Cleaning Up Data Files

Your data files continue to grow larger as you input data into the RTA system. After you've been using the RTA system for a while, your data files can get to be very large and unnecessary files can accumulate on the hard drive. Back in the days when hard drive space was limited and expensive, you had to closely monitor file sizes and delete data often to free up valuable disk space. Nowadays, hard drives can hold an unimaginable amount of data for less than what your old hard drive used to cost! Because of this, unnecessary data records are kept on file longer than they are needed. Even though disk space is hardly an issue any more, there are still benefits of purging old data records such as:

File conversions during update installations process faster with less data to convert.
File rebuilds process faster with less data to re-index.
Report writer queries and queries from ODBC compliant applications process faster with less data to read through.
Reduces wasted disk space on the hard drive.
Data backups process faster and may require less storage media.

Purging Data Records

Old RTA data records can be purged by selecting the options under the System > Purge menu (passwords are required). Most options are similar in functionality and are self-explanatory; therefore, the individual deletion prompts will not be documented.
Purging data does not affect costs that have already been posted to vehicles, vehicle history, or inventory levels. Vehicle costs and vehicle history are deleted only when actual vehicle records are deleted from the system (MVD). If a work order with $500 in costs was created for the wrong vehicle, purging that work order from the system DOES NOT "undo" the costs, history, odometer, or anything else posted to that vehicle (refer to "Correcting Work Order Transactions"). Likewise, deleting a fuel transaction does not affect the vehicle record nor does it affect fuel inventory (refer to "Correcting Fuel Transactions"). Purging work order or fuel transactions merely deletes the transaction details from the system. Think of it like this. When you buy tools for the shop, money comes out of your account and you get a receipt for that purchase. Throwing away the receipt doesn't put the money back into your account (just like deleting a transaction doesn't change vehicle history). In order to get the money back into the account, you'd have to return the purchased items (i.e., make an adjustment entry to correct vehicle history).
What does purging data affect? It affects transaction reportsreports that provide detailed information as opposed to summary cost information. It could also affect custom reports you access through third party report writers, ODBC, or other applications. Purged transactions, obviously, will not be available for these types of reports so be sure to only delete data that is no longer needed. If you aren't sure, consider keeping the data on file until you are sure, as long as disk space is not an issue. Please call RTA for assistance if you have additional questions about purging your data and/or the affected reports.

Recommendations

Make a full RTA system backup prior to purging data. You'll be glad you did should you accidentally key in the wrong range and delete more data than you intended.
To eliminate potential file locks, have all RTA users exit the system whenever possible, or at least out of the particular area you will be purging. For example, while purging vehicles, hold off on processing work orders or other items that update the vehicle record, but it's OK to keep processing requisitions and purchase orders.
After completing the purge, rebuild the corresponding RTA data file(s). Rebuilding a data file re-indexes the file and compresses the file size.

Fuel Records

The following fuel data records can be purged. Fuel data files can grow at a very fast pace due to the number of fuel transactions that occur, especially in larger fleets. Delete old fuel transactions to keep the number of records to the bare minimum.

Fuel tax records (SGFF): Fuel tax records are written each time a fuel transaction is entered for a vehicle that is flagged as fuel-taxable (MVM, Fluids tab). Older fuel records can be purged as well as records for vehicles that have been deleted from the system. Make sure all fuel tax reports have been processed as required before doing so.
Closed fuel transactions (SGFC): Closed fuel transactions are fuel transactions that have been posted to pumps and tanks (FFP). These fuel history transactions are available through the Closed Fuel Transaction report (FFLC).
EFI transactions (SGFE): EFI transactions are fuel transactions that have been loaded and/or processed from your electronic fueling system (FFEL, FFEP). Once EFI transactions have been processed (FFEP), there really is no need to keep these records on file because that information is written to the RTA fuel data files and can be obtained by generating the Open or Closed Fuel Transaction report (FFLO, FFLC).
Fuel billing transactions (SGFB): These records, which are created when fuel transactions are entered into the system, are used for fuel billing reports (RFD, RFC, RFA). You can delete these records if you aren't using the fuel billing feature or if you have older billing records that are no longer needed.

Work Order Records

Work orders (SGWW): Work orders that are no longer needed can be deleted from the system. The work order deletion routine allows the ability to archive deleted work orders. If you are deleting a lot of older work orders from the system, it is a good idea to archive those work orders-just in case you ever need to bring them back.
Paperless Shop transactions (SGWP): Paperless Shop labor transactions are used by the Paperless Shop add-on option. Like fuel transactions, these transactions can accumulate rather quickly from the many jobs worked on by the mechanics. Older transactions that are no longer needed should be deleted to reduce the file size and improve system performance.

Archiving Work Orders

Why should you archive if you've already made a backup? An archive is different from a backup because it allows you to merge deleted work orders into your existing data as if it had never been deletedlike an "undo" feature. A backup, on the other hand, overwrites your existing data or would need to be restored into a different data directory. Complete the following steps to delete and archive work orders.
NOTE: Please make sure you have enough disk space to create the archive prior to starting the process.

Select System > Purge > Delete Work Orders > Work Orders from the RTA main menu (SGWW).
Answer all the prompts as needed to specify the work order range to delete.
Verify that the Yes radio button is selected for archiving; it is active by default.
A report is generated once the process is complete. This report contains information you'll need in order to restore the archived work orders; print it out or save it to a text file.
An archive file is created (see report). This file is needed in order to restore archived work orders. Copy this file onto storage media and then delete it from the system OR if disk space is not an issue, you may leave it on file. NOTE: Versions 5.8 and older created several files for each archive. Refer to the report for the filenames and be sure to copy all the files shown on the report.
Label the storage media. Include the name of the WO Control File and the archive date. We recommend keeping the printout with the storage media or filing it in a place where it can easily be located when and if it's ever needed.

