Before you archive Estimating data, consider the following:

1. How many estimates are you currently storing?
   • Does your company have an immense library of estimates?
   • How many of these do you use as templates?
   • Could you archive some estimates to facilitate a faster upgrade?

     

2. Database associations
   • How many databases does your company use?
   • Do you want to archive the database at scheduled intervals, or with each individual estimate?

     

3. Reporting needs
   • Do you report from only current estimates?
   • Do you report from archived and current estimates?

Steps to archive and unarchive data:

1. Start Estimating Explorer.
2. From the Tools menu, select Options.
3. Click on the Archive tab.
4. In the Options window, under Delete and Events, select the appropriate options.
5. Under Archive folder, select the location in which you want to store the archived data files, and then click OK.
6. Select a data file that you want to archive.
   Note: To select a data file, be sure you are in the Estimate view. You can change to this view by selecting Estimates from the View menu.)
7. Right-click on the data file and then select Archive from the shortcut menu.
8. If you want to archive the database with the estimate, under Options, select the Archive database with estimate check box. (If you select this option, the file size increases.)

Use the following steps to unarchive data files:

1. Start Estimating Explorer.
2. On the left, click on the Archives tab.
3. Select the archived file, right-click and then select Unarchive.