AccountEdge Network Edition -- Setup

AccountEdge Network Edition provides multiple, simultaneous access to company files for users on workstations on a Local Area Network (LAN), within a single office environment. This capability is powered by FileConnect, which is installed with Network Edition. FileConnect manages data input and output between the company file and workstations so users can simultaneously enter, update, and delete transactions -- users on different workstations never access a company file directly, all transactions are managed by FileConnect on their behalf.

A company file to be shared is placed in a specific location on the hard drive of a host machine, and FileConnect on that host makes the data available to workstations. FileConnect only needs to run on a host machine that has a company file to share. A site can have more than one host, each hosting different company files, but the most common setup is one host machine hosting one or more company files.

The data format of company files is platform-independent -- a company file can be used with AccountEdge Network Edition, AccountEdge Pro, or AccountEdge Pro for Windows. However, because Network Edition uses FileConnect for data transfers, a company file's data cannot be shared with AccountEdge Pro users while Network Edition users are accessing it, and the file must remain in FileConnect's specific host-machine location.

For the current system requirements for the latest version of AccountEdge Network Edition, check the AccountEdge system requirements page. For better performance, the host computer should meet these recommended specifications:

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

The company file needs to be stored on a host computer that every user can access. Considerations when choosing a host:

• Host the company file on the most powerful computer on the network -- performance is better on the fastest machine with the most memory.
• Consider hosting on the key employee's computer -- if one employee uses AccountEdge more than anyone else, they may see better performance accessing the file directly rather than across the network.
• Consider hosting on a machine that's already backed up frequently, so the company file is backed up along with other vital data.

If the host computer is also used as a workstation and other users notice it's slower than usual, try upgrading all computers to the same, current OS release, and avoid processing-intensive tasks (like printing or installing software) on the host while others need access.

Before starting FileConnect on the host, verify the machine is on the LAN, and if it has more than one network service (e.g. ethernet + Wi-Fi), verify the service order is correct.

While other users are accessing the company file on the host, the host should not go to sleep.

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

The New Company File assistant simplifies creating a company file -- click Help at the bottom of any Assistant window for more detail on that step.

1. Launch AccountEdge Network Edition.
2. Select Create Company File from the Company File Maintenance menu (lower right of the Welcome window).
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to the Create your company file window, then click Browse.
4. Select the host machine -- via Bonjour (select the host from the Bonjour tab) or via IP Address (enter the IP address and port number).
5. Enter a name for the company file in Save As, then click Save. Click Next and the file saves on the host machine.
6. Use the Easy Setup Assistant to continue setting up the file now, or close it to finish later.

Network Edition remembers the last file(s) opened -- click Open on the Welcome window for the most recent, or (Windows) use File > Open Recents for the last 10.

1. Launch AccountEdge Network Edition.
2. Click Browse in the Welcome window to open the Company File Browser.
3. Locate the host machine via Bonjour/Host dropdown, or by entering its IP Address and port (click Connect on Windows).
4. Select the company file and click Open.

1. Launch AccountEdge Network Edition and open the company file in single-user mode (all other users must be logged out first).
2. Select File > Backup.
3. Choose the backup type: just the company file, or the file plus all custom templates/reports/spreadsheets/graphics. If backing up from the host, items stored on individual workstations aren't included -- back those up separately on each workstation.
4. Choose whether to check the file for errors first (runs the Verify utility). If an error is found, the backup cannot proceed until the cause is resolved.
5. Choose a backup location: To a Disk (local disk, external drive, other media) or To Dropbox. iCloud is not supported for AccountEdge backup storage.
6. Click Continue. If verification was selected, it may take several minutes -- click OK once it finishes (this appears whether or not errors were found).
7. Confirm the backup file name and location. Default name is Backup mm-dd-yy filename.zip; this can be changed for disk backups. Dropbox backups save to the AccountEdge/Backups/ folder. If Save isn't clickable, the file name is too long and needs shortening (Dropbox backups get auto-truncated if too long).

Restoring a company file

The restore operation must be performed on whichever machine holds the backup file (or on the host machine you're restoring to, if the backup has been copied there).

1. Select Restore: if a file is open, File > Restore (indicate the backup location); otherwise, Restore from the Company File Maintenance menu on the Welcome window.
2. Navigate to and select the backup file, click Open.
3. In the Restore Company File Browser, name the file being restored and select the host it should live on.
4. Click Save -- the restore completes and the login window appears so the restored file can be opened immediately.

Restoring custom forms, letters, reports & spreadsheets

The backup file must be on the machine where the restore is performed -- copy it there first if needed.

Verification checks a company file for errors, catching minor problems before they become serious. It can be run any time, but for efficiency should be done on the host machine, in single-user mode.

