Question: Can i store a company file on a Network hard drive to be shared, or does it have to be on an actual computer?
Answer: QuickBooks 2009 must be on a computer. Systems requirements are at
http://support.quickbooks.intuit.com/.
NAS (Network Attached Storage) is not supported. See this article
http://support.quickbooks.intuit.com/.
Are You Ready For QuickBooks Multi User?
Visit painlessquickbooks.com to find out.
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Question: I have a license issue… can’t access company file from new computer. I have a 5 user license…1 of my 5 computers crashed (2x). Since I could not uninstall on the damaged drive, I cannot access the company file from the NEW computer. The first time intuit fixed it right away. Now they tell me I have to pay for tech support. How can I fix it?
Answer: You will need to evaluate and compare the licensing on each of your computers.
These instructions located at http://support.quickbooks.intuit.com/…
On each computer currently accessing the company file, open QuickBooks (you do not need to open the company file) and press the F2 key on your keyboard. This opens the Product Information window.
Write down the number of user licenses (either 1 or 3) and the license number from the Product Information window.
Repeat for each computer that accesses the company file.
Compare the license information you wrote down for each computer.
Make sure that you do not have single user licenses duplicated on multiple. If no single user licenses are present, sync all five computers’ licensing with Intuit. On each installation, go to Help >> Manage My License >> Sync License Data Online, starting with the computer hosting your company file(s).
The ‘exceeded max users’ message appears when you use the same single-user license on more than one computer and more than one individual tries to use the program.
If you are using the same single-user license on more than one computer accessing the company file, use a different license number. Each computer accessing the company file at the same time will need a unique single-user license.
Are You Ready For QuickBooks Multi User?
Visit painlessquickbooks.com to find out.
Question – What is the best setup for multi user to make sure each machine can open and operate the QuickBooks data file. Vista and XP Pro machines?
Answer – For an out of the box client server setup…
First, you need to have your Windows networking set up correctly. The shared folder where your Company File is located should have full write permissions (network users can change files) to all network users. Make sure your network’s Internet access is through a hardware firewall. Turn off the firewall software on each QuickBooks computer.
Second, each QuickBooks installation must be the same version, updated to the same level with all patches (upgrades) installed. Each QuickBooks installation must have a unique license.
Third, each computer, including the hosting computer, must open the QuickBooks company file from the same location. Do not use different mapping letters on different computers. Map the hosting computer just like you would do the other computers; \\[computer name]\[share name]
Fourth, the computer that “hosts” must be turned on to host the file. The location of the company file must be on the computer that is hosting the file. The hosting computer must have “Host Multi-User Access…” turned on. Every other computer that access QuickBooks must have “Host Multi-User Access…” turned off. The company file must be in “Multi-User Mode” in order for other users to access the file. You must have unique Users set up in QuickBooks in order for other users to access the file.
Intuit has detailed Multi-User Instructions at http://support.quickbooks.intuit.com/…
Finally, save yourself the headache of a mixed XP, Vista, Windows 7 installation. Use a QuickBooks Production Server. Learn how at http://painlessquickbooks.com/…
Question – How do we access QuickBooks Enterprise files from an offsite location?
Answer – Depending on how your QuickBooks Enterprise software is installed, you can remotely access the software in one of two ways.
1 – If you are setup as a client server application with software on each computer that accesses QuickBooks, use a remote PC access tool like QuickBooks Remote Access, LogMeIn or GoToMyPC to access the desktop of a client computer.
2 – If you are setup as a Terminal Services application, have a remote user access QuickBooks using RDP through the local firewall or other secure remote network access device.
Both methods allow a remote user to transfer files back and forth between remote and local devices.
Are You Ready For QuickBooks Multi User?
Visit painlessquickbooks.com to find out.
Question – Networked Computers Not Sharing The Same Data On Pro 2008 We have 3 networked computers. Some entries aren’t being shared, each computer has different data or a lack of certain data. Omitted customers mainly.
Answer – Select the computer that you know to be hosting the company file.
On that computer, open QuickBooks and confirm that you are hosting multi user access. Go to File >> Utilities. On the text menu, confirm that you have the option "Stop Hosting Multi-User Access…" listed on the menu.
If you do not have "Stop Hosting Multi-User Access…" listed on the menu, then you will need to select File >> Utilities >> "Host Multi-User Access…" After you complete this operation, the computer you selected will now be hosting the company file.
Only one computer can Host Multi-User Access at a time. Consequently, check every other QuickBooks installation and confirm that they are not Hosting Multi-User Access. If they are, turn Hosting Multi-User Access off.
On each computer currently accessing the company file, open QuickBooks, open the company file and then press the F2 key on your keyboard. This opens the Product Information window.
On the product information screen, in the "File Information" section, confirm that both the "Location" the "Server IP" is the same for each computer.
VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: If the information in the "File Information" section is different for one or more computers, you are using different company files in different places. They might even have the same name.
Unless you are very good at locating files and evaluating versions of files with the same names, contact a QuickBooks Pro Advisor to help you through this unfortunate situation. You will need to get back to one company file that contains your business data. You might even require assistance to merge data from multiple company files.
Otherwise, on each of your QuickBooks "client" computers, close the company files then browse to the correct company file on your hosting computer and open the file. Your company file should be located on a network mapped drive using the same drive letter for each computer.
On each of your QuickBooks "client" computers, open the product information screen. In the "File Information" section, confirm that both the "Location" the "Server IP" is the same for each computer.
Carefully enter the "lost data" into your correct company file. Do a backup of your correct company file. Delete any company files located on your client computers.
Are You Ready For QuickBooks Multi User?
