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Not able to increase the field size in ACT and receive the error message - Combined field lengths have exceeded the maximum for the database table.
ACT! uses MS SQL as its database engine. 
 
SQL databases restrict the size of the tables that hold the data.  Table size is a sum of the size of the fields in the table. The max table size is approximately 8kb. 
 
When adding fields in ACT!, MSSQL will allow the addition of the field to the table if the size of the field does not cause the table to exceed the maximum.  Once it does exceed the max, SQL adds another table and links these two tables together. We refer to this as a 'spillover table'.
 
If you try to go back and increase the size of a field in a table that is maxed out, ACT! will give you an error.  To work around this, you have to free up field space in the table where the field is being increased.
 
To do so, you will need to run the ACT! Diagnostic tool and run a report of the current fields to their tables.  You can then review the fields and tables to determine if you can either 1. reduce a field to increase another or 2. delete a field to add or increase another.
 
To run the ACT! Diag, click on Start > Run > type ACTDIAG and then hit Enter key.
 
Choose Databases > Database List. Highlight the Act4Advisors database and right click on it. Choose Database Structure > Fields list to CSV.
 
Review this report and make changes as necessary.
 
ALWAYS BACKUP YOUR DATABASE FIRST!!!!  This is critical!
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Last Updated
8th of March, 2010

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