Select the network sharing that is appropriate for your office.  Drake Software requires certain files be located on the same computer used to transmit tax returns. This includes client data files, print files, database files and transmission files.


The software can be used on a single workstation or your choice of network configurations.


Location of client folders


This first portion of the screen shows drive locations being used for your:

  • Location for current year client files – use Network Setup section to update this setting
  • Location for last year client files – update this path as needed
  • Location that is running the software – use Network Setup section to update this setting

 


Note

By default, Drake accesses the previous year’s client files from the workstation’s local drive. If your previous year’s client files are stored elsewhere, enter the location in the location for last year's client files drop list at the top of the Data Locations window.


Warning: Do not change the Data Locations settings during tax season! If a change is necessary, contact Drake Support.

 

Network Setup


Stand-Alone

The software is installed only on your computer. This is usually the location where you installed or downloaded Drake. This is the default location for client data files, returns, and configuration settings such as firm and preparer setup, reports, macros, letters, pricing files, preparer notes, and schedules. Unless you have files stored in different locations, or you have a unique networks setup, it may be necessary to make changes to your data locations.

 

Administrators have the option of changing data locations to conform to a particular network setup.

 

Networked/Shared Configurations


Peer-to-Peer Configuration

Some network setups, such as "peer-to-peer" networks, do not work off an actual server. Each station runs Drake independently, except one computer, the designated server. It is used for transmitting returns. 

 

Once Drake is installed on all workstations and the machine where the client folders are mapped is identified, link the other workstations to the machine used for transmitting and storing client returns as follows:

    1. From the Home window in Drake, go to Setup > Data Locations to open the "Data Locations" dialog box.
    2. In the Network Setup section, select the drive of the workstation designated as the “server” from the Tax returns are stored here drop lists.
    3. Click OK.

 

By default, all workstation using Drake on a “peer-to-peer” network use the configuration files as set up on the individual workstations. To share the same configuration files as the "server" or some other workstation:

    1. From the Home window in Drake, go to Setup > Data Locations.
    2. In the Network Setup section of the "Data Locations" dialog box, choose the drive letter where you have stored the configuration settings from the Share settings... drop list.
    3. Click OK.

 

By default, all prior-year files are stored on the individual workstations. If your work-stations should share the prior-year files:

    1. From the Home window in Drake, go to Setup > Data Locations.
    2. In the Location of client folders section of the "Data Locations" dialog box, enter the drive letter of the “server” workstation in the location for last year's client files drop list.
    3. Click OK.

 

NWClient Configuration


Once your network has been mapped and Drake is installed on a server, complete the following steps at each workstation:

    1. If you are not installing the program on a Windows 8 machine, click Start. (The blue Start button is located at the lower-left corner of your computer screen.)
      1. (Windows 7) Type "RUN" and pres ENTER
      2. (Windows XP and earlier) Click Run..
      3. (Windows 8) Move your mouse pointer to the top right of your screen and click Search, type "RUN," then click Run
      4. (Windows 10) Type F:\DRAKE18\NWCLIENT\NWCLIENT.EXE (substituting your server drive letter for “F”) in the search field on the left side of the task bar.  Skip Step 2
    2. Type F:\DRAKE18\NWCLIENT\NWCLIENT.EXE (substituting your server drive letter for “F”) in the Run dialog box.
    3. Click OK.
    4. Click OK. The server-only system is now in place.

 

Once this process has been completed at each workstation using Drake, you are able to access the Drake Tax program from any of these workstations.

 

By default, all workstation use the configurations (for letters, pricing, firms, preparers, etc.), as set up on the sever. To use configurations set up elsewhere (for instance, on each individual workstation):

    1. From the Home window in Drake, go to Setup > Data Locations.
    2. In the Network Setup section of the "Data Locations" dialog box, choose the drive where you have made the configuration settings from the Share settings (letters, pricing...) drop list.
    3. Click OK.

 

By default, all prior-year files are stored on the server. To store your prior-year files elsewhere:

    1. From the Home window in Drake, go to Setup > Data Locations.
    2. In the  Location of client folders section of the "Data Locations" dialog box, enter the location where you want to store and access prior-year files in the location for last year's client files drop list.
    3. Click OK.