Upgrading Lacerte from a standalone configuration to a network configuration

After you have determined that upgrading to a network configuration is beneficial to your firm, and have purchased additional users, the next task will be changing your current standalone configuration to a network configuration.

There is not a separate version for network users, so changing your current configuration to a network will primarily consist of insuring your settings are up to date, and copying your data and options to your new server.

The following steps should be completed in order:

1. View Current Settings
2. Update Preparer Information
3. Change System File Path
4. Set Primary Options
5. Restore Client Data
6. Adding Other Computers to the Network Installation

Before You Begin: Choose a computer that will perform the steps.  The computer chosen should be the computer that has the most up to date client data and user-defined settings, commonly referred to as Options, such as Letters, Invoices, Appointments, E-file settings, etc.

View Current Settings

Viewing your current settings and making a note of key paths will assist with restoring your client information at a later step.

1. Open Lacerte
2. Press F10 to open the Technical Support Information window
3. In the Systems Information tab, make a note of the Data path location
   • This will typically be similar to C:\Lacerte\24Tax\IDATA\
4. If you prepare multiple types of returns, repeat steps 2-3 for each module to make a note of all your data paths.

Update the Preparer Information

Your preparer file stores your firm information, including the number of users you are licensed for. Updating your preparer information now will ensure your network will be ready for all users as soon as you finish these steps.

1. Open Lacerte
2. Select the Settings menu
3. Select Update Preparer Information
4. Select Download Prep File
5. After it finishes connecting, select Update My Program Now (Recommended)
6. Select OK
7. Check the box for the years you plan to migrate to your network configuration
   • Your license for your current year applies to the prior 4 year.
   • Years older than 4 years are unlocked, and would need to be downloaded from My Account
   • See Download Prep Files from My Account
8. Enter the installation directory for each selected year
   • The installation path for the current year will be automatically populated
   • You can copy and paste this path for each you are updating, and then update the 24Tax in the path to the applicable year
9. Select OK
10. You will be prompted if you want to add a Primary Password, Select Yes or No
    • If you select Yes, you will be prompted to enter a Primary Password
    • You can add or change the Primary Password at a later time
    • The Primary Password prevents other users from changing the Primary Options, but not their user options.
11. If multiple years were selected in Step 7, you will receive the Primary Password prompt for each year
12. When prompted to quit the program for the change to take effect, select Yes
13. After Lacerte closes, reopen it
14. When opening, you will receive a window showing your updated preparer information
    • You can see your number of network users under Additional Programs Purchased

Change System File Path

1. Click the Settings menu
2. Select System File Path
3. Select Change.
4. In the Change To: field, enter the network location you will be saving your Lacerte files
   • Note: The path specified must end with YYTax, where YY represents the two digit tax year.
   • For example, X:\Lacerte\24Tax for 2024 Lacerte
5. If the path does not exist, Select Yes to create it
6. When prompted to copy existing system files:
   • If you do not have custom documents, or want default settings, select No
   • If you have custom letters, invoices, or other settings, select Yes
7. If prompted to notify other users of the change, select Yes
8. Select OK
9. After Lacerte closes, reopen it
10. Press F10 to open the Technical Support Information window
11. Verify your System File Path is now at the network location

Set Primary Options

1. Select the Settings menu
2. Select Primary Options.
   • Enter the Primary Password if prompted
3. Select the Setup tab.
4. Verify the Data Path and Shared K1 Data Path are set to the network location. For Example:
   • X:\Lacerte\24Tax\IData
   • X:\Lacerte\24Tax\Shared\K1
5. Update any other options as desired, such as Items to Print
6. Select OK
7. Select Yes to update current changes
8. Select OK to close Lacerte
9. Open Lacerte
   • Note: The client files will not appear on the Clients tab at this point. We will restore the clients in the next section
10. If you prepare other types of returns, switch to each tax type and repeat Steps 2-9 to verify all data paths are updated

Restore Client Data

1. Go to the module that needs clients restored
2. Select the Client menu
3. Select Restore
4. In the Restore from filed, enter or Browse to the location of the Data Path you made a note of earlier in View Current Setting
   • Note: You can only restore clients that match your current module. So if you are in Individual, you would restore clients from the path ending in IDATA
5. Select the clients to restore to the network location. To select all clients at once:
   • Select Group
   • Select All Clients
   • Select OK
6. Select OK to begin the restore
7. Once completed, you will see the clients in your client list.
8. If you have clients for other modules you need to restore, repeat Steps 1-6 for each

Adding Other Computers to the Network Installation

The last step will be to add other computers to the network location so you can share your data and options with them.

• For new computers, this can be set up during the install by using TaxSetup, the workstation installer.
• For pre-existing standalone computers, you can either use TaxSetup or follow the Change System File Path detailed earlier.
  • If changing the System File Path, if prompted to copy options to the new location, choose No.

To add a new computer to the network using TaxSetup:

1. Close all years of Lacerte
2. Browse to the System File Path on the network
   • For example, X:\Lacerte\24Tax for 2024 Lacerte
3. Open the Setup24 folder
4. Run the TaxSetup program
   • You can typically find it near the bottom of the list of files
5. Proceed through the setup wizard. Your Local Workstation Path will still be on the local computer, typically C:\Lacerte\24Tax\
6. Once the setup complete, open Lacerte
7. You should see all clients now, and can press F10 to open the Technical Support Information window to confirm the System File Path is accurate.