This implementation guide contains instructions on how to set up your AccountEdge Network Edition Windows product. Follow the tasks below to install and begin using your software.

Overview

AccountEdge Network Edition (NE) for Windows provides simultaneous access to company files for multiple users on workstations, located on a Local Area Network (LAN) within a single office environment. This networking capability is made possible by its file manager program, FileConnect. FileConnect manages data input and output between a company file and workstations, so users are able to simultaneously enter, update, and delete transactions. FileConnect needs to run only on the host machine that has the company file to be shared. There can be more than one host, with multiple computers or machines hosting different company files, but the most common scenario is to have a single host machine. A host machine can hold multiple company files.

The data format of company files is platform-independent. This means that a company file can work with either AccountEdge Network Edition or AccountEdge Pro, although they cannot access a file simultaneously. Because AccountEdge Network Edition uses FileConnect for data transfers, the data of a company file cannot be shared with AccountEdge Pro users while AccountEdge Network Edition users are accessing the file. Furthermore, since FileConnect is being used, the company file must be placed in a specific location on the hard drive of the host machine.

AccountEdge Network Edition includes a sample company file, named Widgets. Because this file already has customers, vendors, employees, invoices, purchase orders, inventory items, payroll, received payments, and cash disbursements, you can explore the capabilities and features of AccountEdge Network Edition and learn its usage without having to input any of your own data. To open and log into the sample company file, select Sample Company at the AccountEdge Network Edition Welcome window, and log into the file using the User ID Administrator with no password (just click OK).

AccountEdge Network Edition will run unregistered for 30 days from the date of installation. Any time during this period, you can register your software by selecting Registration from the Help menu or by selecting the registration link at the top of the welcome window. If your software remains unregistered after the 30-day trial period, it will become inactive. Any data you have entered will be preserved and can be accessed after you register your software.

AccountEdge Network Edition uses FileConnect to share the data of a company file with all AccountEdge Network Edition users. To enable this, FileConnect will need to be installed and started on a host machine. For details, review the FileConnect section of this document.

Remote Access

Because of security implications and the possibility of company file corruption, using AccountEdge Network Edition in an environment other than a LAN is not recommended or supported. AccountEdge Network Edition is designed to work on a LAN within a single office environment. For information on a Windows hosted cloud environment with remote access, please visit https://www.accountedge.com/accountedge-hosted/

AccountEdge Network Edition System Requirements

To get the current system requirements for the latest version of AccountEdge Network Edition, click here. For better performance, we suggest the following specifications for the host computer:

• Client RAM: 8 GB RAM; 16 GB recommended
• 1000BaseT/Gigabit Ethernet Network
• Solid State Drive (SSD) for faster read/write speeds

Installation

Choosing the Right Host Machine

For networking, the company file needs to be stored on a host computer that allows each user access. In choosing a suitable host computer, consider the following: 

• Host the company file on the most powerful computer in the network. Your Network performance is enhanced if the company file is stored on the fastest computer with the most memory. 
• Host the company file on the key employee’s computer. If one employee will use AccountEdge more than anyone else, consider storing the company file on that employee’s computer. This person may experience better performance from accessing the company file directly, compared with accessing it across the network.
• Host the company file on a backup computer. If you store all of your important files on a central host that is backed up frequently, we recommend that you also store your company file on that host. This will ensure your company file is backed up like other vital data.

You can run AccountEdge on a host computer and use the company file on that computer, but users on workstations accessing the same file may discover that their system is slower than usual. If you encounter this situation, here are some solutions:

• Upgrade all of your computers to a recent Microsoft OS release and be sure that they are all using the same version. This will allow you to take advantage of the latest networking features and streamline communication amongst computers. Make sure all machines are fully updated. 
• Try to perform processing-intense tasks—such as printing documents or installing software programs on the host computer—only when others do not need access.

