Windows Configuration: What You Have to Set Up

If you store your company's data on a Windows XP Professional Edition, you need to ensure that you enable File and Print Sharing, and that you create a user account so that users can access the folder in which your company's data is stored.

To enable File and Print Sharing:

1. Open My Computer.
2. In the Tools menu, select Folder Options and then click View.
3. Uncheck Use simple file sharing.
4. On the Start menu, point to the Control Panel, and then select Windows Firewall.
5. On the Exceptions tab, select the File and Printer Sharing box.
6. Then click Edit.
7. Select TCP 445, and then click Change scope.
8. Click Any computer (including those on the Internet), and then click OK.
9. In the Edit a Service dialog box, click OK, and then click OK again to exit the Windows Firewall dialog box.

To create a user account:

1. On the Start menu, point to Programs, Administrative Tools, and then click Computer Management.
2. In the System Tools folder, expand Local Users and Groups, and then select Users.
3. On the Action menu, select New User.
4. Enter a user name, description and password.
   
   Note: The password must be a minimum of six characters, and must have one capital letter and one character that is not a letter.
5. Clear the User must change password at next logon check box.
6. Check the Password never expires check box and then click Create.

Accessing Data on a Windows Server From a Client Machine 

If your network is set up as a Workgroup (peer to peer network) or Domain: 

• Map the network share path to a drive letter on the client machine. Refer to Microsoft's online help for instructions on how to do so.
• Login to the server using an account that is defined on the server.

Note: If you're not using Windows XP Professional Edition, consult our online knowledgebase or your Windows documentation.

To enable File and Print Sharing:

1. On the Start menu, point to the Control Panel, Network and Internet, and then select Network and Sharing Center .
2. If network discovery is not turned on, click Turn on network discovery, and then click Apply. If necessary, enter the administrator password.
3. If file sharing is not turned on, click Turn on file sharing, and then click Apply. If necessary, enter the administrator password.
4. (Optional) If printer sharing is not turned on, click Turn on printer sharing, and then click Apply. If necessary, enter the administrator password.
5. Right-click the file or folder that you want to share, click Share, click the arrow, select the Sage Simply Accounting users that should be able to access the company data, and then click Share.

You may also have to ensure that Windows Firewall isn't blocking File and Printer Sharing.

1. On the Start menu, point to the Control Panel, Security, and then select Windows Firewall.
2. Click Allow a program through Windows Firewall. If necessary, enter the administrator password.

Note: The previous information applies to Windows Vista Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, Enterprise, Ultimate. For further information, consult our online knowledgebase or your Windows documentation.

To enable File and Print Sharing:

1. On the Start menu, point to the Control Panel, Network and Internet, and then select Network and Sharing Center.
2. Click Choose homegroup and sharing options.
3. Click Change advanced sharing settings.
4. If network discovery is not turned on, click Turn on network discovery, and then click Save Changes. If necessary, enter the administrator password.
5. If file and printer sharing is not turned on, click Turn on file and printer sharing, and then click Save Changes. If necessary, enter the administrator password.
6. Right-click the file or folder that you want to share, click Share with, click the arrow, and then select Specific People.
7. Select the Sage Simply Accounting users that should be able to access the company data, and then click Share.

You may also have to ensure that Windows Firewall isn't blocking File and Printer Sharing.

1. On the Start menu, point to the Control Panel, System and Security, and then select Windows Firewall.
2. Click Allow a program or feature through Windows Firewall. If necessary, enter the administrator password.

Note: The previous information applies to Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate. For further information, consult our online knowledgebase or your Windows documentation.

If you store your company's data on a Windows 2003 server, you need to ensure that you enable File and Print Sharing, and that you create a user account so that users can access the folder in which your company's data is stored.

To create a user account:

1. On the Windows 2003 server, login as the administrator.
2. On the Start menu, point to Programs, Administrative Tools, and then click Computer Management.
3. In the System Tools folder, expand Local Users and Groups, and then select Users.
4. On the Action menu, select New User.
5. Enter a user name, description and password.
   
   Note: The password must be a minimum of six characters, and must have one capital letter and one character that is not a letter.
6. Clear the User must change password at next logon check box.
7. Check the Password never expires check box and then click Create.

To enable File and Print Sharing:

1. Right-click on the folder where the company is stored and select Sharing and Security.
2. On the Sharing tab, enable Share this folder and enter a Share name. The folder name can be used as the share name to avoid confusion.
3. Define how many users will be allowed to connect to this folder with the User limit controls.
4. Click Permissions to add a group of users or single users and then define their permissions.
5. Click OK, and then click OK again to exit the folder Properties dialog box.

You also have to ensure that Windows Firewall isn't blocking File and Print Sharing.

1. On the Start menu, point to the Control Panel, and then select Windows Firewall.
2. On the Exceptions tab, click Edit.
3. Select TCP 445, and then click Change scope.
4. Click My network (subnet) only or Custom list and enter the IP address of the computer that you want to allow access. Click OK.
5. In the Edit a Service dialog box, click OK, and then click OK again to exit the Windows Firewall dialog box.

