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Migrating MYOB AO & AO Classic to a new computer or server

This support note applies to:

  • AO Practice Manager (AU)
  • AO Workpapers (AU)
  • AO Statutory Reporter (AU)
  • AO Tax (AU)
  • AO Classic Tax (AU)
  • AO Classic Practice Management (AU)
  • AO Classic General Ledger (AU)

These instructions require technical expertise

Make sure you know what you're doing and are using one of the products listed. If you're not sure, ask your IT professional or MYOB.

Article ID: 34955

MYOB INTERNAL STAFF ONLY

**DO NOT MODIFY THIS ARTICLE. WHERE CHANGES ARE REQUIRED, REFER TO THE TECHNICAL SERVICES TEAM**

 Create user.sql 

This article will advise you how to migrate MYOB Accountants Office (AO) and AO Classic by backing up the databases, installing AO classic, applying any applicable updates, installing SQL, installing AO 2013.0 or greater without converting data, restoring the database and then running a repair.

Please read through the instructions below prior to undertaking the migration process. MYOB strongly suggests that the migration of MYOB AO is performed by an individual with strong knowledge of these software products and is competent with the Microsoft Windows operating system. If you experience issues with MYOB software after following the instructions below, additional assistance of your migration may fall outside of the terms of your Sales and Service Agreement.

MYOB provides a Migration Service. If you have any doubts or concerns about completing this migration yourself, contact us and arrange for one of our technical services analysts to perform the migration for you. This service may require a booking, so please plan well in advance.

Before you install MYOB AO, consult the System Requirements page to ensure your setup is adequate to continue. Please talk with your IT provider if you have any questions.

Pre-migration checks
  • Ensure you are logged in as an administrator user.
  • Ensure User Account Control (UAC) is switched off. For more details refer to Disabling User Account Control (UAC)
  • Ensure Data Execution Prevention (DEP) is set to the default setting. For more details refer to Establishing Data Execution Prevention (DEP) settings
  • Ensure any Anti-Virus, Anti-Spyware, Anti-Malware, Firewall or any other such security software is switched off.
  • Ensure Linked Connections are enabled on any Server 2012/2016 and/or Windows 8/10 machines. For more details refer to Enabling Linked Connections in Windows
  • Ensure your Regional Settings are set to the correct region and time. Regional Settings can be accessed from Windows > Control Panel and select Regional Setting
  • Ensure .Net Framework 3.5, 4.0, 4.5 and 4.6 are enabled/installed
  • Ensure the drive that will be hosting the MYOB data is less than 1.8TB in partition size.
  • Ensure to check what MYOBAO products you are licenced for in the current server
  • Ensure to check what version of MYOBAO you are running 
  • Ensure all ATO PLS reports on your old server have been unscheduled
  • Ensure there are no tax returns with a status of Transmitting or Transmitted. If you have Transmitted or Transmitting returns, contact us for assistance.
1. Backup the MYOB AO data on old server/standalone
  1. Backup the SQL databases :
    1. AODB1 and AOTAX1 using SQL Management Studio. For more information refer to KB 33978: Backing up a SQL database using Management Studio
    2. To backup the ELS and SBR folders, open windows explorer and navigate to the AOSQL\Tax\TA\<db_name> folder and copy the ELS and SBR folders.
      Note: Where <db_name> is the name of the tax database i.e AOTAX1, AOTAX2 etc.
  2. Take these backed up files off the server onto either the new server or a device to copy it over to the new server, such as a USB stick.
Backup of templates and client documents

If using Document Manager or Corporate Compliance

Document Manager: Backup of Document Manager and Intranet File Stores.Refer to Backing up MYOB Document Manager files. Please note All documents must be checked in prior to copying data. For details refer to KB 23570: How do I view a list of all checked out documents?
Corporate Compliance: Backup of Corporate Compliance SQL databases.Refer to Performing a backup or restore of Corporate Compliance. Also copy across your ELS folder CC > Help>About CC > Application Details > Electronic Lodgement Path.