Installing AccountEdge Network Edition and FileConnect

AccountEdge Network Edition (Windows) is delivered as an executable file (.exe)

On Windows, double-click the executable file to run through its installation. The installation will take a few minutes.  

Installing AccountEdge Network Edition For Windows (Client Component)

1. If your computer allows only users with administrator privileges to install programs, log in as an administrator.
2. Double-click the downloaded AccountEdge Network Edition .exe file.
3. AccountEdge NE uses Bonjour, developed by Apple, to discover machines running FileConnect on the network. For this to work, Bonjour needs to be installed on both the client and host machines. If Bonjour needs to be installed the following installation step will be shown. Install Bonjour to continue.

4. Follow the onscreen instructions to install AccountEdge Network Edition. Default selections are recommended and no changes are necessary. Simply click 'Next' throughout the installation process.
5. Accept any license agreements during this process.

6. A shortcut named AccountEdge NE will be placed on your Desktop.
7. If AccountEdge NE does not launch, double-click the shortcut.

For each workstation in the network, repeat from Step 1 above.

NOTE: You need to run FileConnect on only the host computer. Please see the section below on how to install FileConnect

Installing FileConnect (Server Component)

Because AccountEdge Network Edition does not know which machine at a site will be the host machine, FileConnect does not automatically install. You will need to install FileConnect on the host machine.

To install FileConnect:

1. Launch AccountEdge NE.
2. At the Welcome Window select 'Download FileConnect' from the Company File Maintenance drop-down on the bottom right of the window.
3. Download the FileConnect installer and copy to the Host Machine if necessary.
4. Double-click the FileConnect .exe file (ie FileConnect_Win_US_27.0.8.exe)
5. FileConnect uses Bonjour, developed by Apple, to discover machines running FileConnect on the network. For this to work, Bonjour needs to be installed on both the client and host machines. If Bonjour needs to be installed the following installation step will be shown. Install Bonjour to continue.

4. Follow the onscreen instructions to install FileConnect. Default selections are recommended and no changes are necessary. Simply click 'Next' throughout the installation process.
5. Accept any license agreements during this process.

6. A shortcut named AccountEdge FileConnect will be placed on your Desktop.
7. When the installation is finished, AccountEdge FileConnect should launch and appear in the taskbar. If AccountEdge FileConnect does not launch, double-click the shortcut.

FileConnect

Before installing and starting FileConnect on the host machine, you should verify the machine is on the Local Area Network (LAN). If the machine is using more than one network service (e.g., an ethernet service and a wireless AirPort service), verify the service order is correct for your environment.

By default, FileConnect will use port 50000. If you need or want to use a specific port number, you can enter this in the Port field. A port number in the range of 49152 through 65535 is recommended for network communications. One reason to indicate a specific port number would be to allow communication through a firewall. If a firewall allows communications through specific ports and refuses connections on all other ports, you will need to set a FileConnect port number that the firewall allows.

Starting FileConnect

1. If FileConnect is running, click its icon in the taskbar.

1. If FileConnect is not running, double-click the AccountEdge FileConnect shortcut on the desktop.
2. Enter the Port Number to indicate a specific port number if necessary
3. Click the Start Server button if FileConnect is not running.
4. It is recommended that the "Start FileConnect on Windows Startup" checkbox be selected. To ensure that all users can connect to the Host, FileConnect should be running at all times.

Stopping FileConnect

If you need to restart or turn off FileConnect, follow the steps below:

NOTE:  Before stopping the FileConnect server, verify that all users are logged out or are idle and not actively working in the file. Stopping FileConnect with active users could result in data loss or corruption. To check what users are logged into FileConnect, check the Connected Clients, Database, and Users in the FileConnect window.

To Stop FileConnect:

Open FileConnect by clicking its icon in the taskbar.

Click the Stop Server button. If there are connected users you will get a warning message. Verify that these users are idle to avoid data loss or corruption.

