Frequently Asked Questions
I forgot my username and password?
In order to ensure this program and the contents are secure, the username and password you set will be the only way to access this information and unencrypt it. When you first log into the program, you will be asked to input a username and password, and to create a security question and answer. Your security question and answer are required in the event you forget your password. Each time you restart the dovetail organizer™ you will be asked to log on and input your username and password. Note: your password must contain a minimum of six (6) characters and must include both letters and numbers.
The username and password are both case sensitive. Try lower case, upper case, combination of upper and lower case. Once you remember your username correctly, you can click on forgot password. This then prompts you with your security question you set and asks for the answer. You then can reset a new password.
As a last resort, you can uninstall the dovetail organizer™ and all of your program files off of your hard drive and then start over with reinstalling the software program. Your files will be lost unless you have an external backup file with your Dovetail data.
I bought a new computer and I would like to reinstall my dovetail organizer™ but my registration key will not work?
Please contact support at dovetail organizer to request a new registration key. You will be asked for confirmation of customer registration information and we will issue you a new registration key.
I am not sure how the second user works?
You have the option of creating a second user for the program. The second user must also create a username, password, security question and answer. The purpose of the second user is to take advantage of the two full programs within the dovetail organizer™ shell. You can add the second user who for example can be your partner, spouse, executor, power of attorney, etc. The second user can use the program totally as an individual database or the second user and you as the primary user can share information back and forth using the joint checkbox function. Note: If either user determines information (data and/or scanning/attaching documents) is shared by both of you, by clicking on the joint indicator in that particular section, this information will now appear in your other user Dovetail database. This feature allows individuals to determine what information is clearly individual and personal and what information they would like to share with the other user of the program. To open the second user account after original set-up, use the second username and password.
How secure is this program?
The data you input into the dovetail organizer™ and any document you scan in or attach are all encrypted at 256 bits, however, to ensure protection and confidentiality of your data we suggest you:
- Use effective passwords and keep them confidential
- Backup your data regularly
- Use the program Toolbar to Import, Backup and Remove Data
This last option gives you the ability to clear all information from the shell of the dovetail organizer™. If you wish to avoid the risks of the information being on your hard drive, clear all of the information off of your hard drive and save it to a CD-RW or external memory storage. Instructions on how to clear pages and files completely off your hard drive are in the Remove Data help section. Protect your computer against unwanted access by using firewalls and virus protection.
What is the advantage of taking the documents and files off of my hard drive and storing them in the dovetail organizer™?
Well the main reason, is as your selected documents are attached or scanned into this software, each of the pages within each respective document is encrypted. Secondly, this program gives you the advantage of not only having secured your documents, it also gives you a spot to identify what they are and where they are to access when needed.
What does portable mean?
With the release of version 3.2, we included the feature called “Selective Export”. The beauty of this feature is that you can choose if you want to save all of your completed dovetail organizer data along with scanned/attached images to an external memory device along with a username and password. You can take it on a trip with you in the event you need a backup of your personal information for any reason, you can share parts or all of it with whomever you choose. This is the easiest way to share information with others. It is a read me only file and does not require dovetail organizer™ as the host to open it up. It is encrypted and username and password protected. You can keep a copy in your safety deposit box along with the username and password, store a copy off site from your residence with someone you trust or give a copy to your executor, power of attorney(s), professional advisor such as lawyer, accountant, or financial advisor.
How does the Selective Export work?
Here’s an example of how this feature is used.
Say you want to give sections of this information to your Executor or Power of Attorney for safekeeping. Along with the Personal Data which is automatically included, you choose the Medical and Financial to be exported to an external memory device for your Executor. You will indicate the name of the Recipient and also attach a password to that particular file. When you give this memory key or writeable CD to your Executor, you tell them the username and password you have given this file. They will need this in order to open the file and unencrypt the data in the file so that they can view it and print it if they need to. In the event the memory key gets lost or misplaced, no one else can access this information because it’s encrypted data and in order to open the file, you need the username and password. As a tip, for security reasons, don’t mark the username or password on the memory device. This Selective Export feature also tracks each time you give a Recipient Dovetail information along with the associated password. This file can be viewed from a PC compatible system, anywhere, anytime.
How does the Dovetail Reader work?
Once you give the Selective Export information to another person (the “Recipient”), they simply insert the memory key or CD-RW into their computer. The Dovetail Reader software should start automatically. If it does not, the Recipient needs to double click on the DovetailReader.exe file. Once the Dovetail Reader starts, the Recipient enters the username and password that you created on the Selective Export screen. Information viewed with the Dovetail Reader cannot be edited. It can be printed. Note: If you cannot open the Dovetail Reader – then double click on the file go_reader and the program will start.
What has this version 3.2 been tested on?
dovetail organizer™ has been tested on Windows XP and Windows Vista.
How do I format my disks so that I can use the Selective Export Function?
Sometimes these CD-RW disks are not formatted and ready to use. In order for the selective export feature to work well for you, it is very important the disk is formatted properly in order to be used. Please see the section below for instructions on how to do this.
Formatting your CD-RW for first use
Windows Vista
For Windows Vista, click the Windows logo in the lower left hand corner. Choose Computer. Click on your CD-RW or DVD-RW drive. Windows Vista will then display a "Prepare this blank disc" window. If you click "Show formatting options," the "Live File System" option must be selected. Click the Next button to format your CD-RW.
