The following steps are used to create an archive database. The live database is backed up and copied to create an archive and a production database. A standard script is then run on the archive and production database systems to remove the records that will not be retained in each of the new systems.
• Finalize and document your data retention policies.
• Identify how each file in your database should be archived (how long records are retained).
• If the file being archived contains records that have an open or closed status, such as accounts payable invoice, ar invoices, or orders, you should verify that all open records in each file are dated after the archive date to be used.
• Clear Temporary Files - Any files that are used only during transaction processing, such as the sotemp, potemp, and sptemp files can be zeroed out before or after moving them to the archive and production databases.
• Sotemp
• Potemp
• Sptemp
• Trim internal transaction files. Files such as Changes and Ophist are used to provide information on who last updated a record or performed a specific process. The records in these files are internal records and they can be trimmed on a regular basis.
• Changes
• Ophist
• Waretran
• Log
• Check Transaction files for open records prior to archive dates. For example: If you have open sales orders that are dated prior to the cutoff you are using to archive the orders, you should close the orders prior to splitting the archive and live databases. If you do have open order data prior to the archive date, and split the live system, you may lose open or in process transactions or documents (they may not transfer to the new production system). Files that may contain open or in process documents and transactions include
• AR Invoices
• AP Invoices
• Inventory Activity Records
• Sales Order Headers and Line Items
• PO Headers and Line Items
• Shop Headers and Line Items
• Pending records
• RA Headers and Lines
• Pick Records
• Sohold records
• CoChange
• Close out open or in process records prior to the archive date being used for each file. If you are archiving data prior to 1/1/2006, you need to close out or delete documents that are open or in process and that have dates prior to 1/1/2006.
• Stop operations and run standard accounting and open order reports. The reports will be used to verify the information in the production and archive systems that will be created. Standard re[ports that can be used to verify the data in the live and production systems include.
• AR Aging
• Aged or Open Accounts Payable
• Inventory Valuation
• Pending Aging
• WIP Valuation
• Unvouchered Inventory
• Order Report
• Vendor Po Report
• Backup the current system (the live database).
• Copy the live database to create an archive database.
• Modify the Cove Standard Archive script to match your specific requirements (the script will be used to delete records after the archive date in the selected files in the archive database).
• Run the script on the archive system (the script will delete the records that were entered after the archive date in the selected files).
• Shrink the archive database
• Copy the live database to create the production database.
• Modify the Cove Standard Archive archive script to match your specific requirements (the script will be used to delete records prior to the archive date in the selected files).
• Run the script on the production system.
• Shrink the production database
• Access the production and the archive system and verify that you can display transactions, run reports, etc. Verify that
• Run reports on the production system and compare them to reports run on live database. Verify that all open documents, orders, etc were successfully moved from the live to the new production database.