A Standard Installation of QuickBooks is a single-user installation, intended for users who either do not need a QuickBooks network system or who connect to a QuickBooks server on another computer. It does not allow for hosting of the QuickBooks company files to other machines across a network. However, you can convert the installation so it will allow the hosting, without reinstalling the software.

In a Standard Install for a single-user computer, the database server is actually present, but it is not yet enabled. It is the QuickBooks Database Server that receives and handles actions and requests from QuickBooks Clients.

This procedure assumes that the *.QBW company files that you want to share are already on the computer. If this is not the case, you should copy the company files before you begin converting it to a multi-user host. By default, company files are stored in C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\(Shared) Documents\Intuit\QuickBooks\Company Files\.

 

To enable the QuickBase Database Server and convert a Standard Installation to a Multi-User Host installation:

1. In QuickBooks, go to the File menu, click Utilities, and then click Host Multi-User Access. This enables the current computer as a host for a QuickBooks network.

2. Configure the QuickBooks Database Server Manager:

   1. In a Windows® Explorer window, navigate to the QuickBooks "Common Files" installation directory. For QuickBooks 2008 and later, this is "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Intuit\Quickbooks\".

   2. In this folder, double-click QBServerUtilityMgr.exe.

      The QuickBooks Database Server Manager window will open.

   3. In the Scan Folders tab, click Add Folders to add the folders that have the company files that you want to share.

      This step tells QuickBooks the folders to scan for company files that need ND files. The QuickBooks Database Server Manager uses *.ND files to designate IP addresses and file locations for QuickBooks company files.

   4. When you've added all of the necessary folders to the list, click Scan.

      The QuickBooks Database Server scans the folders and create the necessary files for it to connect to those company files. The QuickBooks Company Files it locates will appear in the bottom half of the window.

   5. (Optional) Click the Monitored Drives tab and ensure that the local hard drives are selected as being monitored.

      The QuickBooks Database Manager will monitor the selected drives for company files added or moved to that drive.

   6. Click Close to close the server manager.

3. Configure the QuickBooks Database Server Manager to automatically start and run in the background when you reboot the computer:
   1. In Windows® Explorer, right-click on the QBServerUtilityMgr.exe file and choose Create Shortcut.
   2. Right-click the new shortcut that you just created and click Cut.
   3. Navigate to the Startup folder for your computer.

      In Windows® XP and Windows® 2000, this is typically "C:\Documents and Settings\[User Name]\Start Menu\Programs\Startup". To make this a startup application for all users, use "All Users" for the User Name.

      In Windows® Vista, you should be logged in under the account name that the computer is expected to use while hosting the Quickbooks company file. The Startup folder is typically "C:\Users\[User Name]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup". (To manually type the path name for a folder, you may need to click the folder icon on the left end of the address at the top of the Explorer window.)

   4. Right-click in the folder and choose Paste.

4. The shortcut for QBServerUtilityMgr.exe is moved to the Startup folder. It will now automatically run when Windows® starts.

For more details on setting up a multi-user QuickBooks system, see Setting up a QuickBooks network or multi-user environment.