FAQ - CFS Tax Software, Inc. - Software for Tax Professionals

Whether you have the single user license or a network license, you may configure the program to automatically back up to a network (or local) drive:

In the CFS program, click on Configuration on the Main Menu bar.
Put a check in the box in the bottom left corner "Automatically Backup Data on Exit."
Click on Save Settings and then Close.
Click on Utilities on the Main Menu bar and then on Backup Data or Backup Selected Clients.
In the Backup dialog box, navigate to the location where you want the backup to be placed, using the Create Folder button if necessary.
Click Next, then Select All and Finish.
When the backup completes, respond "Yes - use this as the destination for automatic backup."

In the CFS program, click on Configuration on the Main Menu bar.
Put a check in the box in the bottom left corner "Automatically Backup Data on Exit."
Click on Save Settings and then Close.
Above the Client list click on the Edit Client button.
On the client dialog form click on save and then close.
This will trigger the Automatic Backup.
Close the program.
The "Auto Backup Location" window will be displayed.
On the first line type the path to the desired backup folder.
If that folder exists it must be empty or contain nothing but a previous backup.
Click OK.
If the folder does not exist it will be created.
Future backups will go to the same location.

Keywords: automatic, backup,

The best means of backing up data from a CFS program is by using the backup utility within the program.
This utility backs up your primary data (the database folder), as well as auxiliary and control information, such as preparer database and custom labels. Whether you have a single user or a network license, you can backup your data to a mapped network drive. If data on your server is periodically backed up to tape, DVD or another backup device, your CFS data can be included.

You can also backup directly to a diskette, a flash drive, a zip drive, a second hard drive, or an external hard drive.

Note that you can only backup to either an empty folder or a folder containing nothing but a previous backup. If this is the first backup being made to a specific device, use the “Create Folder” button to create a new, empty folder. If the backup utility does not enable the NEXT button, then the designated folder contains at least one file which does not belong there.

To put your backup on a CD-R, you must first backup to a folder on your hard drive. Then use CD writing support to copy that backup folder to the CD.

Note that special actions are needed for restoring a database from a CD. First, you must copy the folder from the CD to someplace on the hard drive. Then, right click on that folder on the hard drive and left click on properties so that you can remove "Read Only" for that folder. Then you can do the Utilities - Restore from that folder on the hard drive.

Keywords: backup, cd, cd-r, diskette, zip, USB, flash

The program can be configured to automatically back up your data any time you exit the program after making changes. The automatic backup may be made to
    A folder on the computer hard drive,
    A folder on another internal hard drive,
    A diskette (floppy drive),
    A folder on a flash drive,
    A folder on a mapped network drive,
    An external (usually USB or 1394) hard drive.

Note that the above list does not include CD. It is only possible to use a CD as the backup target if the CD is pre-formatted by and for use with the “DirectCD” software. This is not common. The format of that CD is “UDF” which cannot be read on other computers without installing the appropriate driver.

It is an excellent idea to periodically use your CD writing software to copy the backup folder onto a CD.
Monthly or quarterly is good.

To configure the program to automatically backup data on exit:

1. Open the Configuration dialog. Put a check in the box in the bottom left corner,
"Automatically Backup Data on Exit" and click Save Settings.

   2. Go to Utilities - Backup Data and follow the steps of selecting the drive letter and
       folder into which to place the backup. When the backup has been successfully created,
       there will be a message asking whether you want to designate this as the normal
       backup location. Reply yes.

Keywords: backup, automatic, configure

You may suspect that a backup of a database exists on some particular medium, but you don’t know where.

For example, the tech installing your new computer has made the data from the old computer available somewhere on the new computer. Or you think you have backed up the data to a removable storage device – hard drive or flash drive. Or it is suspected that a backup exists on a network drive.

The best way to find a backup database on a drive is to search for the database file contained in a database folder. For each program, the name of the database file is a constant, whereas the names of the database or backup folders are not.

To determine the file name, open the CFS program and bring up Configuration Options. Under Data Options, next to the words Data Path, you will see a file name in blue – followed by the word “present” That is the file name you need to search for.

Before searching, go to Windows Explorer (My Computer) - Tools menu - Folder options selection - View tab and make sure the checkbox for “Hide extentions for known file types” is cleared. On Windows 7, do this under Control Panel - Folder Options.