NOTE: If you are having trouble restarting or stopping FileConnect, you can reboot your machie or use the Task Manager. Select FileConnect, and then select End Task. Be sure that all users are disconnected from your company files or are idle and not performing work before restarting your machine or quitting Fileconnect from the Task Manager. It is important that you are using the current version of your AccountEdge NE and FileConnect. When you launch AccountEdge NE and open a company file, you will be notified of any FileConnect updates.

If FileConnect quits unexpectedly, you will need to restart. Either reboot the host machine or double-click the FileConnect shortcut and click Start Server.

Prevent the Host Computer from Sleeping

When other users are accessing the company file on the host computer, you should not allow the host computer to go into sleep mode. Follow the steps below to prevent a computer from going to sleep. To prevent the host computer from sleeping follow these instructions (Windows 10/11)

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Go to System.
3. Navigate to Power & battery.
4. Click on Screen and sleep.
5. Set sleep options to Never.

Working With Company Files 

In AccountEdge Network Edition, all transactions of a single company are stored in a company file. All sales, purchases, disbursements, receipts, inventory and payroll information, all transactions, are stored in a company file. You could have more than one company file, and each file would contain the transactions of a different, single company. You can create a company file from any workstation that has AccountEdge Network Edition installed and has access to a host machine. When a company file is created, it is placed in a specific folder on the host machine (C > Program Data  > AccountEdge NE > Databases).

If your host machine is not listed in the Hosts dropdown on the Company File Browser window, and is not available using its IP Address and port, it is possible FileConnect is not running on the host machine. Verify FileConnect is running on the host machine; start FileConnect if necessary by selecting the FileConnect shortcut and clicking the Start Server button.

Create a New Company File

The New Company file assistant simplifies the process of creating a company file. If you need additional information about each step as you proceed through the Assistant, click the Help button at the bottom of any window.

1. Launch AccountEdge Network Edition
2. Select Create Company File from the Company File Maintenance menu in the lower right-hand corner of the Welcome window
3. Follow the on-screen instructions until you reach the Create your company file window
4. If the host machine listed is not the desired host,  click Browse. Otherwise click Next.
5. Select the host machine
   • To identify the host machine using Bonjour, select the host machine
   • To identify the host machine using the IP address,enter the IP address and port number of the host machine and Click Connect
6. Click Next, and your company file will be saved on the host machine
7. If you want to continue setting up your company file, you can use the Easy Setup Assistant to help you through the main company file setup tasks
8. If you want to set up your company file later, close the Easy Setup Assistant

Open a Company File

AccountEdge Network Edition remembers the name of the last file opened as well as the last 10 files opened. To open the last file opened, click Open on the Welcome window. To open one of the 10 last opened files, select the file from the File Menu > Open Recents list. 

To open a company file by browsing for it:

1. Launch AccountEdge Network Edition
2. Click the Browse button in the Welcome window to open the Company File Browser
3. Select either the Host Name in the Host dropdown or enter the IP Address and Port and click Connect to locate the host machine
4. Select the company file you want to open and click Open

Company File Maintenance

To help ensure the integrity of your financial information, you should perform regular maintenance: backing up, verifying, and optimizing, your company file.

Perform maintenance tasks on the host machine: For efficiency, maintenance tasks should be performed on the host machine. Perform maintenance tasks in single-user mode: You must prevent other users from making changes to files while performing maintenance tasks. Opening the file in single-user mode will prevent other users from opening the file. This option is selected on the login window  as you log into the file

Backing Up Company Files

To back up a company file:

