Note - these comments are predominantly related to the Classic range of MYOB® products - NOT the latest 'Live' range.

When you purchase a MYOB® program such as Accountright Plus®, you are allocated a serial number. MYOB does not licence their program, but rather they licence the company files. One of the reasons for this is to encourage accountants and bookkeepers etc, to use and recommend MYOB®. An accountant/bookkeeper can use the program without having to purchase it - this licensing system allows them to open and work on their clients' files as their client has a licence for the company file. The serial number is recorded in each licensed Company File.

Activation
Since Plus v14, when you create a new company file, you can use this file for up to 90 days. For ongoing use beyond 90 days, a company file must be 'Activated' or licensed. This process involves sending your serial number (which MYOB match against your registration to see what product and version you have purchased) as well as a Company File Code (CFC - a number generated by MYOB®). When 'Activating' a file, MYOB first checks how many files you have already 'Activated' to ensure you have not exceeded your limit - usually 5, then MYOB allocates a File ID and a new expiry date - this is all contained in the first code issued to you by MYOB. After 'Activation' your company file will have a File ID - look under Help > About Accountright.

Confirmation
Every Activated file has a built in expiry date. To use the file beyond this date, you need to 'Confirm' the file. This involves sending your Serial Number and the new CFC (this now contains your File ID) to MYOB, and they will provide a Confirmation Code based on the same version as you have registered.

Each time you open the company file, MYOB® first checks when this file was last opened. If today's date is earlier than the last recorded date, MYOB® assumes you have changed your system date to avoid their licensing and so it locks you out of the file until you 'Confirm' the file. If today's date is after the last recorded date, today's date is recorded as the last time the file was opened.

Next MYOB® checks the hidden 'expiry' date. If your file is set to expire within the next 14 days, you will be prompted with a warning advising that the file must be 'Confirmed' within 14 days. If you have set your file to confirm online automatically (look under Setting > Preferences > Security), MYOB® will silently send your serial number and CFC to the MYOB server and retrieve a 'Confirmation' code. This code will reset the expiry date to between 4 - 9 months from today. In addition to the new expiry date, the confirmation code also sets number of users as well as ODBC access.

Read Only
If the file is not Confirmed in time, it will become 'read-only' - meaning you can open the file, view transactions, generate reports etc. You cannot however update anything or add/delete/edit any transactions. The only way to bring the file out of its 'read-only' state is to enter a new Confirmation Code.

Invalid Code
Sometimes the 'Confirmation' code you receive from MYOB will not work. There could be a number of reasons for this. The most likely reason is that you are using a version of MYOB® to 'Confirm' your file that you are not licensed for. For example if you have a licence for Plus® v19.10, and yet you are trying to 'confirm' your file using Premier® v19.10, the 'Confirmation' code will fail. Always ensure you use the same MYOB® product and version that you are licensed for.

Sometimes the MYOB server will not issue you a code and instead direct you to contact MYOB. Again there are numerous reasons why this might be the case, for example if your file 'Confirms' too often in a short period of time, MYOB gets suspicious and blocks your serial number until you explain yourself.

Receiving and Entering Codes
There are generally 3 ways to receive a code:

• online - connect directly to MYOB's server and receive code
• phone - ring the number on screen to use automated phone service
• my.myob - log into your my.myob account, enter details and receive code

There are also 3 ways to enter the code:

• when prompted at file open (within 14 days of expiry unless set to auto confirm)
• from Help menu choose Confirm Company File (only if due)
• from Setup menu choose Company Information and click License button

Subscription
There is no relationship between having a MYOB Subscription and file Confirmation. Provided you have purchased a perpetual licence, and are using the same product you are licensed for, MYOB Australia is obliged under the licence agreement to provide Confirmation codes for you to be able to use your company file. If MYOB stop (or threaten to stop) providing you Confirmation codes, see our Confirmation Code Tool.

Upgraded Company File
If you upgrade your company file to a version you are not licensed for, MYOB® will allow you to use the new version - until the inbuilt expiry date! Unfortunately this can give the user a false sense of security. The rude shock comes when Confirmation fails, forcing you to pay for the upgrade via a 12 month subscription or go back to a pre upgrade backup. In most cases we can downgrade the current file to the earlier version, allowing you to continue to use the same company file with the previous version you are licensed for.

Contact us (or MYOB) if you have any further questions about file 'Activation' or 'Confirmation' or need a code urgently.