Accessing Data on a Windows Server From a Client Machine 

If your network is set up as a Workgroup (peer to peer network) or Domain: 

• On the client machine, map the Windows server data folder as a network drive. Refer to Microsoft's online help for instructions on how to do so.You need to connect to the server using the user account that you have created.

If you store your company's data on Windows SBS 2003, you need to ensure that you enable File and Print Sharing, and that you create a user account so that users can access the folder in which your company's data is stored.

To enable File and Print Sharing:

1. On the Start menu, point to the Control Panel, and then select Windows Firewall.
2. On the Exceptions tab, click Edit.
3. Select TCP 445, and then click Change scope.
4. Click Any computer (including those on the Internet), and then click OK.
5. In the Edit a Service dialog box, click OK, and then click OK again to exit the Windows Firewall dialog box.

To create a user account:

1. On the Start menu, point to Programs, Administrative Tools, Active Directory, and then click Users and Computers.
2. On the Action menu, point to New, and then select User.
3. Enter a user name, description and password.
   
   Note: The password must be a minimum of six characters, and must have one capital letter and one character that is not a letter.
4. Clear the User must change password at next logon check box.
5. Check the Password never expires check box and then click Create.
6. Click Next, and then click Finish.

Accessing Data on a Windows Server From a Client Machine

If your network is set up as a Workgroup (peer to peer network) or Domain:

• Map the network share path to a drive letter on the client machine. Refer to Microsoft's online help for instructions on how to do so.
• Login to the server using an account that is defined on the server.

If you store your company's data on a Windows 2008 server, you need to enable File and Print Sharing and configure your Network and Sharing Center settings. You also have to create a user account so that users can access the folder where your data is stored.

To configure Network and Sharing Center settings:

1. On the Windows server 2008, login as the administrator.
2. On the Start menu, point to Control Panel, Network and Internet, and then select Network and Sharing Center.
3. Open the Sharing and Discovery drop down, and then select Network Directory.
4. (Optional), If Network Discovery is off, select it, click Turn on network discovery, and then click Apply.
5. (Perform this step once windows has established a network connection to the Internet). In the Set Network property sheet, select Private, and then click OK.
6. Open the Password Protected Sharing drop down, select Turn on password protected sharing, and then click Apply.
7. Open the File Sharing drop down, select Turn on file sharing, and then click Apply.

To enable File and Print Sharing:

1. On the Start menu, point to Control Panel, Security, and then select Windows Firewall.
2. Click Change Settings.
3. On the Exceptions tab, click File and Print Sharing, and then click OK.

To create a user account:

1. On the Start menu, point to Program, Administrative Tools, and then click Computer Management.
2. In the Systems Tools folder, expand Local Users and Groups, and then select Users.
3. On the Action menu, select New User.
4. Enter a user name, description and password.
   
   Note:The password must be a minimum of six characters, and must have one capital letter and one character that is not a letter.
5. Clear the User must change password at next logon check box.
6. Check the Password never expires check box, click Create, and then click Close.

Accessing Data on a Windows Server From a Client Machine 

If your network is set up as a Workgroup (peer to peer network) or Domain: 

• Map the network share path to a drive letter on the client machine. Refer to Microsoft's online help for instructions on how to do so.
• Login to the server using an account that is defined on the server.

If you store your company's data on a Windows Small Business 2008 server, you need to enable File and Print Sharing and configure your Network and Sharing Center settings. You also have to create a user account so that users can access the folder where your data is stored.

To configure Network and Sharing Center settings:

1. On the Windows server 2008, login as the administrator.
2. On the Start menu, point to Control Panel, Network and Internet, and then select Network and Sharing Center.
3. Open the Sharing and Discovery drop down, and then select Network Directory.
4. (Optional), If Network Discovery is off, select it, click Turn on network discovery, and then click Apply.
5. (Perform this step once windows has established a network connection to the Internet). In the Set Network property sheet, select Private, and then click OK.
6. Open the Password Protected Sharing drop down, select Turn on password protected sharing, and then click Apply.
7. Open the File Sharing drop down, select Turn on file sharing, and then click Apply.

To enable File and Print Sharing:

1. On the Start menu, point to Control Panel, Security, and then select Windows Firewall.
2. Click Change Settings.
3. On the Exceptions tab, click File and Print Sharing, and then click OK.

To create a user account:

1. On the Start menu, point to Program, Administrative Tools, Active Directory, and then click Users and Computers.
2. On the Action menu, select New User.
3. Enter a user name, description and password.
   
   Note:The password must be a minimum of six characters, and must have one capital letter and one character that is not a letter.
4. Clear the User must change password at next logon check box.
5. Check the Password never expires check box, click Create, and then click Close.

Accessing Data on a Windows Server From a Client Machine 

If your network is set up as a Domain: 

• Map the network share path to a drive letter on the client machine. Refer to Microsoft's online help for instructions on how to do so.
• Login to the server using an account that is defined on the server.