmail). Then, you have a secure, online copy of your partner data accessable from anywhere.

I do this everytime I make any significant updates to my donor data, so I have multiple backups available. I also recommend that people do this before they travel with their computer, just in case it gets stolen or damaged in some way. That mailing list is extremely important and you want to protect it.

Or, send a copy by email to a family friend who will keep that file on their computer, and you have a fairly comprehensive backup strategy.

I hope that helps!

John

[jmuehleisen]

The article above has been updated with some additional backup tips.