Cleaning out no-longer used forms, queries, and reports.

[catluvr]

Pardon me if this is discussed somewhere else ... I couldn't figure out the best words to use to search for this topic.



I must admit that I have a generally messy, gunked up database - it works but would make some of you run for the hills, screaming!

I am the Business Manager/Registrar for an annual Girl Scout Day Camp.

Each year, I create a new folder in My Documents and copy the previous year's database file to the new folder. I rename it to include the new year in the file name and then run a series of update queries that essentially resets everything for the new year ... moving records of people who didn't come to camp last year, advancing the girls' grades, clearing out fees, etc.

Invariably, I have a new idea on how to perform some function or someone else asks if it is possible to do A, B, or C. Up to now, I am the only one who uses this database but I finally have someone who is (or claims to be) proficient in Access. She will be shadowing me in 2023.

When I create a new report, form, or query to replace a previous one, I generally copy the old one, give it a new name, and make changes to the new one. I keep the old one around "just in case" I need to go back to it. And, occasionally, I do!

Now, however, I'm looking at things with an eye towards someone else using the database and YIKES! SOOOOO many forms, reports, queries, & even tables that I am pretty sure aren't used, probably. Maybe.

I know Access can give me object dependencies, but what's the best way to tackle deleting these objects? Yes, yes, I know, press "delete." But, I don't want to permanently delete something now that it turns out is used down the road. We are just starting this year's registrations and many things dealing with scheduling, bus rosters, etc. won't be used for four more months. The only way to test those now would be to enter a boat load of dummy data ... I don't really want to do that.

I have the Name Autocorrect function turned off. If I have an object that I'm pretty sure I don't use, will renaming it with a "Not Used -" at the beginning do the trick? Then, at the end of this Day Camp, I should be able to confidently delete anything with that prefix, right?

I'm looking for help on the best way to tackle this.


Thanks!

Susie
Kansas

[CJ_London]

She will be shadowing me in 2023.

next year?

most would just prefix with zz rather than 'not used' also means they will be at the bottom of the list of tables/queries/forms etc and not somewhere in the middle

copy your db, and work from the new copy, you can always copy a deleted object back if necessary
start with your tables - look at the relationships. Any that are not related to anything else are prospects for deletion

Alternatively you presumably know which forms/reports you currently require - so delete all the others

Each year, I create a new folder in My Documents and copy the previous year's database file to the new folder. I rename it to include the new year in the file name and then run a series of update queries that essentially resets everything for the new year ... moving records of people who didn't come to camp last year, advancing the girls' grades, clearing out fees, etc.

not a good way to go. Your tables should have date fields to indicate when and queries adjusted accordingly

many things dealing with scheduling, bus rosters, etc. won't be used for four more months

so what did you use last year? presumably you will use them again this year?

[Micron]

I second the notion (in fact, I "park" an object exactly as described and didn't know anyone else did that). If you have a db for each year, then that methodology likely propagated over most everything else; e.g.
- identical reports except for minor variances, such as pack/group
- same for forms (1 for this group, 1 for that group, 1 for looking at data, 1 for adding but otherwise identical, etc.)
- same for queries as above
- and so on.
It's probably not worth consolidating any of this until you consult with this person, as they might be inclined to make more changes than you can see right now. I'd go with 'archiving' what you think is not being used as has been noted. Also, there is the possibility that the db documenter could show you a lot about dependencies if you choose the right options. You can end up with a whole lot of pages though, so printing this is probably out of the question for a non-profit organization. Pretty sure you can save it as a file.