Search the appropriate drive for the file name determined above. If there are multiple files with the same name, look at the file sizes and dates to determine the most recent full backup, then note the name of the “containing folder” and its location. To restore from the file, you will need to navigate to this folder using the Utilities - restore function within the CFS program.

Keywords:

IF YOU USED THE DEFAULTS:

If you have been letting the CFS programs install to the default location then they are installed in the CFSLIB folder. And if you have let the data reside at the default location, then the data also is under the CFSLIB folder. In that case the steps for migration from old computer to new computer are to copy the CFSLIB folder to some medium on the old computer, and then copy that folder onto the home drive (usually C:) on the new computer. Then do a full install of each desired program to gain access to the data.

A flash drive is an excellent tool to use for this operation. Using My Computer, navigate to C:\CFSLIB. Right click on CFSLIB and left click on Properties. Look at the size of the CFSLIB folder. Now you know how big a flash drive or other medium you need.

The usual media for this task are flash drive, portable USB hard drive, or network. It is also possible to copy CSLIB to a CD or DVD. Note, however, that a CD or DVD is read-only. The CFSLIB folder keeps that attribute when it is copied to the receiving computer. If you use a CD or DVD to copy the CFSLIB folder, after you copy the folder to the new computer you must edit the CFSLIB folder properties to turn off the Read Only attribute for the folder and all folders and files within it.

The first paragraph of this article indicates that you should copy CFSLIB from old to new first, and then proceed with program installations. If, however, you have already installed some of the programs before reading this article, don’t worry. It is also okay to install the programs first and then copy CFSLIB. If you do this, and the new computer is Windows 7, observe the new file overwrite cautions: the proper selection is “Copy and replace”. Also use the checkbox at the bottom of that dialog (For all occurrences).

INSTALLATION FROM CD

If you have copied CFSLIB from the old computer to the new computer before installing the programs, the automatic installation from CD will only work on 2008 and earlier CDs. For CDs 2009 and later, you will have to use the manual method of installation.

Open the CD so you see the folders.

Open the folder for a specific program.

Open the Disk1 folder found therein.

Execute the SETUP.EXE in the DISK1 folder.

IF YOU DID NOT USE THE DEFAULTS:

If you have installed the programs or redirected the data to someplace other than the default locations, then you may have to copy the data one program at a time.

You can use the Backup and Restore functions in the program to move your saved client data to a different computer.

Install your CFS programs on the new computer and update the programs to the latest version.
Backup the data for the programs on the old computer, using whatever medium is available to both computers.
Restore the data to the programs on the new computer.

When determining which medium to use, ask yourself tie following questions: Are the computers connected by network? Do both computers have a diskette drive? Are both computers able to handle USB drives? Can the first computer write a CD?

NETWORK
If the medium is network, then the procedure is to back up from the first computer to a folder somewhere on the network where it is visible to the second computer. Then at the second computer do the restore. Note that MAPPED NETWORK DRIVE should be used instead of UNC code.

DISKETTE
If the medium is diskette, there may be a limit as to how much data can be copied at a time, depending upon the program. For the Payroll System, it is best to manually restrict the data to about 20 clients per diskette, rather than giving the program the task of distributing the data across multiple diskettes.

For other programs,it may be possible to fit all of your clients on a single diskette.

When you select the A: drive to back up to, it is best to then click the create folder button. Give the folder a slightly descriptive name, and then click NEXT and proceed with the backup.

ZIP, JAZ,or REMOVABLE HARD DRIVE
When you back up to a removeable drive, you must either create a new folder to back up into, or use a folder already created which contains a previous backup for the specific program. If there are any files in the pre-existing folder which are not part of a previous backup for the program, the NEXT button will not become available.

USB DRIVE
When you back up to a USB drive, you must either create a new folder to back up into, or use a folder already created which contains a previous backup for the specific program. If there are any files in the pre-existing folder which are not part of a previous backup for the program, the NEXT button will not become available.

Also, with a USB drive, be careful to use the "Safely Remove Hardware" facility in the System Tray next to the clock.

BACKUP to CD DRIVE
To back up to a CD, you must back up to a folder on the hard drive, then copy that folder onto a CD using either the Windows facility or the software that came with the drive. Backing up directly to a CD is not generally possible.

If you will be writing backup CDs frequently, or have multiple programs to back up, it’s good idea to create a folder named TOCD. When when you create each backup folder, put it in the TOCD folder to make it easy to find. When you have finished backing up all of your programs to the TOCD folder, you can easily write them all to a single CD at the same time

.