1. Launch AccountEdge Network Edition and open the company file in single-user mode
   • You cannot open the file in single-user mode if other users have the file open; if you cannot open the file in single-user mode, verify all other users are logged out of the file
2. Select File > Backup
3. Choose the type of backup
   • You can elect to backup just the company file, or the company file and all custom templates, reports, spreadsheets and graphics
   • If you're using the host machine to back up your files, custom templates, reports, spreadsheets and graphics stored on the workstations will not be included in the backup. You will need to back up these items separately on your workstations
4. Choose whether or not to check your company file for errors
   • If you check for errors, AccountEdge Network Edition will run the Verify utility, which will check for company file integrity
   • If an error is detected, you will not be able to backup the company file, and the cause of the error will need to be determined
5. Select a location option for your backup:
   • Selecting To a Disk will allow you to save the backup file to your local disk, to a different hard disk, or to other media
   • To Dropbox will allow you to save your backup to your Dropbox account
6. Click Continue
7. If you selected the Check Company File for errors option, the verification process may take several minutes. The Verification process will check your company file for data integrity. If the Verification process fails, that is, there is a problem with the company file, the backup process will terminate. The problem with the company file must be resolved.
   • When the verification process finishes, click OK in the window that appears. This window appears whether or not errors were found in the company file
8. Indicate backup file name and location
   • The default backup file name will be Backup mm-dd-yy filename.zip2
   • You can change this name when you backup to disk
   • When you backup to Dropbox, the backup file will be saved in the AccountEdge/Backups/ folder of your Dropbox account
   • If the Save button is not active for you to click, the name of the backup file is too long; it needs to be shortened
   • By default, AccountEdge Network Edition will truncate the file name if it is too long, when saving to Dropbox

Restoring Company Files from Backups

Restoring from a backup requires access to the backup file. If the backup file is located on the host machine, the restore operation must be performed on the host machine. If the backup file is located on another machine in the LAN, the restore operation must be performed on that machine. In either case, the host machine, where you will restore the file to, must be available during the restore operation.

To restore a company file from a backup:

1. Select the Restore function
   • If you have a company file open, select File > Restore and indicate where the backup is (i.e., Disk, Dropbox)
   • If you are at the AccountEdge Network Edition Welcome window, select Restore from the Company File Maintenance menu in the lower right-hand corner of the window
2. Navigate to the folder where the backup is saved
3. Select the backup file, and click Open
4. In the Restore Company File Browser, indicate the name of the file you are about to restore, and select the host where the file should be located
5. Click Save. You will have just restored a company file from its backup. Once AccountEdge Network Edition completes the restore operation, it will present the login window, so you can immediately log into the restored file

Restoring Custom Forms from Backups

To restore your custom forms, letters, reports and spreadsheets, the backup file needs to be located on the machine where the restore process is to be performed. That means the backup file may have to be copied to this machine. With the backup file accessible:

1. Launch AccountEdge Network Edition
2. Open your company file, or open the Sample Company file
3. When the file is open, click the Company Data Auditor button, which is located under the Accounts tab
4. In the Company File Overview window, click the magnifying glass button to the right of Custom Forms, etc
5. Move the opened Finder window to one side of your screen
6. Click New Finder Window from the File menu at the top of the screen
7. In this window, navigate to the folder where the backup file resides
8. Double-click on the backup file; a folder will be extracted from the archive
9. Double-click to open the folder
10. Depending on your needs, you can move the Custom Forms, Custom Reports, Letters, and Spreadsheets folders from this window to the first window you opened, or selectively copy the contents of these folders, to the same-named folders in the first window you opened
11. When complete, you can remove the folder you extracted from the archive (the folder created by double-clicking the backup file)

Do the following if the Graphics folder needs to be restored on the machine hosting the company file that references those graphic files. 

1. Open a File Explorer window, and navigate to the folder where the backup file resides
2. Double-click on the backup file; a folder will be extracted from the archive
3. Double-click to open the folder and navigate to the Graphics folder.
4. Copy the contents of the Graphics folder to C > Program Data  > AccountEdge NE > Graphics

Verifying a Company File

Data verification is the process of checking a company file for errors. Verification can catch minor problems in the file before they cause more serious issues. You can verify your company file at any time. For efficiency, this should be done by selecting the Local button when Verify Company File is selected. 