Restoring Archived Work Orders

In order to undelete work orders, the archived file(s) must be accessible through the storage media or on the hard drive. Restoring archived work orders undeletes previously deleted work orders, merging them back into your existing data. To restore archived work orders, do the following:

Select System > Purge > Delete Work Orders > Undelete Archived WOs from the RTA main menu (SGWU).
Enter password level 1.
Enter a facility number or press F1 to select a facility from the lookup list.
Select a radio button indicating when the work orders were originally archived.
Enter the work order control filename or choose Browse to search for the file. If the original archive was made prior to the 6.0 version, the control filename begins with the letters wc. Archives made on or after version 6.0 begin with the letters wo. Refer to the printout (as shown previously) for the control filename.
Select a radio button to specify whether to restore work orders by Vehicle or Date range.
Depending on your selection in the previous step, enter the starting and ending vehicle or date range.
Enter the starting and ending work order number range to restore.
An exception report is generated if errors occur (i.e., work order not restored if a work order with the same number already exists in the system). Be sure to review this report and address any potential issues.

Part Records

The following part and purchase order data records can be purged.

Manual part charge out transactions (SGPP): These records are written each time a part is charged out manually (PAC).
Part adjustment transactions (SGPA): This is another file that tends to grow rather large because of the number of transactions written to it. Part adjustment records are written for audit purposes each time parts are added, deleted, transferred, inventory adjusted, manually price adjusted, posted on a fuel transaction, and so on.
Purchase orders (SGPO) and purchase order transactions (SGPR): There are two types of purchase order data files; one contains summary purchase order information (general PO and PO line info); the other contains detailed information for the parts received on purchase orders (date, part price, quantity received, invoice number, etc.). The two PO data types can be purged independently of each other so you can keep POs on file but eliminate the many detailed transactions or vice versa. Deleted POs will no longer be accessible through the main PO option (PPC) or available for summary PO reports (PPI, PPV); however, an archive option is available should you need to restore deleted POs. Deleted PO receive details will no longer be available for detailed PO reports (RPT, RPR).

Archiving Purchase Orders

The process of archiving purchase orders is similar to that of archiving work orders. As mentioned in "Archiving Work Orders," an archive is different from a backup because it allows you to merge deleted data back into your existing data rather than overwriting what's there. Complete the following steps to delete and archive purchase orders.
NOTE: Please make sure you have enough disk space to create the archive prior to starting the process.

Select System > Purge > Delete Parts Trans > Purchase Orders from the RTA main menu (SGPO).
Answer all the prompts as needed to specify the purchase order range to delete.
Verify that the Archive deletions checkbox is selected; it is active by default.
A report is generated once the process is complete. This report contains information you'll need in order to restore the archived purchase orders; print it out or save it to a text file.
An archive file is created (see report). This file is needed in order to restore archived purchase orders. Copy this file onto storage media and then delete it from the system OR if disk space is not an issue, you may leave it on file. NOTE: Versions 5.8 and older created several files for each archive. Refer to the report for the filenames and be sure to copy all the files shown on the report.
Label the storage media. Include the name of the PO Control File and the archive date. We recommend keeping the printout with the storage media or filing it in a place where it can easily be located when and if it's ever needed.

Restoring Archived Purchase Orders

In order to undelete purchase orders, the archived file(s) must be accessible through the storage media or on the hard drive. Restoring archived purchase orders undeletes previously deleted purchase orders, merging them back into your existing data. To restore archived purchase orders, do the following:

Select System > Purge > Delete Part Trans > Undelete POs from the RTA main menu (SGPU).
Enter password level 1.
Enter a facility number or press F1 to select a facility from the lookup list.
Select a radio button indicating when the purchase orders were originally archived.
Enter the purchase order control filename or choose Browse to search for the file. If the original archive was made prior to the 6.0 version, the control filename begins with the letters pc. Archives made on or after version 6.0 begin with the letters po. Refer to the printout for the control filename.
Enter the starting and ending purchase order number range to restore.
An exception report is generated if errors occur (i.e., purchase order not restored if a purchase order with the same number already exists in the system). Be sure to review this report and address any potential issues.

Tire Records

Although scrapped tire records aren't accessible, they remain on file until they are manually deleted from the system (SGTR). Deleted scrapped tire records will no longer be available for scrapped tire reports (RIP, RIL).

Motor Pool Records

Closed Motor Pool transactions can be deleted (SGM) from the system. Deleted motor pool records will no longer be available for transaction or billing reports (RMV, RMC, RMB). They also will no longer be available for individual viewing in the reservations screen (VTR).

Temporary and other Files

Sometimes, files that are supposed to be temporary end up remaining on the system for longer than you intended. Here are some "temporary" files you may wish to delete from your system. Be sure to make a full RTA backup before deleting files from your hard drive. If you're unsure of deleting a file, please call us for assistance beforehand.

Rebuilt files: Normally, these files begin with va or vb and are followed by numbers such as va29385. These files are a result of rebuilding a data file and not replacing the original file with the new file.
Print files: Temporary print files have a numeric file name with a .tmp extension such as 00007664.tmp. These files are created when a report is generated and the view option is used. They are usually deleted from your system automatically unless a problem occurs during the view attempt or when users do not have rights to delete files.
Report files: You have the ability to save reports through the Report Viewer feature. Saved RTA reports have .rpt or .prt extensions depending on the RTA version at the time the report was saved. You may wish to delete older reports or reports that are no longer needed.
Note files: If you use the RTA notepad (F9), you may have some note files that are no longer needed. Note files have an extension of .nts.

There may be other RTA files that can be deleted from your system. Please contact our technical support department for further assistance.