RAM Structural System utilizes a database format for storing data. Each model has its own database which is composed of several files. When starting a new project, a database is created and a name is associated with it. Once the database has been created, all of the data for a given model can be accessed through that name.

To improve the speed and manageability of RAM Data files, two features have been implemented. First, the numerous RAM Database files have been consolidated into a single compressed .rss file. Second, all models are run from a "Working" folder rather than the "Data" folder. If it hasn’t already been specified, the "Working" folder will be specified by the user the first time any model is opened from RAM Manager.

It is a temporary directory and should not be used for any other purpose. When a database is opened in RAM Manager it is copied from the Data directory (or whatever directory it is stored in) and uncompressed in the local "Working" folder. All model changes are saved to the local working files. When changes to the RAM Structural System project is saved, the files are compressed and stored back in the .rss file in their original location. This feature allows databases to be stored in a network folder but to be worked on locally.