About Upload Attachments and FileStream

Upload Attachments allows you to upload and store attachments for expense reports, vendor invoices, and in-house expenses.

Ajera Upload Attachments uses Microsoft SQL Server FileStream technology to store and retrieve documents in a SQL Server database. Deltek has chosen to configure FileStream functionality and to store these documents in a separate database rather than in your Ajera database.

Your separate Ajera and FileStream databases must be backed up on the same schedule so that they will be in sync if a restore is needed. If using the Backup and Restore option provided in Ajera this will automatically happen.

Video: Upload Attachments (4:31)

FileStream Best Practices

The following article provides detailed information on FileStream best practices: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd206979(v=sql.105).aspx

Some examples of FileStream best practices noted in the MSDN article are:

  • Disable short file names on FileStream computer systems because they take significantly longer to create. To disable short file names, use the Windows fsutil utility.
  • Regularly defragment FileStream computer systems.
  • Use 64-KB NTFS clusters. Compressed volumes must be set to 4-KB NTFS clusters.
  • Disable indexing on FileStream volumes and use the Windows fsutil utility to set disablelastaccess.
  • Disable anti-virus scanning of FileStream volumes, if possible. If anti-virus scanning is necessary, avoid setting policies that will automatically delete offending files.
  • Ensure that your nightly backup routine (and any other backup processes) back up the FileStream database at the same time as your Ajera transaction database. Metadata for uploaded files is stored in the Ajera database, while the actual uploaded file data is stored in the FileStream database. If you restore one or both databases and the database backups are out of sync, data issues may occur.

On-premise users, view Setting up Upload Attachments when Ajera and SQL are on the same server.

Ajera Cloud users, view Enabling Upload Attachments for Cloud Users.

View the Ajera 10 Installation Guide for more information.