System Maintenance > Purge Buffer Tables

System, Purge, Buffer Tables

The Buffer dataset may be used for temporary copies of donor accounts for reporting or as an intermediate step in the donor data import process. While working in the Buffer dataset, you are free to make changes to the records without affecting the master copy of a donor record housed in the Donor dataset. The Buffer dataset can be routinely purged, so never place any record in it which you wish to keep.

This option is used when you wish to use the Buffer dataset for a special report or export/import and you wish to first purge it of all data. For example, if you had planned to "hand pick" particular donors for reporting by copying them one at a time to the Buffer dataset, then you would probably want to first purge the Buffer dataset so that only those records you copy will be in the Buffer dataset when you print it. You can use the Copy button in the Main Information Window to do the actual copying. This feature also makes it easy to practice an import using the buffer dataset as a test before you import it into your Donor dataset, and then easily Purge the Buffer Tables when you are finished.