Installation toolkit
Follow these steps to install Practice CS and prevent issues operating the application.
Install SQL
Practice CS works with both SQL Express and fully licensed versions of SQL. You can choose to install SQL any of the following ways:
- Run the Practice CS setup to install SQL Express 2014. The Practice CS installation comes packaged with SQL Express 2014 and you can choose to install it during step 2 of the Practice CS setup. For instructions, skip to the "Practice CS installer" section and follow the steps through the rest of the article.
- Download and install SQL Express free directly from Microsoft. If you choose this option, review the Configuration requirements section following. Your firm's IT professional is responsible for configuring your SQL instance.
- Purchase a fully licensed version of Microsoft SQL Server from Microsoft and follow their installation instructions. If you choose this option, review the Configuration requirements section following. Your firm's IT professional is responsible for configuring your SQL instance.
SQL configuration requirements
If you choose to install SQL Express 2014 by running the Practice CS Setup, you can skip this section. If you're installing using any other method, your firm's IT professional is required to configure your SQL instance as follows:
- Use Mixed Mode authentication, not Windows authentication.
- Enable TCP/IP and Named Pipes protocols.
Practice CS installer
Download the installer
The installer is available on the CS Professional Suite download page. You'll need to sign in to your CS Web account to access the download. After signing in, complete the following steps.
- Select the link to download Practice CS.
- SelectProceed to Download.
- SelectDownload Now.noteIf you're given the option to Run or Save the download, selectSave. If you try to run the installation file rather than saving it, the application won't install correctly and you may have issues moving forward.
Run the installer
Complete the following steps to run the installation file, which extracts the Practice CS Setup files:
- Go to the folder where the file was downloaded.
- Run the practicecsdownload.exe file.
- In the Choose Destination Folder window that opens, note the destination.noteSelectYou'll use this Destination Folder location to rerun the installation later in the event that you need to restart the server or reinstall.Browseto choose a different destination orExtractto use the default destination. We recommend using the default destination.
- If you get a warning that the destination folder already exists, selectYesto replace the existing files; the files aren't configurable so it's safe to replace them.
Complete the Practice CS setup
The Practice CS setup opens automatically after running the installer. You can open the Practice CS setup on its own by browsing to the Practice CS xxxx.x.x Download folder (where xxxx.x.x is the version of Practice CS) and running the Setup.exe. The default location for the folder is the C: drive of the database server.
- With the Practice CS setup running, selectInstall Practice CS.
- Answer the question on the Welcome to Practice CS setup window. You'll need to be at the server where your database will reside, so move to that machine if you're not there already.
- Review the license agreement. If you agree, mark theI accept the terms in the License Agreementcheckbox.
- If you get a Pending Restart Detected window that prompts you to restart, you can choose the 3rd option toContinue without restarting.importantIf you get this warning repeatedly, you'll need to restart.
- You'll be taken to an Installation Steps window. Go to the next section for the rest of the instructions.
Installation Steps 1, 2, and 3
The
Installation Steps
window may come up several times throughout the Practice CS setup.If step 1, 2, or 3 has a green checkmark, it means that the step is already complete. If you want to go through a step again (for example, to change the Step 1 path where the Practice CS shared files are installed or to link Practice CS to a different SQL instance), select the blue link to get to that step. If you select
Next
on this window, you'll automatically be taken to the incomplete steps.Step 1: Select where the
Practice CS
shared files reside.Use this step to indicate where the Practice CS shared files are installed. The Practice CS shared files are the system files for Practice CS. You can also choose to enable remote entry here.
- Select the ellipsis to choose a location for the Practice CS shared files folder.noteWe recommend using the default WinCSI folder. Read the information on the Step 1 window for more tips on how to choose a location.
- SelectNextafter you select a location.
- Choose whether you want remote entry enabled on other computers.note
- Remote entry enables you to enter time and expenses on your laptop when you are away from the office, and transmit those entries back to the office over the internet.
- If you choose remote entry, after the installation you'll need to set it up on the laptops you want to use and create a remote entry database.
- SelectNextafter you make your choice. If you change your mind, you can run Step 1 again at any time to enable or disable remote entry.
Step 2: Configure Database Server.
Use this step to choose which SQL instance to use with Practice CS or to create a new instance (which will automatically link to Practice CS). Details on each option follow.
- Use an existing instance of Microsoft SQL Server.
- Choose this option if you have a SQL instance already installed that you want Practice CS to use. This could be the case if you have a fully licensed version of SQL, if you already use SQL for another application and you want to share the instance, or if you already have a dedicated Practice CS instance that you need to re-link to
Do the following if you want to use this option:- Select it and then selectNext.
- On the next window, choose the SQL instance you want to use and then selectConnect using Windows authentication.
- Go to Step 3.
noteIf you get a warning that you're on a domain controller, you'll need to close the installation. - Install a new instance of Microsoft SQL Server 2014 Express.
- Choose this option if you want to use a new Microsoft SQL 2014 Express instance with Practice CS. This could be the case if you don't have SQL installed, or if you use SQL Express 2014 but want a new instance for Practice CS.
Do the following if you want to use this option:- Select it and then selectNext.
- On the next window, name the instance and selectNext.
- Go to Step 3.
Step 3: Install Practice CS on this computer.
Use this step to install a Practice CS desktop icon and create any files necessary to run Practice CS on the local machine.
- SelectInstall Practice CSand then selectNext.noteDespite what the Practice CS setup window says, we recommend installing Practice CS on the database server as a troubleshooting tool.
- The next window is informational only and lists the components that need to be installed on the machine, if any. SelectNext.
- Wait for the installation to complete. If the installation completes successfully, you'll automatically move to the next screen.
- If you need to install Practice CS on other machines in a network, read the instructions on the Practice CS setup window. You can also find those instructions in Running desktop setup.
Complete the Practice CS setup wizard
When the Practice CS setup is finished, you can mark the
Run Practice CS
option to open the application and then select Finish
. Practice CS is now installed.