To verify a company file:

1. Launch AccountEdge Network Edition and open the company file in single-user mode
   • You cannot open the file in single-user mode if other users have the file open; if you cannot open the file in single-user mode, verify all other users are logged out of the file
2. Select File > Verify Company File
3. Click Local to Verify the company file on the local machine ro OK to verify the on the server.

When the file verification process is complete, a message appears describing the results of the process.

1. If no errors were found, click OK to end the verification process
2. If your company file is corrupt, you can
   • Attempt to fix the company file by optimizing it—see Optimizing Company Files, then repeat from step 1 above to check if the error has been fixed
   • Restore the company file from your most recent backup—see Restoring Company Files from Backups

Optimizing Company Files

As you enter and remove transactions or display information about transactions, your company file will have unused areas that once contained transaction information. These unused areas can impact the efficiency of your company file and take up space on your hard disk. You can use the Optimization Assistant to remove these unused areas in the company file and keep your software running efficiently.

You must be on the host machine to Optimize your company file. This process should be done in single-user mode.

To Optimize a Company File

1. Launch AccountEdge Network Edition and open the company file in single-user mode
   • You cannot open the file in single-user mode if other users have the file open; if you cannot open the file in single-user mode, verify all other users are logged out of the file
2. Select File > Optimize Company File, and click OK to continue
3. In the Optimization Assistant window, click Continue
4. Navigate to the Databases folder
   • C > Program Data  > AccountEdge NE > Databases
5. Select the file and click Open

The Optimization process will Optimize your company file, which has a .myo extension. The Optimization Assistant will also create a copy of your unoptimized company file, giving it an extension of .bak. The .bak copy can be deleted when you have verified your company file is OK. Click Continue to Optimize another file, select Close otherwise.

Upgrading Files from Older Versions

Company files used in previous versions of AccountEdge will need to be upgraded before you can use them in the latest version of AccountEdge Network Edition. Files need to be upgraded on the machine where the file resides (the host machine). To upgrade a company file:

1. Launch AccountEdge Network Edition
2. Select Upgrade company file from the Company File Maintenance menu in the lower right-hand corner of the window
3. In the Upgrade Assistant window, click Find File
4. Navigate to the folder where the company file resides.
5. Click on the file to upgrade
6. Click the Open button
7. In the Upgrade Assistant window, click the Save As button
8. Navigate to the Databases folder
   • C > Program Data  > AccountEdge NE > Databases
9. Indicate the name of the upgraded company file (cannot be the same name as the original file)
10. Click the Save button
11. In the Upgrade Assistant window, click the Next button
12. Confirm your selections; click the Next button
13. Click Finish in the Upgrade Assistant, Congratulations window
14. Your file is now upgraded. You can use Browse from the AccountEdge Network Edition window to open your company file.

Upgrading From AccountEdge Pro to Network Edition

Company files used in AccountEdge Pro are compatible with AccountEdge Network Edition. When using AccountEdge Network Edition, the company file must reside in a specific folder on the host machine. If you are upgrading from AccountEdge Pro to AccountEdge Network Edition, you will need to move your company file to this location.

1. Select Copy company file to host from the Welcome Window > Company File Maintenance dropdown.
2. Select the file you want to move to the host machine file location (C > Program Data  > AccountEdge NE > Databases)
3. Select the Host machine and click Save
4. If you wish to open the file, click Yes when asked if you would like to open that file.
5. If the file needs to be upgraded, uponing opening, you will be prompted to upgrade the file.

Attaching Documents

You can attach documents to cards in the Card File, Invoices, and Purchase Orders. When documents are attached they can be copied to an AccountEdge Documents folder in order to make them available to all users of AccountEdge Network Edition. The complete path of the AccountEdge Documents folder is:  C > Program Data  > AccountEdge NE > Accountedge Documents on the host machine.

