Restoring a ShipWorks Database (ShipWorks 3.5 or higher)

1. Go to the Manage tab and then click on the Restore button.

2. Click on the Browse button, navigate to where you saved your file, select your ShipWorks backup file (ending in .swb) and then click the Open button.

3. Once you've selected your file, click the Restore button.

4. Once the restore is complete, click OK to close the Restore ShipWorks screen.

NOTE: If you have restored a backup that was created in an older version of ShipWorks than the version you have restored into, you will be prompted that the database needs to be updated. If you are prompted to upgrade your database, please see the section on Updating Your ShipWorks Database below.

If you need to reinstall ShipWorks from scratch and will be restoring the database from a ShipWorks backup file, here's how.

1. After downloading the ShipWorks software and installing it, the ShipWorks Setup wizard launches. The first screen of the wizard asks how you wish to get setup. Click on the Get Set Up button.

Note: When you launch ShipWorks is it loading to a blank, blue screen? See step 1a.

1a. If ShipWorks launches to a blank, blue screen you can launch the setup wizard by clicking on the application menu and selecting Database Configuration.

2. On the Database Configuration screen, click on the blue link for Show Advanced Options.

3. Select the option for Restore a ShipWorks database backup.

4. Click on the Next button.

5. Since this is a brand new installation, the only option available to you is to Restore into a new database. Click Next.

6. If you have a current installation of Microsoft SQL, you may be prompted to select the instance of SQL that you wish to install ShipWorks into. For this example, let's assume that you do not have an instance of Microsoft SQL installed. Select the option for Install a new instance of Microsoft SQL Server.

7. The default name for your SQL instance is ShipWorks. You can modify this name if you wish. For this example, we will leave the default name.

8. Click the Next button.

9. Click Next again. This will begin the installation of Microsoft SQL Server. (This might take a few minutes)

10. On the Database Name screen you are given the option of changing the database name from the default name ShipWorks by clicking the blue Edit link. For this example we will keep the default.

11. Click Next.

12. Click on the Browse button, navigate to where you saved your file, select your ShipWorks backup file (ending in .swb) and then click the Open button.

13. Once you've selected your file, click the Restore button.

14. Once the restore is complete, click OK to close the Restore ShipWorks screen.

NOTE: If you have restored a backup that was created in an older version of ShipWorks than the version you have restored into, you will be prompted that the database needs to be updated. If you are prompted to upgrade your database, please see the section on Updating Your ShipWorks Database below.

1. On the Database Update Required screen, click Next.

2. The next screen prompts you to make a backup of the ShipWorks database. However, since in this case we just restored from a backup we can skip this step. Click Next.

3. You will be prompted that by clicking next the update process will begin. Click Next to begin the upgrade process.

4. When the update completes, click OK.

5. Click Finish to complete the database update.