Can I migrate from the Standalone version of TaxCalc to the Network version?

Since early 2013 TaxCalc has employed two different database structures, one for Standalone users (SQLite) and one aimed at Network users (Postgres).

For anyone looking to share data across multiple machines who are currently using the Standalone version, a migration will be required by our technical team.

Booking a Migration (and costing)

The migration process may be charged for, depending on how many databases will need to be converted. Therefore, a discussion will need to take place with your account manager to confirm your requirements and advise on any further costs. Please either email sales@taxcalc.com or call on 0345 5190 883.

Migrations need to be pre-booked in order to schedule in a suitable time for both parties. It is therefore advisable to discuss this beforehand to avoid disappointment. TaxCalc will be unavailable for the duration of the migration. Normally this process will take an hour or so. Please allow for this downtime when arranging the migration (this may vary as if there are any issues/errors during installation/migration).

There is no extra charge for the network version itself, however the application does work on a concurrent user basis which will be dependent upon the products purchased on your account. Practice Manager provides unlimited access with each module providing its own concurrent user limit. If you require more concurrent users than you have, there is a charge per additional user that is required per module. Again, if you would like any further information on this, please contact your account manager on the details above.

The Migration Process

As the two versions of TaxCalc use different database systems, there is a process required to migrate from SQLite to Postgres. A member of the technical team will need to complete this process for you. The process is broadly as follows:

1. A member of the technical team will need to connect remotely to any machines where TaxCalc data is stored. This will allow the technician to transfer the applicable data sets required to start and complete the migration process. Note at this stage, you will no longer be able to use TaxCalc
2. Once the migration is complete, we will then re-establish a remote session to provide you with the migrated database
3. The installation will then take place on the machine which will become the TaxCalc "server" i.e. hold the database
4. Once the installation is complete, we will then restore the migrated database
5. We will then help configure one of the other machines that will connect to the server and become what is known as client installation

Note at this stage you will be responsible for checking that the migration process has been complete and all data appears as you would expect.

Now that the migration is complete, the technician will advise on how to backup your database, create additional users and manage TaxCalc on a multi-user platform.

After the migration is complete, it is worth noting the below:

• The program will look and run the same as the standalone version. The only difference will be in the background processes, location of the database and connections that are being run.
• TaxCalc are not responsible for any failure to make backups of your data. Your IT support will need to confirm that the backup routine in place for your data covers TaxCalc. For more information on automated backups, please see the link to 
• Updates should always be run from the server first as this will allow the update routine to make a backup of the database.

Multiple Databases

For multiple databases, returns from the smaller of the two databases will be exported in bulk. These returns are then imported into the main database which will create the client in Practice Manager