Visit painlessquickbooks.com to find out.
Question – Still can’t connect multiple users despite all advice… So I have vista on two desktop PCs and one laptop. When I use one desktop as the database server and try to use my other licenses on the other computers, I cannot connect. I have given proper access to the files and mapped the folders. I have allowed access through my firewall for all listed programs on all three machines.
I have reinstalled the software and created a new fake company in attempt to access this. I have updated all versions to the latest release. I access it on all machines as a multi-user, using different user names. When I host on the one desktop and try to access it on the other, it says that I need to host it as well.
I click yes (which I know is wrong) and it doesn’t work. I click no, and it also doesn’t work. The laptop gives me a different message. It says that my host computer is set up share, but my laptop is not communicating properly, and that the problem is my firewall.
I double checked to make sure that I have all programs that need access through the firewall allowed.
When I turn the firewall off, I still get the same message.
I did get it for a minute a few weeks ago, but wouldn’t work an hour later. Why is this so difficult?
I refuse to pay QuickBooks to solve their own problem, but I have been working on this for a month to no avail.
Can anyone genuinely help me?
Answer – Your issue is not the fault of Intuit or QuickBooks. Your issue is Vista peer to peer networking and your network environment.
I would urge anyone using QuickBooks Pro or Premier to host your company files on an XP based server. Step by step instructions are in the guide at http://painlessquickbooks.com
XP will be around for a long time. It makes so much sense to Build Your Own QuickBooks Production Server using a bullet proof XP based server, then access QuickBooks with Windows 7, Windows Vista or Windows XP or Apple MAC (using Virtual Machine from Parallels).
Are You Ready For QuickBooks Multi User?
Visit painlessquickbooks.com to find out.
Question: How do you set up Quickbooks DB Server to scan a network folder that contains your company file? It says your Quickbooks file must be stored on the local drive (C:). How do I get around this? … We only have 1 Main server and I really didn’t want to run Quickbooks’ awesome software on the same machine that I have exchange and SQL. But I still wanted my company file located there so I wouldn’t have to set up any additional nightly backups.
Answer: “I really didn’t want to run Quickbooks’ awesome software on the same machine that I have exchange and SQL”
You are thinking correctly.
You do not ever want to run QuickBooks on the same server that you are using for SQL and Exchange. You can use a headless XP “server” to host your company files. I have step by step instructions for a five user XP “server” at http://painlessquickbooks.com/. However, I’ve sized them up to a dozen users running Enterprise.
Regarding backup; create a share on your main server to hold backed up QuickBooks company files. Configure QuickBooks to run scheduled backups every day, writing the backups to the share on the main server. Then configure your main server software to include the share in its backup routine.
Please, never run QuickBooks on a Windows Server acting as a Domain Controller or containing mission critical applications like Exchange or SQL Server. Its too easy to use another server dedicated to QuickBooks.
Are You Ready For QuickBooks Multi User?
Visit painlessquickbooks.com to find out.
Question: I am running Windows Server 2003 Terminal Server and want to install QuickBooks on the Terminal Server to be available at work and at home.
How do I install QuickBooks on the Terminal Server?
Answer: You’ve probably read that Intuit does not support any other version of QuickBooks in a Terminal Server environment except QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions; however, I’ve sucessfully run QuickBooks Pro 2008 and 2009 in Terminal Services. I use Enterprise and Pro 2008 in Terminal Services every day.
Check out this knowledgebase article at http://support.quickbooks.intuit.com/…
If you have QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions, use it. If not, use Pro or Premier 2008 and 2009. It is very important that you install Quickbooks using Add/Remove Programs only using the administrator account.
Install the complete installation of QuickBooks on your server. Follow the network installation instructions in the QuickBooks manual, or the instructions at http://accountant.intuit.com/… or the instruction manual at http://painlessquickbooks.com/…
Register QuickBooks from within the administrator desktop, then set up your company file and any add ons.
If you plan to use it just for yourself, logoff administrator, then logon to your user account then setup Quickbooks. If you want to use it multi user, keep reading.
Now for the ugly part. The Windows Server 2003 Terminal Server must be stand alone, not part of a domain, no active directory and no manage by policy. All users must be local and have administrative rights to the server. In some environments, this is ok, in others, it’s simply not possible.
(Having said this, if you are a Windows Server Active Directory guru, you can get by the stand alone business. For most of the computer world, keep it a stand alone server.)
Configure your users Remote Desktop Clients to use ONLY the server’s printers and trust each of your users to take care of your server.
Although QuickBooks will work, some of your add ons may not work at all. I’ve had issues with external merchant account integration, external inventory management and others.
Are You Ready For QuickBooks Multi User?
Visit painlessquickbooks.com to find out.
It’s happened again. Hardly a week goes by that I do not hear or read about issues surrounding domain name ownership; issues that can seriously impact any business.
Items 9 and 10 on my Business Computing Basics page depends upon domain name ownership:
8 – Evaluate your company’s Internet marketing identity. Confirm that you completely control your email, website and domain names.
9 – Bulletproof your Email messaging systems.
I can’t stress these two items enough. If you are concerned, check WHOIS, the recognized Internet services used to confirm domain name ownership.
Web site building companies commonly register domain names for the web sites they build in their names instead of the company purchasing the web site’s name. When the time comes for change, the unknowing company finds itself not owning their own domain name and at the complete mercy of the web site building company.
The result can be as easy as a clean, quick transfer of ownership or an ugly drawn out court case or sloppy arbitration, and everything in between.
So, check WHOIS, determine that the Registrant is you. If not, take action to transfer registration to you using Network Solutions, the original domain name registrar!