What are you doing with the Timeslips file that you download for your Timeslips installation?
In the old days, software companies shipped CD's and manuals (in the very old days, they shipped floppy disks). All you are getting now is an ".exe" file that might reside in the \Download folder on your PC or maybe you save it somewhere else. When you had CD's and manuals, it was easier to remember where they were stored. Many firms had special file cabinets dedicated to storing software. Now it's up to you to come up with a system for storing your downloaded software.
What happens if you lose your hard drive or you just need to reinstall Timeslips? If you have a "supported" version of Timeslips (3 years old or less), you can simply log onto the Sage website and download the correct version of Timeslips once again. No problem.
However, you might be one of those people that does not keep their Timeslips current. Everything is working fine and the version of Timeslips that you are using has all the features that you are ever going to need. Why upgrade? I'm not proposing that everyone get a Timeslips upgrade. If you have made the decision to run an unsupported version of Timeslips, then you know that:
- You will not receive any "fixes" for Timeslips software issues that occur.
- You will not be able to purchase additional Timeslips licenses
- You will not receive technical support from Timeslips (Radiant Software Solutions supports all versions)
Another thing to add to the list:
- You will not be able to download the Timeslips installation software or the Timeslips service releases.
With that in mind, it is very important that you save the downloads in a safe place. Do not save them exclusively on your server. If you are saving the downloads on the server, it is recommended that you also save them to a workstation. Better yet, make a copy to an external hard drive, a CD or a thumb drive.
I know...your server is backed up every night. Why do you need another copy of the Timeslips installation files and Timeslips service releases? The main reason is that backups often fail. In addition to your on-site backup, you should also have some form of redundant cloud backup. By the way, you will also want to do the same thing with those Timeslips Activation Codes, Serial Numbers and Registration Codes. You won't get very far reinstalling Timeslips without those codes.
The idea is that you want to be able to get your Timeslips software reinstalled as soon as possible. Trying to retrieve files off a server backup can be a very time consuming process. An external drive allows you to retrieve files very easily.
Bottomline: If you can't find your installation software and codes, you may be forced into an unwanted upgrade. Be safe: backup.