Preferences in a network environment

Some of the choices in the Preferences window of your software can affect how everyone works with your company file. These preferences are clearly marked System-wide.

Multi-user file locking for daily transactions

Multi-user file locking ensures that changes cannot be made in some windows while related data is being changed by another user.

For example, a situation could arise where a user is recording information in a sales transaction window while another user is changing details of the customer card being used in the sales transaction. In such a situation, multi-user file locking disallows changes being saved in one of the windows until the changes have been saved in the other window.

If you would like to know when another user has changed data in a window, go to the Setup menu, choose Preferences, click the System tab, and select Automatically Refresh Lists When Information Changes. Now, if another user changes information you are viewing, your software closes your window. When you reopen it, the data is updated.

tip : View a list of users

If you have been prevented from accessing the company file, you can determine the user who is locking you out. To do this, go to a computer that has access to the company file and view the list of active users (go to the File menu and choose Active Workstations).

Single-user file locking for special tasks

Only one user should have access to a company file during file maintenance procedures, such as backing up, checking, and optimizing the company file. For example, optimizing a company file rearranges its internal structure, so ensure that the file is not being accessed while this process is taking place. Other single-user tasks are part of standard bookkeeping practice. For example, when you print a report, you do not want anybody to change data that will appear in the report while it is being printed.

tip : View a list of users

To check whether any other users are currently using the company file before you set a single-user lock, go to the File menu and choose Active Workstations.

Single-user file locking prevents all but the first logged-in user from accessing a shared company file—other users cannot even log in. To enable single-user access after starting your software, click Single-user access in the Sign-on window.

The tasks that require single-user file locking include:

■	backing up a company file

■	restoring a backup file

■	company file verification

■	purging data

■	exporting data

■	importing data

■	starting a new fiscal year

■	creating, changing, or deleting report batches

■	optimizing a company file

■	setting up, changing, or removing user accounts

■	starting a new payroll year

■	loading payroll tax tables

■	synchronizing cards and Address Book contacts

■	creating, changing, or removing payroll categories.

Problems with lock files

If the power fails, or you switch off your computer while your software is running, or your system crashes, the software is unable to delete the lock file. You will need to delete the lock files manually. The following situations can cause lock files to accumulate in the folder where the company file is kept, resulting in various error messages when you try to open a company file:

■	Someone else is currently signed on with the same User ID. Someone else is using the company file with your user ID or a lock file from an irregularly ended session is present.

■

No more than 10 company files in any folder may be opened at one time. There are more than 10 lock files—the maximum permitted—in the folder where a company file is kept. This can occur legitimately if there are more than 10 company files in the folder, 10 of which are open simultaneously, so that an 11th open file would create an illegal 11th lock file.

It is possible 10 lock files have accumulated in the folder owing to crashes and other problems.

■	You have reached the maximum number of simultaneous users allowed under your software Workstation License. If you know this is incorrect, the problem may be a lock file.

Any of the above messages may mean that there are old lock files cluttering the folder where you store the company file. You need to delete the lock files before your software will run correctly.

To delete lock files

1	Ensure all users are logged out of your software.

2	Close your software.

3	Locate the folder where you keep the shared company file.

4	Delete all lock files. They are named Lock????.flk, where ???? stands for a number from 0001 to 0010.

5	Restart your software and reopen the shared company file.

Related topics

■	Preventing data entry while generating reports

■	Storing custom reports on a network

■	Displaying up-to-date information

■	Improving performance