Take these backed up files off the server onto either the new server or a device to copy it over to the new server, such as a USB stick.

Locating your templates and documents

In MYOB AO navigate to the Maintenance menu > Maintenance Map > Documents. Note down any relevant paths under the following areas:

Document settingsNote this path
Document Creation Settings
  • Tax Receipts Algorithm
  • VAT Receipts Algorithm
  • Word Billing Algorithm
Mailing Settings
  • Billing Startup Path
  • Templates Path
  • Document Startup Path
Document Styles
  • All selected styles

If these paths are still in use and you're unsure what these paths are for, refer to the help menu. Make sure the files in these locations are copied across to the new server.

2. Pre-configuration and MYOBAO Data copy

Standalone install pre-configuration

  • Create MYOBAO folder on C:\ drive
  • Copy the data folder from old PC into C:\MYOBAO\ folder.
    Rename the AOSQL to AOSQL.old folder within the MYOBAO folder.

Network install pre-configuration

  • Create the AONET directory to store MYOB AO program and data files. This can be located anywhere on the server machine. You will need to refer the installer to this location later.
  • AONET must then be shared and mapped as a network drive on the server and all workstations.
  • You will also need to copy MYOBAO folder to the AONET folder. Inside MYOBAO folder, rename AOSQL folder to old. 
3. Copy Document Manager and Intranet File Stores (if using Document Manager)

Document Manager

Intranet File Store

  • The Intranet File Store folders must be copied to the default location M:\MYOBAO\AOSQL\Knowledge Management\Intranet\Data (Where M:\ is the mapped drive for AONET share). You will have to first manually the create folders for Knowledge Management\Intranet\Data under the AOSQL folder.

If you copy over the Databaselookup.XML file that exists in both your DMFS and Intranet Data folder, you'll need to delete both XML files before you run the installer. If you have multiple MYOB AO databases, you may also have multiple file stores. Ensure these are brought across as well. For example, DMFS_AODB1, DMFS_AODB2

4. Install AO Classic onto the new server

For more details on transferring data and installing AO Classic, please refer to Migrating Accountants Office Classic to a new standalone or server machine Ensure you download and install any and all relevant versions before installing MYOB AO.

5. Install MYOB AO

Check what release version of MYOB AO is installed on the old server and download that version from my.myob.com.au.

If you have copied the MYOBAO folder from the old machine to the new machine as part of a network install of AO Classic, please ensure you rename the AOSQL\Registration folder to Registration.old. If you fail to do this, you will receive an error "License not valid for this computer" when using AO and to resolve, you will need to reinstall and redo the migration.
  1. Refer to the my.myob Products Download page to download the latest full release of MYOB AO.
  2. Launch the MYOB AO install. The installation starts.
  3. Select the first option on the Welcome screen, An existing MYOB AO user? and click Next. The Before you Install window opens.
  4. Read the Upgrade Guide, if required, and click Next. The Install MYOB AO window opens.
  5. Click the link to install MYOB AO. The MYOB AO Installation Wizard opens at the Welcome window.
  6. Select the option to accept the License Agreement, and click Next. The System Check window appears. The installer does a system check to ensure that your system meets the necessary requirements, and if OK, takes you to the Setup type selection.
  7. Select Network or Standalone, as applicable. Click Next. The Standard or Custom setup type window appears.
  8. Select Standard Install or Custom Install (recommended) and click Next. Database conversation window appears, and it shows current AO Classic data location.
  9. Untick “Backup this AO Classic database” and Tick “I don’t have any data to convert”. If Custom Install option was selected, it will allow to change the location of MYOBAO folder, point it to the path created earlier e.g. M:\MYOBAO where M is the mapped drive for AONET.

