In the modern “work from home” era, it is tempting to treat your ABSS (formerly MYOB) company files like any other document.
If Google Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox work perfectly for your spreadsheets and PDFs, why not your accounting data?
While these services are excellent for static files, they are fundamentally incompatible with the way database-driven software like ABSS operates.
Using them can lead to the dreaded “Conflict of Versions”, or worse, total data corruption.
The Heart of the Problem: How Cloud Syncing Works
Cloud storage services use a process called Asynchronous Synchronization. When you save a change, the service waits for the file to be “closed” or idle before it attempts to upload the new version to the cloud.
ABSS files (*.myo) are live databases. They perform constant “read/write” operations. Here is why the cloud struggles:
- File Locking Issues: ABSS needs to “lock” the file while you are working to prevent data gaps. Cloud services often try to “read” the file while syncing it, causing the software to crash or the sync to fail.
- The “Conflicted Copy” Nightmare: If User A and User B both open the file from a shared Dropbox folder, the cloud service cannot merge their entries. Instead, it creates two separate files: CompanyFile.myo and CompanyFile [Conflict].myo.
- Data Fragmentation: Because the sync happens in “chunks,” a momentary flicker in internet connectivity during a save can result in a partially uploaded file, rendering your entire database unreadable.
The Risks to Your Business
Risk Factor | Impact |
|---|---|
Data Loss | Transactions entered by one user may be completely overwritten by another. |
File Corruption | The database structure may break, requiring expensive professional data recovery. |
Performance Lag | Constant background syncing consumes bandwidth, leading to “Not Responding” errors in ABSS. |
Audit Failures | Discrepancies between “conflicted copies” make it impossible to maintain a single source of truth for your accounts. |
Best Practices: The Right Way to Secure Your Data
If you need to share your ABSS data or work remotely, follow these industry-standard alternatives:
- Use a Remote Desktop (RDP) or Terminal Server: Keep the file on a single host computer and log in remotely. This ensures the file never actually “travels” over the internet while open.
- Manual Backups: Use Google Drive or OneDrive only to store zip/backup files after you have closed ABSS.
- ABSS Cloud Solutions: Consider upgrading to a hosted environment, designed specifically to handle multi-user access via the web safely.
Bottom Line: Never open an active ABSS company file directly from a synced cloud folder. Protect your integrity by keeping your “live” data on a local drive or a dedicated server environment.