In the CFS program’s Backup dialog box, navigate to the C:\TOCD folder, then either use a previous backup folder for this program, or create a new folder with a name which properly identifies the backup. After clicking NEXT, it is best to use the SELECT ALL button. Then Finish to accomplish construction of the backup.

If you have other programs to back up, follow the same procedure to add their backup folders to the TOCD folder.

When all backups have been accomplished, and everything desired is in the TOCD folder, you can proceed to write the CD.

The method for writing the folders under TOCD varies considerably from computer to computer, depending upon the CD writing software (Nero, Adaptec, Roxio, etc.) and the operating system.

With Windows XP, there may be direct assistance from the operating system. Bring up Windows Explorer (My Computer). Navigate to the TOCD folder. Right click on the folder to bring up the context menu, and then look for "Send to". If there is a CD option under Send To, use it to place the selected folder into the queue for things to be written to the CD. Then put a blank CD into the writer drive, and expect Windows to bring up the CD writer dialog asking whether you want to now write the selected items to a CD. Follow the prompts.

If the Windows XP facility is not available, or if you have another operating system, try to initiate the CD writing software by closing the CD writer drive with a blank CD in it. If this brings up the CD writing software, then you use that to indicate what is to be written to the CD. Basically, there will be two window panes. The second displays the anticipated contents of the new CD. The first displays the drives on your computer. Open up the appropriate drive in the first window pane, and navigate to the folder to be written. Drag the folder from that pane to the CD contents pane. This is a copy, not a move. So the data will still be in its original location on the hard drive.

When all appropriate folders have been dragged to the second pane, start the CD write operation. There may be an icon which says "burn" or "create." or there may be something in the File menu to create the CD.

RESTORE FROM CD DRIVE
As indicated above, writing directly to a CD is generally not supported. Also, restoring directly from a CD may or may not work, but is generally not advised. This is because all files and folders on the CD have the "Read-only" attribute set, and this cannot be changed while the files are on the CD.

On the hard drive (probably the C: drive) create a folder such as C:\FROMCD. Then, using Windows Explorer copy the entire contents of the CD to this folder on the hard drive.

To remove the Read-only attribute from the files under the C:\FROMCD folder.
1. Right click on folder FROMCD
2. Left click on Properties
3. In the bottom left corner, click on Read-only check box until it is empty.
4. Apply - to all files and sub-folders.
5. Close properties.

Open the program (or each program) and do the restore, navigating to the appropriate “restore from” folder within the C:\FROMCD folder.

Keywords: new computer, migrate, copy

First, backup the data for the specific client into a folder on the hard drive.

Next, compress the contents of that backup folder into single (zip) file. You can then attach the resulting file to an e-mail.

The recipient can unzip the file to create a backup folder, then restore the client data into his database.

For example:

Create a folder on the C: drive – C:\ForPartner

Use the backup utility in the program to create the backup – making a new folder, so that the backup goes to C:\ForPartner\SmithAccount.

Bring up “My computer” and navigate to that folder.

Right click on folder SmithAccount

Run the mouse down to Send To

Left click on Send To – Compressed.

That will create a file C:\ForPartner\SmithAccount.ZIP

You can then attach that ZIP file to an e-mail.

The recipient can double-click on that ZIP file and extract to create a folder which can be used by the restore utility in the same program at the other location.

Note: both users should be u sing the most current version of the CFS program.

Keywords: backup, zip

Automatic backup is controlled by two parameters.

First is the check box in the bottom left corner of the Configuration screen.
In a network environment, that check box is part of each user’s settings – it could be set for some users and not set for others. So make sure it is set for each user if that is appropriate.

Second is the folder into which the backup is to be written. Again, the folder is part of a network user’s configuration, so if appropriate, verify that all user configurations are pointing at the same folder.

The folder must contain nothing other than a previous backup. It is initially prepared by doing a manual backup to the desired location. At the conclusion of the manual backup the program asks whether this location should be used for automatic backups.

If the “Backup on Exit” facility stops, with a message indicating that the selected folder cannot be used for a backup, examine the path to see whether that is the right path. If the path is correct, then there is a file in that folder which should not be there. Compare the path to the database with the path to the backup. If they are the same, then your problem is a configuration problem. That must be corrected first.

