Networking your computers offers you amazing freedom and flexibility in your computing. For many offices it is simply the only possible computing solution. However, there is also an entirely new logic that network users often need to learn! Software works a lot differently, especially powerful and flexible accounting software like Peachtree and MAS 90 Accounting software. If you're trying to install Peachtree Quantum or other Peachtree products on a network, try these simple steps before you call your Peachtree training center.
1. You can use a peer-to-peer network or a client/server network
Peachtree and MAS 200 software will work on both peer to peer and client/server type networks.
2. However, you can't use a Windows Terminal Server Environment
All warranties that come with your Peachtree software are null and void if you install it in a Windows Terminal Server environment.
3. Use the fastest machine with the most disk space as the main computer
In a peer-to-peer network, choose the machine that is set as administrator as the computer on which to install Peachtree, which should be the machine with the most memory and disk space.
4. Use a standard install on the first machine
Then, when you're installing it on the other machines, you can just use a network install
5. Make sure you're licensed for the correct number of users
You can't have the same username logged on more than once. Ideally, you would purchase a license for each user, however if you are willing to coordinate usernames somehow, it may be possible to share in the short term.
6. The data location you select must be a shared folder
Or else your other users won't be able to either save or access data!
7. Restart your system after installation
Peachtree writes to the Windows registry, so you should restart the system after you finish installing it, before you open the program. It's tempting not to - but this can cause problems with potential data corruption later on. Better to be safe than sorry! Warn any other users to save their open files, then restart the system.
8. All computers should be running the same version of Windows
This is not a hard and fast requirement, but is a base step for ensuring that you don't encounter problems down the line. Issues caused by multiple users editing Peachtree files from different versions of Windows can be very difficult to pinpoint. You'll save many hours by starting afresh with a consistent set of platforms.
9. Use the same brand of network card for best performance
For some unknown reason, Peachtree performs best when all the networked computers using it have the same brand of network card. It doesn't matter which brand it is... but pick one and stick with it!
10. Ensure you have enough memory
With more than one user editing the Peachtree files, chances are they'll get pretty large. Ensure the main computer has enough memory for all those numbers, names and records.
11. Five at a time, please
Peachtree will perform most reliably if you limit the number of simultaneous users to 5. It won't stop you from using the program with more than 5, but you'll probably find increased collision time and slower general performance.
12. Did you initially install as a single user?
If you did, it is far better to uninstall your single user version of Peachtree rather than trying to network install later, even if you've purchased the additional user licenses (or intend to in the near future). Different settings are used for installing the program for multiple users as opposed to for a single user.
Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the world's MOST POPULAR website advertising companies on the web.
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