Archiving Downloaded Files

This screen will automatically come up when you select a vendor to download from the Investment Sidebar Menu.  Once you fill it in, it will no longer come up, but can be changed in your User Preferences under the Files Menu.

Overview

Files are downloaded to your local workstation.  Then they are sent to the SQL Server for processing.  Once processed, they are no longer needed, but they are kept on the SQL Server for 30 days in case they need to be reprocessed..

You Can Also Change This In Your User Preferences, Investment Tab

Each download vendor has their own naming convention.  Some vendors repeat the same name every day, while others may repeat the names for different advisors, and others may never repeat a file name.

When names are repeated, files can overwrite each other and, if multiple days are being processed, files, such as prices can be missed.  To avoid this, Advisors Assistant renames any files that may duplicate.

Advisors Assistant does not delete any files you download.  We consider these to be your files.

The Archive Function

The archive function will compress the files before they are renamed and store them as zip files on your file system in the destination folder you designate.

Leaving The Field Blank

If you do not designate a folder, the files will not be archived, but the renamed files will remain on your system.

If you are using one of the free versions of SQL Server, this could cause you to run out of space in the server.

Selecting A Folder

If you do  designate a folder, the files will be zipped and moved to that folder, but the renamed files will still be left on the folder you download them to.  You should, from time to time, either delete them or move them to a CD for off line storage.

The zipping function does not encrypt the files.  You can add encryption after they are zipped if you have the Winzip program, which can be purchased on the internet.  Download a free trial at http://www.winzip.com/win/en/index.htm.

See Also

User Preferences