AcctVantage ERP Server Install Instructions (macOS)
Revised: 02/19/2025
AcctVantage 2025 introduces a great new feature for exporting data to a MySQL database. The upgrade to this version will take longer than usual as the system indexes the data to support this feature. We highly recommend you begin the upgrade at the end of the business day and allow to run after hours to minimize disruption. The actual time required for this process is dependent on your database size and server hardware.
1. Make a backup of your data.
From the AcctVantage Server computer: select the Maintenance tab and click the Start Backup button.
After the backup is complete, verify all users are logged out of the system and shut down the AcctVantage Server application.
2. Run the installer
Depending on which version of macOS you are using, you might see an alert about installing Rosetta. This is required in order to run AV 2025 on newer versions of macOS.
Double-click the AV Server DMG file to open the installer.
Double-click the PKG file to start the installation.
Click Continue to proceed.
Read the license agreement. Click Continue and then Agree to proceed.
Leave the install location set to the default and click Install to proceed.
The installation was successful! Click Close to finish.
3. Prepare the new key file (if necessary)
Navigate to the folder where the data file (4DD) is stored, delete the old key file (AKF) from this folder and place your new key file into this folder.
The 4DD file should be located at the path below (<your_company_data> is a generic name of the folder where the 4DD file is located):
Macintosh HD/Applications/AcctVantage ERP Server/<your_company_data>
New key files are only necessary when the year changes (e.g when upgrading from AV 2023 to AV 2025)
4. Launch the AV Server app.
- If you are launching AcctVantage from an icon in the Dock, you may need to replace the old icon with the one for the new version.
- When you first launch a new version of AcctVantage, the system will need to know which database to connect to.
- You will see a prompt --Cancel, Create or Open-- Select Open and then navigate to the data file (4DD).
- AcctVantage will remember the location of the database and will open it automatically the next time you restart the AV Server (as long as the file and folder names have not changed.)
- If you see a message stating Version numbers do not match you can safely click past it. (Remember to delete your old key file or else you won't be able to get past this message.)
- If you see a prompt to install a key file, click the install button and point to the key file from Step 3.
If you have your AV Server application set to Open at Login in MacOS, you will need to remove that setting from the old version and reinstate the setting in the new version you're updating to.
5. Verify your backup settings.
The backup settings should automatically be transferred over to the new version of AcctVantage. However, sometimes this does not occur for various reasons. It's always a good idea to verify your backup settings after installing a new version.
Go to the Maintenance tab and click on Preferences to see your backup settings.
Below is a quick refresher on backup settings. See this link for more info -> AcctVantage Backup Settings
5.1. Scheduler
Set the Automatic Backup setting to Every Day. It's best to leave the backup time to the default (midnight) unless you have a compelling reason to do otherwise.
5.2. Configuration
Leave only the Data File box checked. Uncheck everything else and remove any files that are listed under Attachments.
Under Backup File Destination Folder, select the folder where you want to store your data backups (this can be a local or network drive).
It is not a good idea to backup your AcctVantage-related Documents and Pictures folders here. This will slow down the backup utility and the backup files will become prohibitively large. Consider a different backup strategy (e.g. Time Machine) if you need to backup files attached in AcctVantage.
5.3. Backup & Restore
Enter a number for the Keep only the last <x> backup files setting. It's a good idea to leave this number somewhere between 7 and 14 (so you keep the last one to two weeks of backups).
Leave everything else on this tab at the default settings.
6. Enjoy using AcctVantage ERP!
Submit a ticket to AV Support if you have any further questions: [email protected]