Multi-User Lesson Three-- Local Clients

Goldenseal business management software lets you connect to the server file from another computer (known as a client).

A client gets its data from the server. If a client changes a record, the change is saved on the server machine. Several clients can all use the same server at the same time.

In this lesson you will learn how to connect as a client over a local or wireless network.

Signing On as a Client

To open Goldenseal as a client from a Macintosh computer, follow these steps:

  1. Double-click on the Goldenseal application (the picture of a tree).
  2. You’ll see the standard file open dialog. Click Cancel.
  3. Choose Connect As Client from the File menu.
  4. Goldenseal will ask you how you ’d like to connect. Choose Local Network, then click OK.
  5. You’ll see a list of Goldenseal server files that are currently open on your local network. Choose a server, then click OK. NOTE: If you don’t see a server file, make sure that a server file is open, and make sure the client and server computers are both connected to your network.
  6. If you are using passwords, Goldenseal will ask you for a user name and password.
  7. Goldenseal will sign you on as a client. You’ll be able to see and change records based on your password access level, the same as if you were using the single-user version of Goldenseal.

To open Goldenseal as a client from a Windows computer, follow these steps:

  1. Double-click on the Goldenseal application (the picture of a tree).
  2. You’ll see the standard file open dialog. Click the Server button on the right.
  3. Goldenseal will ask you how you ’d like to connect. Choose Local Network, then click OK.
  4. You’ll see a list of Goldenseal server files that are currently open on your local network. Choose a server, then click OK. NOTE: If you don’t see a server file, make sure that a server file is open, and make sure the client and server computers are both connected to your network.
  5. If you are using passwords, Goldenseal will ask you for a user name and password.
  6. Goldenseal will sign you on as a client. You’ll be able to see and change records based on your password access level, the same as if you were using the single-user version of Goldenseal.

Using Multiple Clients

The two-user version of Goldenseal accounting software allows two clients to connect to the server.

Other multi-user versions allow more than one client to connect to the same file. Each client can view and change records on the server.

There are a few special conditions that occur with multiple clients:

Record Locking

Only one user can work on a record at one time.

If you open a record that is already being used by another client, Goldenseal will warn you of that fact. You’ll be able to view the record, but you won’t be able to change it.

Busy Server

If one client is doing a lengthy action with the server (e.g. writing payroll or generating a report), other clients may experience delays when accessing the server. They will see a ‘waiting’ progress indicator until the other action is completed.

Appointment Reminders

If you enter a user into the User To Remind field of an appointment, you’ll only get those reminders if you sign on with that user name.

If there is no User to Remind, then every client who is signed on at the time of the reminder will be reminded.

Setting Client Fonts

Goldenseal allows each client to set the fonts that they’ll see for screen viewing and printing. That way you can use the fonts that are installed on each client machine, even if they are different than the ones on the server.

To set the fonts for a client, follow these steps:

  1. Make sure you have the server running, and sign on as a client.
  2. Choose Preferences from the Options menu, and choose Network from the submenu.
  3. Click on the Client Screen Font field, and choose the font you ’d like to use for data entry screens.
  4. Click on the Client Print Font field, and choose the font you ’d like to use for printed forms and reports.

Custom Fonts

Goldenseal lets you use custom fonts for any fields in data entry screens, printed forms and reports.

If all of your computers use the same fonts, custom fonts will work OK on all of your clients.

If your computers use different fonts or if you mix Macintosh and Windows machines, it’s better not to use custom fonts, since they may not draw correctly on machines that don’t have that font installed.

Server Hints

If you use a client after the server has been idle for a while, you may need to wait a few seconds for the server computer to ‘wake’ out of energy-saving mode.

HINT-- You can turn off Sleep mode if you want to avoid the delay in accessing an idle server.

Ending a Client Session

When you are finished using Goldenseal as a client, click on the File menu and choose Quit (Macintosh) or Exit (Windows).

If someone quits from the server, all connected clients will receive a warning that the server is about to close. Please finish any work and close your client session as soon as you can.

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