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Volunteer Software

People Helping People

When two data sets will be merged, it is best to clean up your data beforehand. But you can also do it after conversion. Check the terminated records, too. You probably use different codes in the two databases. Programming never makes any judgments about how to assign records—all codes are converted, which can result in lots of extra and nearly duplicate codes.

One way to compare codes before conversion is to open Reference Codes and Print or Export the lists of values to compare with the other database’s values. You can see all the codes [which have a check mark in Regerence Codes | Assign Field names] listed for Volunteers and their values when you print the Volunteer Statistics report. Compare the codes in the two data sets with reports from both side by side.

Q & A

1. Preparing two databases for a merge — will the Shared Documents combine?
A. Only one list of documents will exist, the other deleted. Tell us which one to keep. You will have to copy over the templates from one data set into the combined data set and add them in on the templates screen after the conversion.

2. Filters – will they be the same?
A. Only one set of filters will exist, the other deleted. Tell us which one to keep.

3. Numbers systems don’t match – one has V and the other doesn’t. Is it possible to renumber one data set’s records so that all start with V- ?
A. We’ll combine the numbers however you want. Tell us how you would like them numbered.

4. County/Area vs. City will require people to decide which goes where.
A. Programming never makes any judgments about how to assign records—all codes are converted, if possible, which can result in lots of extra and nearly duplicate codes.

Send Us the Data

To send us your data, back up each Reporter database and email each to us in separate emails.

Backup

  • Close everything but the main menu screen in the Reporter.
  • Click on File | Backup.
  • Click on the little yellow file folder at the right.
  • In the Choose Directory screen, scroll to the top.
  • Click once on the desktop.
  • The file always used to be named simply VRdata.zip, but now in version 5.7 you can have the date added automatically so that it will not overwrite the previous backup. Check the checkbox to add the date.
  • OK.
  • OK again back at the Backup Data Files screen.

This puts VRdata_20100114.zip, for example, on the desktop.

  • Open a new email addressed to data@volsoft.com
  • Attach VRdata_20100114.zip
  • Put your city, state and account number in the subject.
  • Send it to us.

Programming will do its best to get it converted and sent back to you as soon as possible, but sometimes there are problems. Please tell us whom we should contact with questions.

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