You can maintain any number of copies of your entire eCandidus™ database for use either as a backup or to run the eCandidus™ Desktop fully disconnected from your office environment.

And not only can you view all your data, you can make changes and re-synchronize all the changes while away.

Requirements

In order to synchronize properly, you must be using Microsoft SQL Server 2008 or later. You may use Microsoft SQL Server Express 2008, which is available free of charge from Microsoft.

You also need to install the SQL Synch modules found in our Downloads page. These modules are installed at each station that holds a copy of the eCandidus™ database.

Setup

Password

As use of this feature makes use of access to your database from outside your office, we strongly suggest that you change the default password of the account that accesses your database.

Using SQL Server Management Studio:

Open the Properties for the eCandidus login.

And set the password to something other than eCandidus (the default). Save the changes.

 

Remote Access

If you plan to synchronize your local database when offsite, please advise your technical staff that you need port 1433 accessible from the outside. You also need to obtain the IP address (or URL name) where the database can be accessed.

If you only plan to synchronize when you are in the office, no port needs to be opened, but you will still need the server name where the database is stored.

 

Station

Follow the normal steps to install a station.

Follow the steps to install SQL Server, except install it at the station.

Configure the station as you normally would, but also make sure that the entries in section 2. Local Server are filled in properly:

 

Creating Local Database

Before you can synchronize, you must create a local database. Simply login to eCandidus™ Desktop using the <local> databse entry:

Fill in all of the settings as you would in your office database.

You can then login as you normally would into your office database.

 

Synchronizing

To synchronize your local database with your office database, select Synchronize:Office Database from the Tools menu:

Fill in the information required. This information is saved, so it only needs to be entered in once:

Field	Meaning
Office IP	The IP address and port of the server. Note that a comma is used to delimit the address from the port.
Office Server Name	The database server (and instance) when the synchronization is to take place in the office.
	NOTE: There is a selection radio button to select which type of connection is to be used
Database Name	The name of the database, eCandidus is the default.
Login Name	The login name to the database. eCandidus is the default.
Password	The password to the database, as set above.

Once the settings are done, you can click on the Synchronize button, leftmost in the screen to synchronize the databases. Note that the first time that a synchronization takes place, a large amount of data has to be transfered (the local database begins being empty), so it is best be done locally at the office.

After the first synchronization, you can re-synchronize either at the office or remotely. Simply set both entries and select the type of sychronization by clicking on the appropriate radio button.