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Tutorial - Utilities - Punch Clock Optimizer

Download Punch Clock Optimizer from our website, and install it on a computer that has access to the Punch Clock database.  If you install Optimizer on a computer with Punch Clock already installed, it will make things easier.  MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS LOGGED OUT OF PUNCH CLOCK.  IF THE DATABASE IS OPEN, THE OPTIMIZATION PROCESS WILL FAIL.

When the program starts, you have only a few options.  In order to optimize your database, you must browse the your computer to find the database.  If you installed Optimizer on a computer that already has Punch Clock configured on it, then Optimizer will AUTOMATICALLY read your database settings and fill it in. In the example above, our Punch Clock database exists at "D:\PunchClock.mdb".  Optimizer automatically found the database and enabled the "Optimize" button.

Once you click "Optimize", a progress bar will run across the bottom of the screen.  DO NOT STOP OR CLOSE THE PROGRAM WHILE OPTIMIZATION IS IN PROGRESS.  YOU COULD PERMANENTLY DAMAGE YOUR DATABASE FILE. An option to save a copy of your original file WILL be presented.

Once optimization is complete, you will have the option to save a copy of your ORIGINAL file, before optimization.  It is recommended you make this backup, just to be on the safe side.

If you choose yes to backup your database, a backup copy is made using the current date.  The _1 at the end of the file is a counter in case you make more than one in a day.  Running Optimizer more than once in one day is not recommended or needed, but is incorporated just in case it is run more than once on accident.

When Optimizer optimizes your data, it does not overwrite your existing database.  It writes the new optimized data to a file named "_Repaired.mdb".  Once everything is complete, and you've made a back-up copy of your original data, Optimizer will automatically use the repaired database to overwrite the original data file.  Click YES to do this.

That's it.  Process complete.  You can close the Optimizer and continue using Punch Clock.