Backing up your data regularly protects it from loss.  For a database merge, your most recent backup directories are also where you'll access the data to be merged.    

Label each backup directory to specify the source of the data.  For example:

1. LENA_backup_20140407_LanguageLab
2. LENA_backup_20140407_Clinic

or

1. LENA_backup_20140407_Computer A
2. LENA_backup_20140407_Computer B

Export a CSV Daily report for each of the databases, making sure that the Snapshot Report Data selection is checked.

Save the CSV from each database separately to a location accessible from the computer where the full, merged LENA database will reside.

Please label each CSV export file to specify the source of the data.  Just add a name for each source computer to the end of the file name, for example:

1. LENA Export (Daily) 20140320 083436_LanguageLab.csv
2. LENA Export (Daily) 20140320 084027_Clinic.csv

or

1. LENA Export (Daily) 20140320 083436_Computer A.csv
2. LENA Export (Daily) 20140320 084027_Computer B.csv

• how many recording files are in each database
• how many Developmental Snapshots are in each database
• how many unique children are in each database

LENA Support staff can help you through this process if necessary.

Choose which database will be the Destination database, and which will be the Source database(s).  

• Usually the largest database is chosen as the Destination, because each recording file (.upl) from each Source database will have to be reassigned and reprocessed.

Other factors to consider include the following:

• all Snapshots from the Source database will have to be re-entered by hand after the merge (either from paper records or by using the LDT files)
• children appearing only in the Source database will need to be entered into the Destination Client Manager before the merge

If the databases are about the same and one of them is already in place on the desired LENA computer, that one can be the Destination.

If you have retained paper copies of all Developmental Snapshot responses from the Source database, proceed.

If you do not have paper records for the Source database, please print them now.  You will use these paper copies to re-enter the data after the merge.

If your Destination database is already on the computer where the full merged database will reside, proceed to the next step.

• If your Destination database needs to be moved to a new, empty LENA computer, please follow database move instructions, and then return to this article.
• If your Destination database needs to be moved to a computer where your Source data currently reside, please contact LENA Support for assistance.  (This could be the right choice if you have a large database on a slow, full, or inconveniently located computer, and a much smaller database on a fast, high-capacity, or centrally located computer.)

In this step, you will prepare the Destination computer to streamline the process of assigning files from the Add-In database.

1. Reference the spreadsheet where you identified children unique to the Source databases.  
2. On the computer with the Destination database, in LENA Client Manager, add a new child record for each individual who exists only in the Source database(s).

At a minimum, you must enter the:

• Name you will use for the child (real name, initials, or anonymized code)
• Correct date of birth (triple checked!)
• Gender

Other information, such as Group affiliation and Child ID, can be entered either now or later, whichever is convenient.

Tip: Create a group for the incoming data, e.g., "Source data."

1. Select the group before adding in the children
2. When you do the group will be pre-filled in the child record.
3. You can later select the group to facilitate exporting data.