If the backup folder is the intended location for the backup, then use Windows Explorer (My Computer) to navigate to that folder. Rename the folder. (Maybe add a .X to the end.) Then bring up the program and cause an automatic backup. (Select a client, click Edit Client button, then click Save button and Close button. Close the program.) If the program asks whether it should create a folder, select Yes.

Keywords: automatic, backup, close, exit

Data backup is insurance against loss. There is short term loss where the goal is to recover immediately from a computer crash, perhaps caused by a power failure. There is also long term loss, where there is need to recover data accidentally deleted some time ago, the loss of which has just been discovered. And there is sometimes a need to reproduce hard copy of forms from some previous year.

Short term backup is the first type to consider. This is what is needed if a database file or folder is damaged. A major consideration for backup is the environment. How many computers are included? Is there a network? What other backup procedures are in use?

CFS programs can be configured to back up the data on program exit (if there has been a data change).

CFS programs are able to write the backup to various media.

The single user version and the network version of the program can write a backup to:

* Any hard drive on the local computer.

* Any mapped network drive.

* Removable storage such as an external hard drive, a ZIP or JAZ drive, or a USB drive.

A backup folder may be copied to a CD-R or DVD-R Back up to a folder on the hard drive.

Then use the appropriate writer program to copy that backup folder to the CD-R or DVD-R.

AUTOMATIC BACKUP SOFTWARE

New on the market are programs and products which can back up files on your system in real time.

These programs run in the background and sense when you have changed a file. The file is then copied to the backup medium which might be an internal or external hard drive or leased space on the internet.

The real time backup program may claim to sleep while you are working and accomplish the backup when you are idle. Our experience has been that these programs may cause a performance drain on your system, and may even cause some programs to fail. The CFS Payroll system cannot tolerate the interference from some of these programs. If you implement such a system (Carbonite, for example) you might need to configure it so that the Payroll System database folder is excluded from the real time backup. Create a folder away from CFSLIB which is included in the realtime backup and then configure the Payroll System to store its automatic backup in that folder. Or turn off the real time backup facility while entering payroll data.

SETTING UP AUTOMATIC BACKUP

The CFS Toolbox programs can be configured to back up the database on program exit if any changes have been made.

* Click on the Utilities menu. Select Backup Data or Backup Selected Clients.

* In the Backup dialog box, under "Backup drive and directory," select the appropriate drive letter.

* The other box is the Directory box. Use that box, and the create folder button if needed, to develop a path to where you want to save the backup data.

* When the path is set, click the "NEXT" button.

* In the next dialog box, click the "Select All" button, then the Finish button.

* Proceed with the backup.

* When the backup is complete, the program offers to make this the backup directory for AUTOMATIC BACKUPS. Click the "Yes" button.

* When the backup is complete, click on the Configuration menu.

* In the Configuration dialog, make sure the “Automatically Backup…” checkbox in the bottom left corner is checked. Save settings and close.

BACK UP TO OPTICAL MEDIA (CD-R OR DVD-R)

Note: there are special cases when it is possible to back up directly to a specially prepared CD-RW device. However, in general, the best way to copy data from the computer to CD or DVD is to use the CD writing software which came either with the operating system or with the CD Writer device.

To back up to a CD, first do a manual backup (Utilities - Backup) to a folder to which you have given a descriptive name, such as "CFS PR2012 backup 20120915". Then use the facilities of the operating system or the CD writer software to copy that folder to a CD. See the "Detailed Instructions and Procedures" topic "BACK UP to and RESTORE from CD or DVD".

Most likely, you have other software with requirements of data backup. It would make sense to create one folder, perhaps called BACKTOCD, and then back up the CFS data and other data into appropriate folders in that folder. That folder can then be used to "copy" or "send to" the CD image.

It’s a good idea to schedule a backup once per week and keep all backup CDs. CDs are not guaranteed to last forever and they can be subject to accidental physical damage. If you find that a backup CD is bad, you can retore from the previous CD.

CONFIGURATION: SINGLE COMPUTER, NO NETWORK

For a single computer configuration, for short term insurance, the preferred backup is to a device other than where the CFS data resides. For example, set the automatic backup to back the data up to a different hard drive in the computer, or to any removable medium. If the only available medium is the C: drive, then the backup folder under the program folder is as good a place as any - at least we can find it if necessary.

For long term insurance, the best medium is probably CD-R. Do a backup to a new folder with an appropriately descriptive name, and then take the steps to copy that folder to a CD.

