I've been using DM 5. How to I get my DM 5 data into DM 6?

The Donor Manager 6 knows how to import your data from DM 5.  It's quick, and easy, and it leaves your DM 5 data untouched.   Read on to learn about the process.

If you have data in DM 5 and want to move to DM 6, the process is fairly easy.

Installing DM 6 on the same computer as DM 5

If you are installing DM 6 on the same computer, follow this process:

• Download and install Donor Manager 6 on your computer from the  downloads page here.   Download the full installer.
• After you have completed downloading the DM 6 full install program, run it once.   It will start the installation wizard.  I suggest that you install it into c:\donor6.  Do not install it to the same folder as DM 5, and do not install it into c:\program files.
• Run Donor Manager 6.   It will notice that this is a new installation, and will offer to migrate your Donor Manager 5 data files into the DM 6 format. 
• DM 6 will leave your DM 5 data files untouched.
• If you have your DM 5 installated in c:\donor5, then DM 6 should find the data files without any problem.  However, if you have installed DM 5 in some other folder, then you will need to "point" the DM 6 data migrator to the data folder for your DM 5 program.
• That's all there is to it.   
• If you want to "play around" with DM 6 and do some testing, you can always re-migrate your DM 5 data again into Donor Manager 6 at any time.  Doing so, however, will cause you to lose any editing you may have done in DM 6.

Installing DM 6 onto a new (or different computer) than DM 5

If you are installing DM 6 onto a new (or different) computer than where your DM 5 program is installed, the process is a bit different.

Let's take a look at the process:

Note:  DM 6 does not know how to read a DM 5 "pack and go" file (unfortunately).

On the computer with Donor Manager 5:

• copy all of the files from c:\donor5\data onto a USB flash drive.   It is the files in c:\donor5\data\*.* that the program use for importing into DM 6.

On the new computer that will run Donor Manager 6:

• Download the "full installation" program for Donor Manager 6 from the downloads page.
• Run the installer to install the DM 6 program files onto your new computer.  I recommend installing the program in c:\donor6.   
• Do not install the program in c:\program files or into c:\donor5.
• After the DM 6 program installes, run it once.   
• It will note that this is a new installation of the program and offer to migrate your data from DM 5.
• Select the option to migrate from DM 5.   Point the migration tool to the folder on your flash drive where you put the files from the c:\donor5\data folder on your other computer
• The program should be able to import and convert your Donor Manager 5 data files into the format needed for Donor Manager 6.
• If you have already installed DM 6 on the new computer, you can use the "Migrate Data from Donor Manager 5" option on the DM 6 main menu page.