  10. Select your applicable products then select Register (recommended), and contact us to get your Registration Code.

    If you are installing outside of Support hours, then click Temporary to complete the registration at another time. This will allow ONE user access for only 7 days until you register.
  11. Enter a valid Registration Code for the displayed serial number & Number of users and click Register. The message "You have registered the following products successfully" appears.
  12. Click Close. The Ready to Install window opens showing a summary of the install details will be displayed, showing the target folder for MYOB AO 2013.0 program files; the source AO Classic database folder to be converted; and the product to be installed.
  13. Click Install Now. The required software components are installed. This takes between 30 minutes to 1 hour, but may take longer depending on the machine, and may require the computer to be restarted one or more times. At the end of the installation, a message about Open File warnings will appear, which you can press OK to to finish the installation. 

Check that you can generate an estimate for each tax year from 2005 to the current Tax year. If you can successfully generate a tax estimate, skip this step. If nothing appears, the system services links need to be refreshed. 
See Refreshing the System Services links in AO

6. Restore SQL Databases

At this point you will need to restore the SQL databases from the backups created earlier. For details refer tor KB 34002: Restoring an SQL database using SQL Server Management Studio.

You will need to restore the following databases:

  • MYOB AO: Restore AODB1 database
  • Tax: Restore AOTAX1 databases
  • Corporate Compliance (if using Corporate Compliance): Restore the CorporateCompliance and SystemCatalog databases.
    Open AODB1 database and edit the SQL instance name in the dbo.Configuration table for the row titled CorporateComplianceConnectionString. Press the TAB key on the keyboard to tab through for the change to take affect.
7. Delete registered database identifier key
  1. Stop the service called MYOB Sync Client Service.
  2. Open SSMS.
  3. In the AODB database, go to table pmo_SyncConfiguration. 
  4. Right-click the table and select edit top 200.
  5. Delete the row with the registered_database_identifier key.
  6. Start the MYOB Sync Client Service.
8. Repair MYOB AO

Running the Repair will reconfigure any invalid references relating to the old server.

  1. Launch the MYOB AO installation install again. The Welcome window appears.
  2. Select the first option, An existing MYOB AO user? and click Next. The Before you install window appears.
  3. Read the Upgrade Guide, and click Next. The Install MYOB AO window apears.
  4. Click the link to install MYOB AO. The MYOB AO Installation Wizard opens. The wizard detects that MYOB AO is currently installed, and so presents different options:
    1. Convert an MYOB AO Classic database;
    2. Repair;
    3. Uninstall.
  5. Select Repair, and click Next. The installer does a system check to ensure that your system meets the necessary requirements, and if OK, takes you to the next step, Ready to Repair.
  6. Click Repair. The installer runs through checking and reinstalling all required software and components. This may take around 1 hour.
  7. Click Finish.
9. Update tax settings
  1. Within MYOB AO, go to Maintenance > Maintenance Map.
  2. Under Tax heading, click on Settings > Edit connection details. Update the details in the Database tab, ensuring the new machine name is entered at SQL Server and the Tax Database name is correct. Hit Test to ensure a connection can be made to SQL.
  3. Go to the Tax tab and ensure all paths are present and correct as per the table below, then click Save and then Connect to Tax database to ensure integration is working, then press OK. The Tax Settings tab closes.

    Item

    Setting

    Ledger Code

    This should be set to TAX.

    Tax Program Path

    This is the location of the AOSQL\Tax folder and should be correct by default.

    AO Classic Database

    This is the location of the AO Classic Data folder for historical data.

    AO Classic Executable

    This is the AO Classic program path and is automatically picked up from the registry.

    AO Classic Profile

    This should be set to TAX unless you have multiple AO Classic databases.

  4. If needed, save the AoSettings.ini file to the AOSQL\Tax\TA\<dbname>\INI folder where <dbname> is the name of your tax database i.e AOTAX1. Without this file, you will not be able to roll over Classic AO returns or Lodge in New AO.
  5. Open the file in notepad and edit it to ensure it is correct, as per the below table, then Save it.