Windows XP with Additional CD Writing Software
For Windows XP, we recommend using software such as InCD or Sonic DLA that allows your computer to treat the CD-RW as though it were a memory key. To use this CD writing software properly, you need to format the CD-RW disc before its first use. To format the CD-RW, use the right mouse button to click the Start button. Choose Explore from the menu. On the left-hand side of the explore window, locate your CD-RW or DVD-RW drive. Use the right mouse button to click on the drive and choose Format from the menu.
Depending on the software you have on your system, you will likely be asked to name the CD and click a button such as Next or Finish. The formatting of the CD-RW will likely take 5 to 15 minutes to complete. Your CD-RW is now ready for use with dovetail organizer™.
After the Selective Export function completes, please do the following to ensure that CD-RW will work properly: Click the right mouse button on the Start button in the bottom left-hand corner of your screen. Choose Explore from the menu. Use the right mouse button to click on your CD-RW or DVD-RW drive. Choose Eject from the menu. The disc will now eject and it is ready to give to someone else.
Windows XP with No CD Writing Software
If you do not have any special CD writing software, dovetail organizer™ may still be able to access your CD-RW. However, you will get a message in a balloon in the lower right hand corner of your screen. The message will say “You have files waiting to be written to the CD.” Click on the balloon and it will bring up a window showing the files. Then, on the left-hand side of the window click “Write these files to CD.” Once the files have been written to the CD, the CD will likely eject and it is now ready to give to someone else.
Windows 2000, ME, NT, 98, or 95
The use of rewriteable CD-RW discs may not be supported on these systems.
I have a problem loading the dovetail organizer™. I have a home computer XP and in the installation process when I click on the dovetail organizer™ Icon on my desktop, I get a grey square that pops up stating sJNI exception not enough memory.
On some systems, the normal method of starting dovetail organizer™ cannot be used. There is an alternative means of starting dovetail organizer™ that will work on your system. Please follow the instructions below to create a new icon on your desktop:
- In a blank area on your desktop, click the RIGHT mouse button.
- Move the mouse down to "New" then over to "Shortcut"
- You will then see a "Create Shortcut" window.
- In the box "Type the location of the item:" please insert the following (including the quotation marks):
"C:\Program Files\Dovetail Inc\Dovetail Organizer\go_dove.bat"We recommend that you copy and paste this so that you don't have to type it out yourself. You could highlight the above text with your mouse, right click, choose Copy then go back to the Create Shortcut window, right click in the box, and choose Paste.
- Click the "Next" button.
- You will then be asked to name the shortcut. You could name it "Dovetail Organizer Startup" for example.
- Click the "Finish" button.
From now on, please double-click this new desktop icon to start dovetail organizer™. You will notice that a black window with some text in it will appear then dovetail organizer™ will start a few seconds later. The text window will stay in the background as you use Dovetail. It is nothing to be worried about and can be ignored. It will automatically close when you exit the Dovetail program.
I have given a Dovetail Reader to a friend of mine with a username and password. When she inserts the memory stick in her hard drive, the autostart does not appear and we cannot get the Dovetail Reader to work. Help!
Please note the recipient’s computer needs to be capable of reading the memory key or CD-RW, and for this reason, we suggest the computer is running Windows XP or Windows Vista. The Dovetail Reader software should start automatically. If it does not, the Recipient needs to double click on the DovetailReader.exe file. Once the Dovetail Reader starts, the Recipient enters the username and password that you created on the Selective Export screen. Note: If you cannot open the Dovetail Reader – then double click on the file go_reader and the program will start.
How and what can my friend do to the Dovetail Reader I gave her?
Information viewed with the Dovetail Reader cannot be edited. It can be viewed and printed only. The Dovetail Reader will show the shell of all six sections, however, only the selected sections with data and documents will be shown in the Dovetail Reader that you selected to share with her.
How often should I update my information in the software program?
We strongly suggest you update your information as it changes. This way your information is current and can be relied on should an emergency occur.
How can this software protect me in the event of identity theft?
In each of the six sections, you can input your data relating to passports, birth certificates, SIN card, driver’s license, medical cards, health insurance card, banking cards, credit cards, etc. You also can indicate the phone numbers for credit cards should you need to cancel them in the event of loss or theft. As well, you can scan in copies of each of these cards so that the replacement process is less stressful because you have digital images of each card to prove you had them and also you have photo I.D. which is needed to prove your identity in the replacement process.
I have version 3.1 and would like to have some of the new features you have on version 3.2.
All of our registered version 3.1 users will receive a download link for version 3.2. This download will essentially integrate with your version 3.1 and will give you all of the new features. None of your data will be lost by downloading the new program.
What is the disadvantage of downloading the new link? Will I lose any features I have in version 3.1?
The feature you will lose by downloading version 3.2 is the ability to save to a PDF. We felt this was a feature that did not give the protection to your data that the encryption within the program does. Essentially a PDF is an unprotected document sitting on a hard drive.
I have a problem with the scanning function in the Dovetail software?
The scanner you use needs to be Twain compatible. You may find it easier to use your own software outside of the dovetail organizer™ and then attach the document to the program.