1. Launch AccountEdge Network Edition and open the company file in single-user mode.
2. Select File > Verify Company File.
3. Mac: click OK to run the process. Windows: click Local to verify on the local machine, or OK to verify on the server.
4. Review the results. If no errors, click OK to finish.

If the file is corrupt: try optimizing it first (see below), then repeat verification -- or restore from the most recent backup if optimizing doesn't resolve it.

As transactions are entered and removed, unused areas accumulate in the company file, which can slow performance and use extra disk space. The Optimization Assistant removes these unused areas. Optimizing must be done on the host machine, in single-user mode -- and is a good habit after purging data or starting a new fiscal year.

1. Launch AccountEdge Network Edition and open the company file in single-user mode.
2. Select File > Optimize Company File, click OK, then Continue in the Optimization Assistant.
3. Navigate to the Databases folder (see the Setup guide's folder-locations glossary for the exact path) and select the file to open.

Optimizing gives the file's .myo data a fresh, streamlined copy, and creates a .bak copy of the unoptimized original (safe to delete once the optimized file is confirmed OK). Click Continue to optimize another file, or Close when done.

Upgrading files from older AccountEdge versions

Company files from previous AccountEdge versions must be upgraded before use in the latest Network Edition -- this must be done on the host machine.

1. Launch AccountEdge Network Edition, select Upgrade Company File from the Company File Maintenance menu.
2. In the Upgrade Assistant, click Find File, navigate to the old file's folder (typically the Databases folder), select it, and click Open.
3. Click Save As, navigate to the Databases folder, name the upgraded file (must differ from the original), and click Save.
4. Click Next, confirm the selections, click Next again, then Finish.
5. The file is upgraded -- use Browse from the Welcome window to open it.

Upgrading from AccountEdge Pro to Network Edition

Company files from AccountEdge Pro are fully compatible with Network Edition, but must be moved into NE's specific host-machine folder location first.

1. Select "Copy company file to host" from the Welcome window's Company File Maintenance dropdown.
2. Select the file to move to the host machine's Databases folder.
3. Select the host machine and click Save.
4. Choose to open the file if prompted -- if it needs upgrading, you'll be prompted for that too.

Documents can be attached to cards in the Card File, Invoices, and Purchase Orders. Attached documents copy into the AccountEdge Documents folder on the host machine, making them available to all NE users (see the folder-locations glossary above for the exact Mac/Windows path).

Documents can also be linked instead of attached -- AccountEdge records only a link to the file wherever it lives on disk, without copying it. Users on other workstations may not be able to access linked documents if they can't reach that file location.

To move hosting from one Mac to another that already has AccountEdge Network Edition installed:

1. Copy the data file from the current host to a flash drive or other network-accessible location: Finder > Go > Computer > Macintosh HD > Library > Application Support > AccountEdge NE > Databases > right-click (or Control-click) the .myo file > Copy > paste it into the flash drive/network location.
2. Turn off FileConnect on the current host: Apple menu > System Preferences > AccountEdge icon > Stop FileConnect (enter admin password when prompted).
3. On the new host, follow the same System Preferences steps but click Start FileConnect instead.
4. Copy the data file from the flash drive/network location into the new host's Databases folder.

OS & software version consistency

Network Edition relies on Apple's Bonjour protocol, which macOS updates periodically -- keep all workstations on the same macOS version and build. FileConnect versions must also match exactly across the network; if the host and clients get out of sync (e.g. host on FileConnect 26.0.1, clients on 26.0.0), clients won't see the host's files. Turn on Automatic Check for Updates (Preferences > System tab) on every workstation including the host, or check manually via the AccountEdge NE menu > Check For Updates.

Company file factors

A normal file size is 80-200 MB; beyond 200 MB, performance can drop -- use AccountEdge's built-in tools to reduce file size. The Optimizer (see above) rebuilds and streamlines the file similar to defragmenting a drive, and should always be run after purging data or starting a new fiscal year.

Scale limitations

AccountEdge is built for small-to-medium businesses. Speed tends to decline with more than about 10 concurrent users, more than roughly 6,500 of any single data type (cards, jobs, items, etc.), or very high daily transaction volume -- at that scale, consider whether enterprise-level accounting software is a better fit.

Network factors

Disable Wi-Fi if using Ethernet -- having both active can cause AccountEdge to use the slower connection. Wired networks are strongly preferred over wireless for speed and stability. Network speed is only as fast as its slowest link -- an old client machine can drag down performance even with a fast host and network.

Hardware factors

Address software/network factors before spending on hardware. SSDs access and write data much faster than HDDs -- moving the company file (or the whole host) to an SSD can meaningfully help. Wiring matters too: a single old CAT5 cable can bottleneck an otherwise-upgraded CAT6 network.