Data Maintenance

The following information is covered in this chapter:

• Backing up and restoring data
• Purging data
• Moving files to a new computer

Backing up and restoring

Maintenance of your company payroll files is important in order to maintain current as well as historical data of your payroll records. Payroll records are the most complex and costly aspect of operating a business. Federal and state law is very stringent in regards to complying with payroll reporting and payroll tax payments. For all these reasons, it is very prudent to maintain your payroll files.

Maintenance of your payroll files involves backing up payroll files on a regular basis, so that you can restore data that is lost or move files to a new computer system. Also, it is important to back up all payroll records just prior to performing the Year End Procedures.

If the option Automatic backup if checks are printed or edited is selected in Program Preferences, the program will automatically back up when you quit the payroll program.

Backing up payroll data

As in any computer program, the data contained in your company and employee files should be backed up every time you process payroll. The program will back up your data to a Payroll Backups folder within the Payroll program folder. You may then save this backup to any external media you wish.

Backing up payroll data

1. In your payroll program, open the company you want to back up.
2. Select File > Back up.

The program will automatically place your backed up files into the Payroll Backups folder. The backups are placed into a subfolder with your company name and each data file will be titled with the date it was created.

The amount of time the backup takes to complete depends on the size of your company payroll files.

Restoring from a backup

The program offers a broad array of choices for file restoration.From an individual file, to a category (e.g., Register Files, Employee Evaluations), to a full install, you can tailor the restoration process to fit for your needs.

Restoring from a backup

If you have your backup on external media, drag the backup to the Payroll Backups folder located within the Documents folder on the hard drive before beginning to restore.This is the only place the program will locate a valid backup.

1. Select File > Restore.
2. From the Payroll Backups pop-up menu, select the the backup files from which the data will be restored.
3. Click the Continue button.
4. Enter the new name for your restored company. This needs to be different from any existing payroll companies in your program.
5. Click the Restore button.

When the program is finished restoring, it will open the newly restored company. Verify that your information is correct, and continue processing payroll.

Purging Data

There may be times at which you want to purge (i.e., delete) particular records from your payroll program, such as your Time Card records. For example, you may find that your records are getting very large and you want to clear up some hard disk space. Or, you may wish to archive your records each year and start with a clean company each year. Please see the instructions for archiving.

Purging payroll data

1. Make a data backup.(See Backing up payroll data.)
2. Select Utilities > Purge Data.
3. Read the information in the alert dialogue that appears, then click the Continue button.

The Purge Data dialogue will open. Depending on which Aatrix payroll program you are using, some options are grayed out. For example, the FSA Register option is grayed out for all payroll programs except Ultimate Payroll and Top Pay.

4. Select the types of records you want to delete by marking the appropriate checkboxes and pop-up options.

If you are deleting pay history records, only the employee .RECS files will be deleted.If you are deleting Time Card records, only the .LOGS files will be deleted. Employee information such as name, address and tax status will remain intact.

The .RECS files contain the employee payroll records and .LOGS files contain Time Card information.

5. Choose whether you want to delete the records before a date you specify or all of the records.

If you've processed payroll into the new year, be sure to enter the appropriate date so as not to delete records you need to keep.

6. Choose whether you want the records deleted from an employee list or from an individual employee (the one currently open).

If you are deleting from an employee list, it is recommended that you use the Master List for this process.

7. Click the Continue button.

An alert dialogue will appear confirming the information you selected to purge.

8. Click the Continue button to delete the records you specified, or Cancel to return to the Purge Data dialogue.

Remember that unless you have recently backed up your files, this information will be permanently removed from the program.

Archiving Files Annually

A good way to maintain the integrity of your records, as well as keeping your company a manageable size, is to archive your company file each year and start a new company. By following the instructions below, you will be able to easily create a company for each calendar year, with no re-entering of your company data.

Archiving Files Annually

1. Restore your most recent backup as a new company, preferably with the year in the name.

For example, Rock Castle 2005. See Restoring from a backup

2. When your new company has been created, purge all records dated before current year.

(e.g.1/1/05) See Purging Data

When the records have been purged you will be left with your employees and a clean slate. The Pay History, registers, and all other data will be cleared, allowing you to start a new record for the new year.

Moving files to a different computer

A frequently asked question from users who have upgraded to a new computer is: "How do I copy my payroll data onto my new computer?" The following sets of instructions outline how to use large capacity disks or networks to move payroll files from one computer to another.

Using large capacity disks to move files

This option allows you to move your files from one computer to another using large disks, such as Imation (120MB) or Iomega (100MB-250MB). These instructions can also be used if you have the capability to burn your data to a CD-ROM.

Using large capacity disks to move files

1. Copy the entire Aatrix Payroll or Aatrix Top Pay folder to the disk (or burn it onto a CD-ROM).

If you are transferring your program between computers with different Operating Systems you should compress your Aatrix Payroll folder before transferring it to the new computer.

2. Copy the Aatrix Payroll or Aatrix Top Pay folder ƒrom the disk (or CD-ROM) to the hard drive of your new computer.

Using a network to move files

This option allows you to move your files from one computer to another using your network.

Using a network to move files

1. Copy the entire Aatrix Payroll or Top Pay folder ƒrom the old computer to the new computer over the network.

If necessary, refer to your computer's network manual.

2. On the new computer, open your payroll program and make sure it works as usual.

If your program was password protected or your password does not work, or you did not have a password and the application asks you for one, enter the default password (the word password in lower case letters). For more on passwords, please see Default password .