CheckIn 2003 Standard Edition comes with two database files: CK03S.mdb (empty database to record your data) and CK03S_demo.mdb (sample database), located in the Dynalogical\CheckIn directory. You can make a copy of the database file for backup purposes, move it to another directory, run CheckIn and have the application point to the database file of your choice.

After Configuration Logon, select Database 1 (Database 2 was selected originally). Click the Apply button to test the new path, and click OK to close the Configuration window. The main window will load and display the data from the sample database. In the sample database, user Ann, with password Ann, has Manager privileges. The sample database will be used in the rest of this document for illustration purposes.

After Configuration Logon, the database-related tasks can be performed under the Database tab in the Configuration window.

Figure 3.3 Configuration - Database

In the Select Database section, either Database 1 or Database 2 is acting as the active database. You can switch the active database by clicking on the appropriate option button. You can also change the database by typing the full path of a database file into the text box, or by clicking on the Browse button to locate the database file. Click Apply to confirm the changes, or click Undo to restore the old paths.

If you have used a previous version of CheckIn, and wish to retain the old records, copy the old database file to the Dynalogical\CheckIn directory, and have the active database point to it as described in the paragraph above. After you click the Apply button, the application will convert the database, and make a copy of the old version to the BACKUP directory with a name prefixed with “old”.

In Record Keeping Period section, select a number from the dropdown list, or type any integer into the text box. Click OK to confirm, or Cancel to discard the change.

You may specify the record-keeping period for any number of months, usually 6 to 24 months (default 12). All records older than the specified period will be deleted automatically at the beginning of each month. The database will also be compacted to reduce file size and increase efficiency. The database maintenance work is conducted in the background automatically, without the need for human intervention.