Getting Started

Note

The following guidelines and procedures should be followed for a successful Acctivate installation on your Windows Server or Workgroup host computer. These instructions are for companies running Acctivate on their own server or a dedicated hosted server.

For hosting options, refer to our Acctivate Cloud Hosting page.

The Acctivate installer will provide you with the option to install Acctivate on the server or workstation. The Acctivate server installation should only be performed on a single computer within your organization. Acctivate can be installed on additional computers using the workstation installation process.

Acctivate can either be installed in a Windows Server network or a Workgroup network:

  • Windows Server In a Windows server network, Acctivate must be installed on the Windows server. You cannot be logged on to a workstation that is connected to the server, you must be logged on to the server itself as the System Administrator.

  • Workgroup Acctivate should be installed on the workstation that contains the QuickBooks data files, referred to as the Master Workstation. Log onto the Master Workstation as the local Windows Administrator. The Master Workstation is the computer that will host the main Acctivate configuration files and database.

Before getting started:

  • You must exit all running applications before installing Acctivate. This includes virus detection programs and other utilities that may be running in the background. It is recommended that all Windows Updates are installed and the computer is rebooted (if prompted) prior to beginning the installation of Acctivate.
  • The Acctivate installer will download required components as needed, so an internet connection is required during the installation process.

Performing the Server Install

  1. Download the Acctivate Install from the Acctivate Downloads site. There is only one install file used for both types of installation (server/workstation) and edition (Acctivate for QuickBooks or CYMA).

  2. Click “Run” from within your browser to run the installer, or double-click the file name in your Downloads folder.

  3. A Welcome window will appear, click Next.

  4. The standard Acctivate License Agreement will be presented. Read the license carefully. If you agree to the terms of the agreement, click I accept then the Next button.

  5. You will be asked to choose the installation type. Select Server and click Next.

  6. You will be asked to enter your Acctivate license credentials. Your license credentials can be found on your invoice from the purchase of Acctivate. The license will determine which edition of Acctivate is installed.

  7. The next window will prompt for the destination location where the software will be installed on your computer. Click Next to accept the default folder (recommended) or browse to select another folder.

  8. You will be asked for the folder name in the Windows Start menu. Click Next to select the default or you may change it to another name.

  9. If a Microsoft SQL Server instance by the name of ACCTIVATE is not already installed on your computer, the installer will install Microsoft SQL Server and you will be asked for the SQL Instance directory and SQL Data directory. Click Next to accept the default locations (recommended) or browse to select other folders.

    Note

    If you have an existing Microsoft SQL Server instance that you plan to use and it's named something other than ACCTIVATE, refer to our Installation Resource.

    Note

    If Microsoft SQL Server is already installed, you may be prompted to enter the password for the Microsoft SQL Server “sa” user.

  10. Finally, click Install to begin the installation process. This may take a few minutes depending on the speed of your system.

    Note

    By default, Acctivate will transmit operational statistics (usage metrics) from Acctivate to Alterity, Inc. to help improve Acctivate. You can opt out by unchecking this checkbox or you can manage this preference at any time through Acctivate Database Maintenance.

  11. Once the install is complete, click Finish.

After the installation, if you are prompted to restart, select the restart option before attempting to use Acctivate or perform a workstation install.

Congratulations on a successful Acctivate installation!

You can now log in to the Acctivate Demo company or install Acctivate on workstation computers.