The second best long term insurance is to back up to any of the removable storage media, using a different (descriptive) folder name each time a backup is made. Do not over-write a previous folder.

Next month you may want to go back and look at data as it existed in the middle of last year.

CONFIGURATION: MULTIPLE COMPUTERS, NETWORK AVAILABLE, SINGLE USER LICENSE

For this configuration, the preferred short term insurance is to back up the data across the network to a different computer. If the CFS program is installed on multiple computers, each should have automatic backup set to store the backup on a folder different from the other workstations. The folder name for each backup should include the name of the computer being backed up.

If there are only two computers, and the CFS program is installed on each, the best short term backup method is to set each of the computers to automatically back up to a backup folder on the other computer. Thus, if either computer should suffer a total meltdown, the other computer will have all the data.

For long term insurance, the best medium is probably CD-R. Create a folder called BACKTOCD at a location accessible to every computer. From each machine, do a backup to a folder under BACKTOCD, with a name indicating the machine being backed up. Then take the steps to write the BACKTOCD folder to a CD.

The second best long term insurance is to back up to any of the removable storage media, using a different (descriptive) folder name each time a backup is made. Do not over-write a previous folder.

Next month you may want to go back and look at data as it existed in the middle of last year.

CONFIGURATION: NETWORK LICENSE

For a network license configuration, it is assumed that there is one database being used from multiple workstations. That database may be on one of the workstations, or it might be on a stand-alone server.

If there is one database, then one backup folder may be used by all users. Note that each user in the "user list" corresponds to a configuration file, and that the configuration file contains things like path to the database, path to the automatic backup folder, checkmark for automatically back up on exit, check for updates on program start, and the rest of the items in the Configuration dialog box. Each user configuration must point to the backup folder.

The preferred short term insurance backup strategy is to use automatic backup to a folder which is on a computer or server different from the machine supporting the database. For example, if the database is on server AAA, the best place for the backup is on server BBB. If the database is on a computer called BOSS, then the backup should be on a computer called WORKER.

Long term insurance strategies vary depending on the environment - especially the general backup policy. If there are some hard drives in the installation which are being backed up to tape, DVD, removable hard drive, or other media then either the live database or the backup folder should be on that hard drive. Note, however, that if the backup is to removable storage which is recycled, you should also make a copy on permanent media, such as a CD. Otherwise, if the removable storage is overwritten, data for that time period will be lost.

Keywords: backup, server, restore,medium, configuration, network, ZIP, JAZ, USB, CD-R

BACK UP to CD or DVD DRIVE

Backing up directly to CD is not supported. The data must be backed up to a folder on the hard drive, then copied onto the CD.

If you have several programs to back up, you might create a folder named TOCD. Back up from each program to an appropriately named folder within the TOCD folder. Then copy the TOCD folder to a CD.

In the CFS program's Backup dialog, navigate to the C:\TOCD folder and either use the appropriate pre-existing folder or create a new folder with a name which identifies the backup. Click NEXT, then SELECT ALL, then FINISH to complete the backup.

Follow the same procedure with other programs to add their backup folders to the TOCD folder. When all program backups have been completed, you are ready to copy the TOCD folder to a CD.

The method for writing the data to CD will vary depending upon the CD writing software (Nero, Adaptec, Roxio, etc.) and the operating system (XP, Vista, Win7, etc.).

You may be able to write to the CD using only the operating system. Open Windows Explorer (My Computer). Navigate to the TOCD folder. Right click on the folder to open the context menu, and then look for the "Send to" option. If there is a CD option under Send To, use it to place the selected folder into the queue for things to be written to the CD. Then put a blank CD into the writer drive. A dialog will appear asking whether you now want to write the selected items to a CD. Follow the prompts.

If the Send to CD option is not available try to initiate the CD writing software by putting a blank CD in the drive. If this brings up the CD writing software, use it to indicate what is to be written to the CD. Usually, there will be two window panes. The first displays the drives on your computer; the second will contain the contents of the new CD. Open the appropriate drive in the first window pane, and navigate to the folder to be written to CD. Drag the folder from that pane to the CD contents pane. This is a copy, not a move; the data will remain in its original location on the hard drive.

When the data you wish to copy has been dragged to the second pane, start the CD write operation. There may be an icon which says "burn" or "create," or an option in the File menu to create the CD.