      Item Setting
     Subdir This location should be the same as where you saved the AoSettings.ini file, with the exception that the destination folder is EXPORT rather than INI.
     DataPath This is the location of the AO Classic Data folder for historical data.
     Flags This should be set to NNNNNN by default.
     UtilityTimeout By default this is 60. If you experience frequent timeouts when rolling AO Classic data into new AO, increase this to 120.
     SharedFolder This should be set to the location of the AO Classic Data folder, ending in TAXMAN\ELSSYNC without quotes.
10. Update Corporate Compliance paths (if using Corporate Compliance)

If licensed for MYOB AO Corporate Compliance, you will need to choose a new CC Backup and ELS location.

To choose a new CC Backup location:

  1. On the server, navigate to C:\Program Files (x86)\MYOB\Corporate Compliance\Utilities
  2. Open Backup.bat and go to Settings on the left, under Backup and Restore.
  3. Click the Change button in the bottom right and navigate to your new CC Backup location. Press OK and close Backup.bat.

To choose a new ELS location:

  1. After you've chosen a new CC backup location, from within the Utilities folder, locate and open CCUtilities .exe.
  2. On the left under Settings, click on Electronic Lodgment Path.
  3. Click the Change button and navigate to your new CC ELS location. Press OK and close CCUtilities .exe. Your Corporate Compliance is now updated to the new server paths.

You’ll now need to log into AO and update your connection details:

  1. Open MYOB AO and log in.
  2. Once you're logged into AE, follow the menu path Maintenance > Corporate Compliance > Settings.
  3. Ensure the server name and database are correct, then click Update connection details to ensure the settings are saved.
11. Copy MYOB AO templates and documents

For details on locating templates and documents, see Backup of templates and client documents.

  1. Copy across ELS and SBR folders copied from the old server into the  AOSQL\Tax\TA\<db_name> folder on your new server.
  2. Copy across the templates, styles and documents copied from the old server into the MYOBAO\AOSQL folder on your new server.
  3. Open MYOB AO and follow the menu path: Maintenance > Maintenance Map > Documents section.
  4. Ensure all the paths correctly match the locations on the new server. If required, change these paths in the software to match the files' location.
  5. If you're using Corporate Compliance, you'll also need to copy the ELS folder from old server to new server.
12. Disable and stop MYOB Practice Services on the old server/standalone

Make sure you've disabled the following services from the old server so the users don't access the data from the old server.

  • MYOB DM Portal Sync Service
  • MYOB OnTheGo API Service
  • MYOB Sync Client Service
  • MYOB Tax SBR Sender Server (AODB1) (where AODB1 is the name of your database). If you have multiple databases, you'll see multiple instances of this service. Make sure you've disabled and stopped all the services.

Follow the steps below to disable and stop the services

  1. From the desktop of your Server or Standalone, press and hold the Windows key and R on your keyboard.
  2. In the Open field, enter services.msc and click OK.
  3. From the list of Services, locate the service you want to disable and stop. For example, MYOB Sync Client Service.

  4. Right-click the service and select Properties.
  5. In the Service Properties window, select Disabled in Startup type. Click OK.
  6. To stop the service, right-click on the service and select Stop. The service will show Disabled and the Status column will be blank.
Final Setup Processes

Apply any further updates required, then proceed to the relevant section below.

Network setup

  • AO Classic: Re-run the AO Classic workstation install from the new server by running SETUP.EXE in the MYOBAO folder, eg. M:\MYOBAO\SETUP.EXE.
  • MYOB AO: Uninstall the existing AO workstation setup from Control Panel > Programs & Features, if it exists, and re-install it from the new server by running SETUP.EXE in the MYOBAO\AOSQL\WorkstationInstall folder, eg. M:\MYOBAO\AOSQL\WorkstationInstall\SETUP.EXE
    See Running a workstation installation for Accountants Office.

PLS setup

To set up PLS:

  1. Log into MYOB AO as an Administrator user and follow the menu Maintenance > Maintenance MapOnline Practice my.MYOB settings.
  2. Enter your Practice my.MYOB loginpassword and MYOB client code in the relevant fields.

    Make sure the Practice my.MYOB login that you enter is the same Practice my.MYOB login used on your old server. This login must have web administrator access on the my.myob website.

  3. Onboard the agent again with your new softwareID. See How to complete the onboarding process?
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