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Overview

Backing up your database is the best defense against hardware failures, malware, and user errors that can cause corruption or data loss. The more frequently you back up, the less data you are likely to lose in the event your database is compromised. 

Instructions

1. Make sure SIMS is closed on all workstations.  Also close SIMS Training Room Companion, SIMSAnywhere Synchronization Manager and SIMSAnywhere Synchronization Service, if applicable.
   
   
2. Choose File / Backup/Restore / Backup to a File from the SIMS menu
   
   
3.  Configure backup options
   1. Under Copy data to this file, use the button to select the folder and enter the name to be used for the backup file. Be sure to choose a folder that you have permission to write to, or the backup will fail.
      
      
   2. Enter any comments you want to include in the backup file.
      
      
   3. Enter a password to secure the file.  A password is not required, but is recommended.
      
      
   4. Mark the Include External Documents checkbox if you want to include all local files that have been attached using the External Documents feature.  Warning: electing to include external documents can result in an extremely large backup file.
      
      
   5. Mark the Remove HIPAA identifiers checkbox if you want to exclude HIPAA identifiers (name, ID numbers, etc) from the backup file.  In general, you do not want to mark this checkbox unless you are creating the backup to send to SIMS tech support.
      
      
4. Click Create File to generate the backup file.
   
   

Alternate Backup Instructions

Another method for backing up is to manually copy your SIMS Data and System folders to a backup location.

1. If you don't know the location of your SIMS Data or System folder, see Step 3 of the Sharing your data on a network article.
   
   
2. Make sure SIMS is closed on all workstations.  Also close SIMS Training Room Companion, SIMSAnywhere Synchronization Manager and SIMSAnywhere Synchronization Service, if applicable.
   
   
3. Copy your Data and System folders:
   1. Using Windows Explorer, browse to the folder that contains your Data folder.
      
      
   2. Select the Data folder and click Copy on the ribbon, or right-click the folder and choose Copy from the context menu.
      
      
      
   3. Browse to the folder that will store the backup of your Data folder
      
      
   4. Click Paste on the ribbon, or right-click inside the folder and choose Paste.
      
      
      
   5. Repeat steps a through d to make a copy of the SIMS System folder.
      
      
4. Optional: Compress both folders into a single file:
   
   
   1. Select both the Data and System folders.
      
      
   2. Right-click either of the selected folders and choose Send to / Compressed (zipped folder from the context menu.
      
      
   3. Type a name for the file.
      
      
      
   4. Optional: You may want to delete the copies of the Data and System folders since the compressed file includes the contents of both folders.