RESTORE from CD or DVD DRIVE

Restoring directly from a CD may or may not work, but is generally not advised. The reason is that all files and folders on the CD have the "Read-Only" attribute set, and this attribute cannot be changed while the files are on the CD.

On the hard drive (probably the C: drive) create a folder such as C:\FROMCD. Then, using Windows Explorer, copy the entire contents of the CD to this folder.

The next step is to remove the Read-Only attribute from the files in the C:\FROMCD folder.

In Windows XP and later:

Right click on folder FROMCD.
Left click on Properties.
At the bottom, clear the "Read-only" checkbox.
Click Apply.
Select "Apply changes to this folder, subfolders and files."
Click "OK."
Close Properties.

The next step is to open each program and restore the data from the appropriate folder in the C:\FROMCD folder.

Keywords: backup, restore, cd, DVD

Moving CFS support from server to server - Network version

If the CFS defaults have been used for program installations and data storage, then the move to a new server is not complicated.

The normal installation is:
* Create a folder on the server and share it.
* At a workstation, map a drive letter to that share point.
* Install on that mapped drive letter - with a resulting program folder of the form X:\CFSLIB\PR2010

At the other workstations, map a drive letter to that same share point and use it to get to the x:\CFSLIB\PR2010\WSSETUP folder and execute the SETUP.EXE therein.

If that scenario was used for installation to the old server, then implementation of a replacement server is done as follows:
* Create a folder on the new server and share it.
* Copy the CFSLIB folder from the old server to that shared folder.
* On the workstations, if the same drive letter can be remapped to the appropriate share point on the new server, then the change in mapping is all that should be needed for the workstations.

If the share point on the new server must be represented by a different drive letter, then after CFSLIB is copied to the new server do a WSSETUP\SETUP.EXE for each program from each workstation. That will insure correct shortcuts. Also, expect a message on program start indicating "Invalid Data Pointer". Response to that message is "OK". Then in the program, if you see the clients listed, open Configuration and click on Save Settings and Close to update the data pointer.

Moving CFS support from computer to computer - single user configuration

If the CFS defaults have been taken for program installations and data storage, then the move to a new computer is not difficult.

Step 1 is to copy the C:\CFSLIB folder to a flash drive.

Step 2 is to copy that CFSLIB onto the C: drive of the new computer. Be careful. Right click on CFSLIB on the flash drive and left click on COPY. Then right click on the C: drive of the new computer and left click on PASTE.

Step 3 is to install each of the programs you will want to use. For programs of 2009 and later, you should be able to install the program by opening the included WSSETUP folder and executing the SETUP.EXE. (If you have a CD for 2009 or later, DO NOT try to use it.**) For programs earlier than 2009 you can download the installer from taxtools.com - Downloads - Past Releases. If you need license codes for the older programs, print the file C:\CFSLIB\CFSREG.INI with Notepad.

As you install the programs and start them up, expect to see your data.

Special note for Windows 7 receiving computer: during the paste process Windows 7 gives you extra options, like copy and keep the old. COPY AND REPLACE is the proper option.

** If CFSLIB has been copied then automatic installation from the CD will not work. If there is reason to use the CD in this situation, then manual mode must be used. On the CD go to the program folder and under the DISK1 folder execute the SETUP.EXE.

Keywords:

The normal procedure for copying the data from one computer to another for a single program is to back up the data on the sending computer to some medium, make that medium available to the receiving computer, and do a restore on the receiving computer. Note that there is another FAQ article regarding moving from old computer to new computer which involves multiple programs (or multiple years).

The first question, then, is what medium can be used for this backup and restore operation. Are the computers connected by network? Do both computers have a diskette drive? Are both computers able to handle USB drives? Can the sending computer write a CD?

MEDIUM IS NETWORK
If the medium is network, then the procedure is to back up from the sending computer to a folder somewhere which is visible to the receiving computer. Then at the receiving computer do the restore. Note that MAPPED NETWORK DRIVE is to be used instead of UNC path.

MEDIUM IS DISKETTE
If the medium is diskette, there may be a limit as to how much data can be copied at a time, depending upon the program. For the Payroll System, it is best to restrict the data to about 20 clients per diskette, rather than giving the program the task of distributing the data across multiple diskettes.

For other programs, it may be possible to fit all or your clients on a single diskette.
When you select the A: drive to back up to, it is best to then click the create folder button. Give the folder a slightly descriptive name, and then click NEXT and proceed with the backup.

