- How do I get DMSOne? Do I get a CD?
- How do I reinstall DMSOne? Will doing so cause me to lose my data files or my customized forms?
- What is this 'Activation Key' DMSOne is asking for? Where do I get one?
- When DMSOne starts up there is a 15 second delay and it says 'Initializing.' Why does it do this?
- How do I set up my network and get DMSOne running on it?
- I am getting 'file system' or 'data corruption' errors, or DMSOne can't perform a quick backup because 'access is denied.'
- How do I put in my vendors, insurance companies, makes and models, etc.?
- I keep getting a message telling me I can't update a record because it was change by another station. What does this mean?
- I am changing values in my deal, but nothing is recalculating! What am I doing wrong?
- How can I set deals to use a certain tax rate, # of days to first payment, a certain deal type, fees, etc. by default?
- My software is running slow. What could be causing this?
- I have lots of file errors, payments and deals won't add correctly. What is going on?
How do I get DMSOne? Do I get a CD?
DMSOne is available via download via our registration form. If you are a registered, paying DMSOne user, we can send you a DMSOne CD at request for a $30 charge. Or, you may burn the DMSOne install file onto a CD for backup purposes.
During this registration process, be sure to enter a valid email address because an Activation Key will be sent to that location when you hit 'Submit.' You will need this key the first time you run the software.
If you are already registered, you can download the software installer directly by clicking here. However, you won't receive an activation key unless you go through the registration form.
How do I reinstall DMSOne? Will doing so cause me to lose my data files or my customized forms?
To reinstall DMSOne, simply download it again and click 'Open' when asked. Reinstalling or upgrading DMSOne leaves your data files and customized forms intact and will not overwrite them with empty files.
What is this 'Activation Key' DMSOne is asking for? Where do I get one?
An "Activation Key" is required to start using DMSOne. The first time you run DMSOne, you will be asked to enter it.
When you download DMSOne, an Activation Key is automatically sent to the email address you gave us. If this email address is incorrect or no longer works, you will not receive the activation key.
If you did not receive the key or no longer have it, you can get another one by visiting the download page again and simply entering your phone number. Another key will be sent to you shortly.
When DMSOne starts up there is a 15 second delay and it says 'Initializing.' Why does it do this?
DMSOne is trying to access the Internet for updates and is having trouble doing so. One of the following may be occuring:
1. You may be using AutoConnect. You can disable this. Open Internet Explorer (the blue 'e' icon). Click the 'Tools' menu at the top, then click 'Internet Options,' go to the 'Connections' tab, and click the 'LAN Settings' button at the bottom. Make sure the 'Automatically Detect Settings' checkbox is not checked and click OK. Now look at the 'Dial-up and Virtual Private Network' settings' box. If there any items listed in this box, double-click on each of them and make sure the 'Automatically Detect Settings' checkbox is not checked. When you are done, click OK and close Internet Explorer.
2. You may have a personal firewall running on your computer such as Norton Personal Firewall or ZoneAlarm. Either allow access to DMSOne (may show up as sw.exe), disable the firewall software, or just uninstall the firewall software entirely.
3. You may need some Windows updates. Click on your Start menu and click 'Windows Update.' If you cannot find it there, go to Internet Explorer (the blue 'e') and click the 'Tools' menu at the top, and click 'Windows Update from there.
If it asks you if you want to install windows update, say yes. When Windows Update finally opens up, click 'Scan for Updates.' Install what it wants you install, then click 'Review and Install Updates' and follow the prompts. When it is done, you may be required to restart your computer. Go to Windows Update again and it will present you with more updates, install them also, restart your computer, and so on until it says no updates are required or available.
How do I set up my network and get DMSOne running on it?
Step 1: Get all computers on same workgroup or domain.
a. Go to Start-->Right click on My Computer and go to properties.
b. Go to 'Computer Name' tab.
c. Click on change button and then in the workgroup space put in WORKGROUP or whatever name you wish to use.
d. Hit Ok, Apply and then OK. It will ask to reboot the machine, let it.
Step 2: Setup user accounts - Make sure "password never expires" option is checked while creating user accounts.
a. Go to Start-->Right click on My Computer and go to manage.
b. Expand local users and groups, then expand users.
c. *Important*: Make sure at least one user exists on server which is member of Administrators group. You need to log in as this user when you first install DMSOne on server.
d. Add user accounts to the server machine first for all users who will be having their own individual PCs running DMSOne. For instance, if there are 3 computers not including the server, go to the server machine and set up 3 users named 'Tom,' 'Dick,' and 'Harry.'
e. Make note of passwords and usernames created.
f. Then go to each client machine and add one user account with SAME password as on server. Make sure the user is member of administrators group on local client machine. For instance, go to Tom's machine and set up a user named 'Tom,' using the same password you used when you set up 'Tom' on the server.
Step 3: Install DMSOne 4.7 on server & share folder.
a. Login using an administrator account on server machine.
b. Download and install software from www.dmsone.net.
c. Open DMSOne. You will be asked for the 'Activation Code'. Copy-Paste this from the email you receive.
d. Go to Start-->My Computer.
e. Go inside Local Disk C: and then inside folder 'Program Files.'
f. Look for a folder called 'Sterling Technologies' and inside it folder called 'DMSOne.' Right click the 'DMSOne' folder and go to Sharing & Security. Select Share this folder and for the share name use "DMSOne". Click Ok.
