How To Empty A Database

This topic explains how to empty your database.

There are several reasons why you might want to do this. You may be testing imports or doing a conversion from existing software into Collect! There may be times when you want to start from a clean slate without losing your setup work. Perhaps you have deleted your clients and debtors already and have imported your data, but you are finding mysterious notes on accounts, or transactions that don't seem to be right. These can be the side effects of not completely emptying the database before doing your import.

To empty the database completely, it is necessary to delete all your clients and the data related to these clients, i.e. debtor accounts, transactions, contacts, notes, attachments, payments, statements and daysheets. Then a maintenance is run on the newly emptied database.

Follow the steps below to empty your database thoroughly without losing any of your setup.

Please sign into the database as you would normally and stop at the Main Menu.

To remove Attachments:

Select Browse from the top menu bar. From the drop-down menu, select Attachments and the list of all attachments will display.

Select Edit from the top menu bar. From the drop-down menu, select Select All and the list of attachments will turn blue.

Press the Delete key on your keyboard. You will see a warning asking if you are sure about deleting the attachments. Press the All button to delete all attachments in the database. You will see another message asking if you are sure. Press the Yes button to confirm your decision to delete all attachments. Collect! will delete all your attachments. This may take a little while. Then you will be returned to the Main Menu.

To remove Contacts:

Select Browse from the top menu bar. From the drop-down menu, select Contacts and the list of all contacts will display.

Select Edit from the top menu bar. From the drop-down menu, select Select All and the list of contacts will turn blue.

Press the Delete key on your keyboard. You will see a warning asking if you are sure about deleting the contacts. Press the All button to delete all contacts in the database. You will see another message asking if you are sure. Press the Yes button to confirm your decision to delete all contacts. Collect! will delete all your contacts. This may take a little while. Then you will be returned to the Main Menu.

To remove Daysheets:

Select Browse from the top menu bar. From the drop-down menu, select Daysheets and the list of all daysheets will display.

Select Edit from the top menu bar. From the drop-down menu, select Select All and the list of daysheets will turn blue.

Press the Delete key on your keyboard. You will see a warning asking if you are sure about deleting the daysheets. Press the All button to delete all daysheets in the database. You will see another message asking if you are sure. Press the Yes button to confirm your decision to delete all daysheets. Collect! will delete all your daysheets. This may take a little while. Then you will be returned to the Main Menu.

To remove Payments:

Select Browse from the top menu bar. From the drop-down menu, select Payments and the list of all payments will display.

Select Edit from the top menu bar. From the drop-down menu, select Select All and the list of payments will turn blue.

Press the Delete key on your keyboard. You will see a warning asking if you are sure about deleting the payments. Press the All button to delete all payments in the database. You will see another message asking if you are sure. Press the Yes button to confirm your decision to delete all payments. Collect! will delete all your payments. This may take a little while. Then you will be returned to the Main Menu.

To remove Statements:

Select Browse from the top menu bar. From the drop-down menu, select Statements and the list of all statements will display.

Select Edit from the top menu bar. From the drop-down menu, select Select All and the list of statements will turn blue.

Press the Delete key on your keyboard. You will see a warning asking if you are sure about deleting the statements. Press the All button to delete all statements in the database. You will see another message asking if you are sure. Press the Yes button to confirm your decision to delete all statements. Collect! will delete all your statements. This may take a little while. Then you will be returned to the Main Menu.

To remove Transactions:

Select Browse from the top menu bar. From the drop-down menu, select Transactions and the list of all transactions will display.

Select Edit from the top menu bar. From the drop-down menu, select Select All and the list of transactions will turn blue.

Press the Delete key on your keyboard. You will see a warning asking if you are sure about deleting the transactions. Press the All button to delete all transactions in the database. You will see another message asking if you are sure. Press the Yes button to confirm your decision to delete all transactions. Collect! will delete all your transactions. This may take a little while. Then you will be returned to the Main Menu.

To remove Debtors:

Select Browse from the top menu bar. From the drop-down menu, select All Debtors and the list of all debtors will display.

Select Edit from the top menu bar. From the drop-down menu, select Select All and the list of debtors will turn blue.

Press the Delete key on your keyboard. You will see a warning asking if you are sure about deleting the debtors. Press the All button to delete all debtors in the database. You will see another message asking if you are sure. Press the Yes button to confirm your decision to delete all debtors. Collect! will delete all your debtors. This may take a little while. Then you will be returned to the Main Menu.

To remove Clients:

Select Browse from the top menu bar. From the drop-down menu, select Clients and the list of all clients will display.

Select Edit from the top menu bar. From the drop-down menu, select Select All and the list of clients will turn blue.

Press the Delete key on your keyboard. You will see a warning asking if you are sure about deleting the clients. Press the All button to delete all clients in the database. You will see another message asking if you are sure. Press the Yes button to confirm your decision to delete all clients. Collect! will delete all your clients. This may take a little while. Then you will be returned to the Main Menu.

At this point, all database records have been removed. Your database is empty but, rest assured, your setup is still there. Close Collect! and open Windows Explorer. Navigate to the Collect! home folder. Delete the Notes, Attachments and Letters folders of the database you have just emptied.

e.g. CV11\Masterdb\Notes or CV11\Masterdb\Attachments or CV11\Masterdb\Letters

Now perform a thorough maintenance on the database which you just emptied. When maintenance is finished, you can test your import. Now, you will be able to see the import results clearly, because the only data in the database will be your newly imported records.

Please refer to Database Maintenance Topics for instructions on running maintenance.