MEDIUM IS ZIP or JAZ or Removable HARD DRIVE
When you back up to a removeable drive, you must either create a new folder to back up into, or use a folder already created which contains a previous backup for this particular program for the particular year. If there are any files in the pre-existing folder which are not part of a previous backup, the NEXT button will not become available.

MEDIUM IS USB FLASH DRIVE
When you back up to a USB flash drive, you must either create a new folder to back up into, or use a folder already created which contains a previous backup for this particular program for the particular year. If there are any files in the pre-existing folder which are not part of a previous backup, the NEXT button will not become available.
Also, with a USB drive, be careful to use the "Safely Remove Hardware" facility in the System Tray next to the clock.

BACK UP to CD DRIVE
The general directions for backing up to a CD are to back up to a folder on the hard drive, and then copy that folder onto a CD. Backing up directly to a CD is not generally possible.

If you will be writing backup CDs frequently or have multiple programs to back up, it’s a good idea to create a folder named TOCD. When you create each backup folder, put it in the TOCD folder to make it easy to find. When you have finished backing up all or your programs to the TOCD folder, you can easily write them all to a single CD at the same time.

In the CFS program’s Backup dialog box, navigate to the C:\TOCD folder, then either use the appropriate folder for this program, or create a new folder with a name which properly identifies the backup. After clicking NEXT, use the SELECT ALL button. Then Finish to accomplish construction of the backup.

If you have other programs to back up, follow the same procedure to add their backup folders to the TOCD folder.

When all backups have been accomplished and everything desired is in the TOCD folder, you can proceed to write the CD.

The method for writing the folders under TOCD varies considerably from computer to computer, depending upon the CD writing software (Nero, Adaptec, Roxio, etc.) and the operating system (XP, Vista, Win7, etc.).

With Windows XP and later, there may be direct assistance from the operating system. Bring up Windows Explorer (My Computer). Navigate to the TOCD folder. Right click on the folder to bring up the context menu, and then look for "Send to". If there is a CD option under Send To, use it to place the selected folder into the queue for things to be written to the CD. Then put a blank CD into the writer drive, and expect Windows to bring up the CD writer dialog asking whether you want to now write the selected items to a CD. Follow the prompts.

If that facility under the operating system is not available, try to initiate the CD writing software by closing the CD writer drive with a blank CD in it. If this brings up the CD writing software, then you use that to indicate what is to be written to the CD. There should be two window panes. The second displays the anticipated contents of the new CD. The first displays the drives on your computer. Open up the appropriate drive in the first window pane, and navigate to the folder to be written. Drag the folder from that pane to the CD contents pane. This is a copy, not a move; the data will still be in its original location on the hard drive.

When all appropriate folders have been dragged to the second pane, start the CD write operation. There may be an icon which says "burn" or "create," or there may be something in the File menu to create the CD.

RESTORE FROM CD DRIVE
As indicated above, writing directly to a CD is generally not supported. Also, restoring directly from a CD may or may not work, but is generally not advised. The reason is because all files and folders on the CD have the "ReadOnly" attribute set, and this cannot be changed while the files are on the CD.
On the hard drive (probably the C: drive) create a folder such as C:\FROMCD. Then, using Windows Explorer copy the entire contents of the CD to this folder on the hard drive.

To remove the ReadOnly attribute from the files under the C:\FROMCD folder, the method depends upon the operating system.
* Windows XP or later
1. Right click on folder FROMCD
2. Left click on Properties
3. In the bottom left corner, click on ReadOnly check box until it is empty.
4. Apply - to all files and sub-folders.
5. Close properties.

* Windows 98 or WinME (for programs earlier than 2009)
1. Right click on folder FROMCD
2. Left click on Search or Find to bring up the Find dialog.
3. All or Part of file name - put in *.* to select all files.
4. Click on any file in the found window. Then on the keyboard, Control-A to select all files.
5. Right click (carefully) on any file in the selected group.
6. Left click on Properties.
7. In the bottom left corner, click on ReadOnly check box until it is empty.
8. Click Apply or OK.
Open the program (or each program) and do the restore, navigating to the appropriate "restore from" folder within the C:\FROMCD folder.

Keywords: another, copy, backup, restore, medium, diskette, zip, jaz, USB, XP

In order to make data on one computer available to another computer on the network, there are two things to be done.