Step 4: Map network drives on client machine to this shared folder.
a. Login on client machine using user account you setup in Step 2.
b. Go to Start---> My Computer.
c. From menus on top select Tools-->Map Network Drive.
d. Select a drive letter preferably S:
e. Click on browse and browse to the shared folder "SW47" on the server computer. The folder should now read \\servername\sw47.
f. Make sure 'Reconnect at Logon' is checked and hit finish.
Step 5: Install DMSOne 4.8 on each client machine and change database to the mapped drive.
a. Login on client machine using user account you setup in Step 2. Remember this account must have administrative privileges.
b. Download and install software from www.dmsone.net.
c. When you launch DMSOne, it will ask you for an activation key. Click cancel and then click on change database and change the server data folder to the mapped drive in Step 4.
A few pointers:
1. When inside DMSOne browsing for the 'Server Data Folder,' do not go through 'Network Neighborhood' or 'My Network Places.' Browse via 'My Computer,' through the mapped network drive. DMSOne will accept a '\\server\\share\etc' style name, but you will have problems printing later on. DMSOne requires a location like 'Z:\' or 'J:\DMSOne.'
2. TCP/IP is the recommened network protocol. This may become a requirement on future versions of DMSOne.
3. We recommend against using the QOS protocol on Windows XP or better. We have seen slow downs using this protocol.
I am getting 'file system' or 'data corruption' errors, or DMSOne can't perform a quick backup because 'access is denied.'
First, free up some disk space by deleting some non-DMSOne files. If this doesn't fix the problem, try:
1. Run the database repair utility (Start-->Program Files-->AppOne, Inc). 2. If you are running DMSOne on a network, check the clients have full access to the network share. If this is not the problem, then:
3. Shut down all the client computers. Then, from the server computer, copy the entire DMSOne 'Server Data Folder' to another folder. Then delete the original folder and rename the new folder back to the original name. Re-create the network share exactly as it was before. Start the client computers back up.
How do I put in my vendors, insurance companies, makes and models, etc.?
Look at the 'Lists' menu at the top of DMSOne. Here, you can edit all the lists in the software. You do not need to add all of these up front; simply add as required.
I keep getting a message telling me I can't update a record because it was change by another station. What does this mean?
When you run DMSOne on several computers at once, two or more users may try to change the same information at the same time. This message indicates that the account, customer, or inventory you tried to make changes to has already been changed by someone else; therefore, your changes are no longer valid.
DMSOne will load the changed record so you can make your changes again.
I am changing values in my deal, but nothing is recalculating! What am I doing wrong?
The deal is probably marked 'Sold' or 'Repo.' In DMSOne, numbers do not recalculate while the deal is marked 'Sold' or 'Repo.'
Do not mark the deal status 'Sold' until you have completed all calculations. Also note that deals show up in Collections only when they are marked as 'Sold' and 'In-House.'
How can I set deals to use a certain tax rate, # of days to first payment, a certain deal type, fees, etc. by default?
Use the Tools menu->System Setup screen. When you create a new deal, these default values will be used, but you may change each of them at any time before the deal is marked 'Sold.'
My software is running slow. What could be causing this?
There are many possibilities, but here are some of the most common culprits.
1. Your computer could be infected with a virus, or spam. The only way to fix this is to seek professional help to clean your machine, then install protective anti-virus and anti-spyware software.
2. If you are running in a multi-user environment, old or low quality network hardware or wiring can cause things to slow down a lot.
3. If you are on a network, check that you are using a switch instead of a hub, and that all your computers are using a good, 3COM 100 Mbps network card, with new network wiring.
4. If there are more than 3 users accessing DMSOne simultaneously in your office, we recommend a dedicated server machine with a Serial ATA or SCSI hard drive. If you don't have a dedictated server, please at least make sure the computer acting as your DMSOne server ('main' machine) is the fastest one in your office and has a quick Serial ATA or SCSI hard drive.
5. The number of accounts in the system has grown into the thousands. Normally, this will not affect system performance unless you have not performed routine maintenance on your data files in several weeks. Try using the Tools->File Maintenance tool to compact your data files. All other DMSOne users will need to exit the software while this process runs.
I have lots of file errors, payments and deals won't add correctly. What is going on?
First, make sure you have the absolute latest version of DMSOne by using Tools->AutoUpdate.
If that does not correct the issue and you are running DMSOne across more than one computer, your problem could be a feature of Microsoft Windows intended to speed up network access, but which often causes errors reading files across the network.
To disable this feature, first go to the server computer and open to this same web page. Then, click this link:
disable network cacheing
After disabling the cache you will need to restart the server, then the other computers. It is also a good idea to use Tools-->File Maintenance to eliminate any corruption that may have already made its way into your data files.
Disabling this feature can slow network performance. If doing so does not solve your data corruption issues, you may want to re-enable network cacheing.