You can also link documents to cards in the Card File, Invoices, and Purchase Orders, which means the documents will not be copied to the AccountEdge Documents folder. Instead, AccountEdge will record a link to the file, regardless of where it is located on the hard drive. When you use this method, users on other workstations may not be able to access the documents.

The AccountEdge Documents folder and its contents are not saved as part of an AccountEdge Backup. If you wish to create backups of this folder, you will need to do so separately.

AccountEdge Network Definitions and Locations

Bonjour -  A network protocol that facilitates the identification of computers on a Local Area Network (LAN), without user intervention.

Company File - A single file containing all transactions and related data for a single entity.

Databases Folder - The folder on a host machine where company files are located. The complete path is:

•  C > Program Data  > AccountEdge NE > Databases

Document Attachments Folder - The folder on a host machine where attached documents are located. The complete path is:

•  C > Program Data  > AccountEdge NE > Accountedge Documents

FileConnect - The AccountEdge Network Edition utility that enables the sharing of company file data to all AccountEdge Network Edition users on a Local Area Network.

Graphics Folder - The folder on a host machine where image files are stored. These images are referenced from company files. The complete path is:

• C > Program Data  > AccountEdge NE > Graphics

Host - A computer in a Local Area Network where company files are stored, that makes the data of the files available to AccountEdge Network Edition users on the network.

Lock Files - Additional files used by AccountEdge Network Edition to track company file access. Lock files have names starting with Access and Lock, and an extension of .flk. These files record, among other things, which users have a company file open. They are created when a company file is opened and removed when users have no company files open.

Machine ID - A unique computer identification method, generated from the operating system.

Multi-User - A mode of operation where several users can open a single company file, and simultaneously record (create and update) transactions.

Optimizer - An AccountEdge Network Edition utility used to optimize a company file. Optimization compacts the data in a company file and reindexes the database for efficiency.

Sample Company - A company file containing sample data of customers, vendors, employees, jobs, inventory items, invoices, purchases, loans, received payments, and disbursements. You can use this file to explore the capabilities of AccountEdge Network Edition. Enter, update, and delete transactions, card file entries, and item records, while not impacting the data in your own company file.

Serial Number - A unique identification number used to register your AccountEdge Network Edition software.

Single-User - A mode of operation where only one user can open a single company file, excluding access to all other users.

Verify - An AccountEdge Network Edition utility used to verify database integrity.

Widgets - See sample company.

Notes

1. The hard drive location on the host machine, where the company files are located is: "C:\ProgramData\AccountEdge NE\Databases"
2. Backup mm-dd-yyyy filename.zip
   • mm-dd-yyyy is the date from your machine's clock
   • filename is your company file name
   • .zip is the file extension and cannot be changed.

* Wireless networks are acceptable; ethernet-based (wired) networks are preferred. New Macbook Pro laptops with Retina displays do not have ethernet connections. To connect these machines, you would need an adapter that will connect to the USB or Thunderbolt (preferred) port.

Support Options

Telephone Support
Buy an annual telephone support plan to get the answers you need, when you need them. Telephone Support offers expert phone support from our support staff. For more information or to enroll, visit https://www.accountedge.com/support/. Technical support is limited to installation, upgrade assistance, basic usability, and basic functionality for AccountEdge software. We cannot resolve issues caused by third-party services, service providers, hardware, third-party software, or networking problems. Phone support does not cover inquiries on general accounting or tax issues, nor does it include application consulting or training.

Additional Support Resources Certified Consultants
Certified Consultants are independent computer or accounting professionals who demonstrate a high level of knowledge, skill, and experience with AccountEdge. Certified Consultants can assist you with installing, setting up, and using your accounting software. They can also provide product demonstrations and on-site training. To find local help, visit https://www.accountedge.com/partners/locator/.

Self-Help
A variety of Self-Help options are available under the Help menu of your product. Search our knowledge base - find answers to your questions and learn from how-to guides. To access online self-help options, visit https://www.accountedge.com/support/