First, on the computer where data is stored, you need to establish a folder which is to be visible, with all its contents, from other computers. This is called a "share point." This might be a new folder, or it might be a folder which is already defined.

Second, on the computer from which you wish to use that data, you need to give that point a reference name. You "map" a drive letter on this computer to refer to the share point on the "server" computer.

Establish a share point:
Establishing the share point requires some thought about the computer environment. It is not difficult, but it takes some knowledge. So first, see whether you can answer the following questions. If you can, then you can create and prepare a share point.

What is the geometry of the network? Is it server and workstations, or is it peer-to-peer?

Which operating system is running the "server" (computer where the data resides)?

Is the project a new installation of the software, or is it a change from unshared data to shared data? (Did you just buy the network upgrade?)

Will the program and data both be placed on the shared location? Or will the program be installed on the workstation and only the data be at the shared location?

Is there already a share point defined which does or could include the CFS data?

If you are comfortable with your answers to the above questions, check the following scenarios and select the one which fits your situation, then follow those instructions. Note that this technical description only describes making a share point and mapping a drive letter to it. Other instructions in the FAQ explain how to use the mapped drive letter for installation of the software and configuration of the data path.

Scenario 1:
There is a stand-alone server with one or more share points already defined--for example, a shared folder with the name "DATA" or "Apps". In that folder, you may find the folders for other applications. There is probably no reason why that folder should not also be used for CFS programs, and there is probably already a drive letter on the workstation(s) mapped to the share point on the server. That drive letter can be used during the installing or configuring of the CFS program.

If, however, there is a shared folder with a specific product name such as LACERTE or DRAKE, you should not use it for CFS programs or data. In that case, see "Scenario 2."

Scenario 2:
There is a stand-alone server with one or more share points already defined, but none of them is usable for CFS programs or data. In this scenario, we will create a folder, establish the share point, and apply the appropriate permission settings.

1. The server may have multiple disk drives and/or partitions. Determine which one should be used to store this information. For this example, we will use the D: drive.

On the D: drive, we will create a folder to be shared. The folder can have any name, and may be within another folder (e.g. D:\BUSINESS\APPS). For this example, we will create the folder D:\APPS.

2. Once the folder has been created, the next step is to establish the share point. Right-click on the APPS folder, then left-click on "Properties".

There are tabs along the top of the Properties dialog. On the pages below the tabs are controls for setting up security and sharing. Different versions of Windows use different controls, so some of the directions in the following paragraphs may not apply to your situation.

If there is a "Security" tab, click on it to switch to the "Security" page. There should be two boxes on the page: the first titled "Group or user name," the second titled "Permissions for ...." As you select a person or group in the top box, the bottom box shows the permission settings for that entity. In the top box, select the user or group which includes the Windows Logons for anyone who will use this program.

If there is no appropriate entry, you can add the name "everyone" (without the quotes).

Select the entry in the top box, then put a check in the bottom box for "Change" or "Modify" or "Full Control." Use the "Apply" button to apply the changes.

If there is no Security tab, there may be a check box labeled "Allow others to write to my files." If so, put a check in that box.

Now that the folder is created and security adjusted, the share properties can be set. Use the "Sharing" tab to select the "Sharing" page.

The first controls on the Sharing page are the radio buttons for "Do not share this folder" and "Share this folder." The button for "Share this folder" must be selected.

The next control is the "Share name" box. It will probably be automatically filled in with the name of the folder. This is the name which will be visible from other computers. You may change this name, but keep it short.

With the name still appearing in the "Share Name" box, click "Permissions." On the "Permissions" page, make sure that the top box includes the people who will be using this program, and that when they are selected, the check in the bottom box is set for "Modify" or "Change" or "Full Control."

Exit from "Properties" with the "OK" button.

We now have a share point on this computer. However, we must be sure we know the name of this computer. Find the icon for "My Computer". Right-click on the icon and left-click on "Properties." Use the "Computer Name" tab to go to that page. Find the computer name and write it down. For this example, we will use the computer name "MyServer."

Scenario 3:
The geometry is peer-to-peer network, and the program is to be installed on one of the workstations and available to one or more other workstations.

If the program to be shared--or another CFS program--has been installed on the primary computer using defaults, there is already a folder named CFSLIB at the root of the C: drive. This can be used as the share point.

Right-click on CFSLIB and left-click on "Properties."