Install QuickBooks Desktop on a server

learn how to install and configure quickbooks desktop on a server so that computers on your network can access your company files.

Do you want to share your quickbooks desktop for windows data with multiple users? you can set up a multi-user network to access your company’s files from other computers.

setup requires you to adjust settings on quickbooks desktop, windows and your server.

step 1: configure the quickbooks desktop

In a multi-user network, one computer hosts your company’s files. this is your server computer. Computers that connect to your network that don’t host your company’s files are called workstations.

1. If you haven’t already done so, follow the steps to download and then install quickbooks desktop on your server computer.
2. select custom and network installation for the installation type.
3. select I will use quickbooks desktop on this computer and store.. if you want the full version from quickbooks desktop on your server computer. if you only want your server computer to host your files, select I will not use the quickbooks desktop on this computer…
4. follow the on-screen instructions to finish the installation .

We strongly recommend keeping your company files on the local hard drive of your server computer. this makes it easier to share them across your network.

If you want to keep your files on a network drive, follow the steps to map the drive. then return to this article.

step 2: set folder permissions

Follow the steps to set folder permissions on your server computer. make sure the folder with your company files has permission to be on your network.

Step 3: Install Database Server Manager

If you follow the steps in step 1, quickbooks will also install the quickbooks database server manager on your server computer. this tool allows you to share your company’s files with other computers over your network.

make sure quickbooks database server manager is installed.

step 5: set administrator rights

make sure the user account you use to log in to your server computer has windows administrator rights.

Also, make sure the windows user account for the database server administrator has administrator rights.

Step 6: Use Database Server Manager

After installing Database Server Manager, follow the steps and use it to scan the folder containing your company files.

step 7: activate hosting

Now that you’ve set everything up outside of quickbooks, all you need to do is enable multi-user access on your server computer. your server computer should be the only computer with this feature enabled.

1. on the quickbooks desktop, go to the file menu and hover over utilities.
2. select host access multiuser . then select yes to confirm.

step 8: install quickbooks on a workstation

Now that your files are hosted over the network from the server, let’s install on your workstations.

1. Download and install quickbooks desktop on your workstations.2. select custom and network installation for the type of installation.3. select I will use the quickbooks desktop on this computer.4. follow the instructions on the screen to finish the installation.

When you want to access your multi-user network, log in as a user with administrator rights on your server and workstations.

See how to install quickbooks desktop for help with installation on your workstations.