Question: How do I use the Act! Scheduler to automatically back up my Act! database?
Product Details:
Product Family: Act!
Product: Act! Pro, Act! Premium
Version: 2006 and later
Answer:
Important Notes:
- Only Administrator or Manager level users can use the Act! Scheduler to make backups
- The Act! Scheduler can only run automatic backups if the computer is on during the scheduled time. If the computer is off during the scheduled time, the backup will not run until the next scheduled time.
- It is recommended that the backup is scheduled using the Act! Scheduler on the server or machine that holds the database files
- It is recommended that you schedule the backup for a time when no one is using the databsae, such as outside of your business hours
- In Act!, click Tools > Act! Scheduler...
- Click Create a task
- In the Select a Database screen, click Browse..., Browse to and select the database you wish to schedule backups for, then click Open
- Enter the User name and Password used to access the database, then click Next
- In the Select a Task screen, select Database backup, then click Next
- In the Database Backup Options screen, if necessary, Click Browse... and choose the location to which you wish to save your automated backups
Note: The designated location for the backup must be a local directory on the server or machine that holds the database files. If you are concerned about making sure that backups are stored for safe keeping in a location that is not local to the machine that holds the database files, you can copy the Act! backup files that have already been created to another location, such as a file server, or external hard drive. - Enter a default backup file name or leave it as the default
- If desired, enable the option to Password protect the file and enter a password
Important Note: This password IS NOT tied to your database login. If you choose to password protect the database backup file, this adds ZIP password encryption to the database backup file. Unlike forgotten database login credentials, forgotten passwords for database backup files CANNOT BE RECOVERED. - Click Next to go to the Backup File Management screen
- Choose how many backup files to keep before overwriting older files, then click Next
- In the Set a Schedule screen, configure how often to run the automatic backup, then click Next
- If you have already configured e-mail alert settings and you wish to receive notifications of the success or failure of the database backup, enable the option for Send e-mail notifications and enter the email address that will receive the notifications
Note: If you have not configured the e-mail alerts, but you would like to, you can go ahead and click Finish to save your settings and come back to edit this later after you have configured your email alerts. For information on configuring the Act! Scheduler to send e-mail notifications, refer to the following knowledgebase article:
How can I configure the Act! Scheduler to send me e-mail notifications upon completing tasks? - Click Finish to save your settings