Reducing Back size - non data files

[Klerky]

Hi,

I have:
Sage 50 Accounts Professional 2010
Version 16.0.4.113

Depending on what printer you have (I have a simple A4 Laser), many of the 'non' data files never get used (Report Files and Layout Templates), for even a small co. a backup is usually about 85mb if you include everything, data only files are approx 4-5mb, so considering you only use a small percentage of the layout/template files, a waste of disk space when you have a number of Co's to do a Full back up of (you often have bespoke layouts in amongst the tree of layouts), and a longer wait at backup time.

Is there a Utility Sage possibly created to help 'weed' out unused layout/template files for say a printer you are never likely to own, such as a continous stationary printer.

Any thoughts appreciated.

[brucedenney]

The only reason to do this is to free up disk space.

Assuming you have a policy of keeping a range of backups, then you would probably have 1 backup for each year end for the last 7 years, one for each month of the current year and 1 for each working day for the last 25 days or so 7+12+25 = 44 each backup being 300Mb larger than needed so a total waste of 13.200 Gb of disk space.

If you buy a new super fast 500G Crucial MX500 solid state disk drive, it will cost you £30 (£26.14 ex vat) and dramatically improve performance.
https://uk.crucial.com/products/ssd/sata-ssds

This gives a cost saving of 13.2G of disk space which is £0.79

It is simply not worth the time and trouble to remove the files to save the pennies. Upgrade to a bigger faster disk.

[Klerky]

Thank you for your comments, just wondered if their was some magic clean up tool, I will continue as was, and USB sticks filed with each years accounts papers, and 79p less for the Christmas Card list.

[brucedenney]

USB sticks are not as good a choice as an online backup product such as one drive, dropbox or google drive. USB sticks can fail, be lost, be left on site and burned in the fire and a whole raft of other potential failure modes.

Belt and Braces is the way to go.

[Klerky]

Agree yes USB's can be a bit unreliable, a copy is on Dropbox ... the USB Sticks (2x duplicates, one for each year) are in a Fire Proof bag, in a 17 lever German made safe, bolted to a 300mm thick wall with M12 bolts, bolt heads recessed into masonry and rendered over, 8 meters above the ground ...

However, I'm sure Dropbox's Ai is taking a good look through everything, but what they will do with what they find is anyones guess ...