How to perform regular data file maintenance in Reckon Accounts (Desktop) - Verify Data / Rebuild Da

The data file owner or designated Admin user is responsible for performing regular file maintenance tasks.

The main reason for this is that only through regular file maintenance can you minimise the chance of an unforeseen data corruption event and mitigate the downtime that can result.


Common causes of data corruption

• Network hardware or cabling faults (affecting multiuser mode data files);
• Memory modules (RAM) failures on the computer;
• Improper shutdown of the Operating System while the data file was in use;
• Miscellaneous hardware failures;
• Power blackouts, brownouts, spikes and surges;
• Incompatible hardware and insufficient network resources and permissions.

The effects of a data corruption incident can remain hidden, until such time as database records containing corrupted data are accessed or the user actively performs a file integrity check.

When the problem finally becomes apparent, days, weeks or months may have passed since the incident that contributed to the data corruption had occurred.

"How do I recognise if my data may be damaged?", you may ask.


If you do have a data corruption issues it’s likely one of the following will occur:

• You’ll receive an error message during data file verification such as “A data problem prevents Reckon Accounts from continuing” or “Reckon Accounts has encountered an unrecoverable error”
• List entries will display incorrectly such as missing details, invalid sub-names, etc
• Transactions will display incorrectly such as with different names, amounts, items, dates, etc
• Reports don’t match or display may display amounts that are not what you expect
• Or previously paid transactions are displayed as unpaid

Recommendations to minimise the impact of a data corruption incident

It is essential to have a backup procedure in place.

Having backups that are error-free, available and accessible, is critical to any business.

Note that there are no guarantees that any existing backup sets that are currently error-free would never develop or encounter a problem in the future if the storage medium on which they are stored also encounter a problem.

Sometimes it is much easier to recover from a disaster by making use of a ‘last known good’ backup set, compared to relying on a data repair process succeeding on a damaged data set.

To minimise the potential for a data corruption incident to greatly impact your operations and business, consider the following:

• performing regular file integrity check by verifying and rebuilding the data file
• performing a company data file backup frequently (daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, etc)
• ensuring multiple backup sets are stored in multiple locations such as locally and off-site 
• having secondary copies of backup sets stored on an online storage service
• generating and storing essential reports such as Balance Sheet, Trial Balance, Open Invoices, Unpaid Bills, etc either as printed and/or electronic format (PDF)

Basic DIY procedure for how to fix a damaged data file

Make sure you backup the company data file before trying to resolve the issue. You can copy the .QBW file if you are unable to make backups in Reckon Accounts.


Reckon Accounts has a built-in repair and file integrity function (Verify Data/Rebuild Data)

·         Perform a re-sort of the Lists (Customers, Suppliers, Items, Chart of Accounts etc)

·         Perform the file integrity procedure using the Verify Data and Rebuild Data function

·         Review the Qbwin.log file, which normally indicates the affected names or transactions. 

         
After a rebuild operation you may find rebuilt name placeholders within your lists.
Review all of your lists for "Rebuilt" entries e.g., "Rebuilt account" or "Rebuilt Name."

Example: "Rebuilt (1234)"

These are list entries that the rebuild operation created because it could not identify the original list entries within the damaged transactions.

The transactions attached to these list entries should reveal their proper name and type.
Example: A "Rebuilt (1234)" name associated with the Customer:Job field within an invoice transaction would most likely be a Customer Name which has now lost its original name details.

Rename the entries, change their type, merge them into similar entries or delete them.

If you receive an unrecoverable error when updating/saving a transaction, try to delete the transaction from the register and re-enter it.

If the steps above do not resolve the issue, then contact the Reckon Technical Support team first for troubleshooting advice and if necessary, they can refer you to the Data Recovery Team.

* Data Recovery Team *