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January 2, 2012

Getting Time Clock MTS to work with SQL Server or SQL Express isn't too difficult. This article takes you through the process of doing so and should have you up and running in fairly short order.

The first step in setting up Time Clock MTS to work with SQL Server is to create a database using the standard employee attendance database (MS Access) as a template. To accomplish this you must have the Administrator version of Time Clock MTS installed, you must have an accessible installation of SQL Server (or SQL Express) and you must have installed SQL Server Management Studio.

1. Using SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) create a new database that Time Clock MTS will use.
2. Right Click on the new database in SSMS and select the Tasks option and then select the Import Data option. This will start the SQL Server Import and Export Wizard.
3. Click Next in the Wizard and choose the Data source as "Microsoft Access".
4. Click the Browse button and navigate to your Time Clock MTS Access database. This will most likely be in this location: c:\Program Data\Time Clock MTS\Database\timeclock.mdb. However, if you've changed the location then you'll know where your file is. Remember if you cannot find the directory that you might have to Show Hidden Files and Folders to see it.
5. Click the Next button in the Wizard and choose the SQL Server location, database, and login details and then click the Next button.
6. The next step of the Wizard allows you to either copy your data directly from the Access database to you SQL Server database or generate a script that you can run later. The choice is yours but in this case we'll copy the data directly. Click the Next button.
7. This step allows you to choose which tables you want to copy from the MS Access database. Choose all of them and click Next.
8. Choose Run immediately and click Finish.
9. SSMS will now display a progress window showing you how the import data process is going. Hopefully it'll go smoothly and you'll have a functional SQL Server database that Time Clock MTS can work with.
10. In some cases the import process does not create the table primary keys and identity columns properly. This is easily rectified using SSMS. Each table created by the import process has a column called lngID, this column must be the table primary key and must be set as the table identity column. You can see what this looks like in SSMS by viewing this image.

1. If you're running the 30 day trial of Time Clock MTS or you're a licensed user who purchased Enhanced Database Support then you'll be able to connect Time Clock MTS to a SQL Server database.
2. Run Time Clock MTS and log in as the administrator and go to the Tools->Options->System Options screen.
3. Configure the SQL Server details on this screen. You'll need to know your server name (or IP address), your database name and your SQL Server login details. Note that the SQL Server user must have permissions to add, modify, and delete both data and tables.
4. When you're happy with the server details click the Test SQL Connection button and check that a connection can be made to the database.
5. Select "SQL Server" from the Database Type drop down and then click the Save button to save the changes.

Warnings: If there's a red box covering the server detail fields then you're not licensed for Enhanced Database Support. You should Contact Us for help.

1. If you're still in your Time Clock MTS trial period or if you chose the "Enhanced Database Support" option when you purchased Time Clock MTS you'll be able to connect the Time Clock MTS client program to a SQL Server backend database.
2. Install and run the Time Clock MTS client software.
3. The first time you run the Time Clock MTS client software you'll be shown the Database Connection Wizard.
4. Selected the SQL/MSDE database option and enter all of the appropriate database server details into the fields provided. When you're happy with the details click the Test Connection button to make sure you've entered the details correctly and that you can make a connection to the database. Remember that the SQL Server user must have permissions to add, modify, and delete both data and tables.
5. Click the Wizard finish button and when you're done the Time Clock MTS client should be connected to your SQL Server database.

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Posted by mnemtsas at January 2, 2012 8:25 AM

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