General Requirements
CS Professional Suite and Enterprise Suite
applications are designed for professional production work. Our system requirements
are based on the assumption that professional accounting firms replace their
computer hardware and operating systems approximately every three years.
While our software may operate on less powerful hardware and operating systems,
we do not believe it will perform at a level suitable for production work in those
environments. Of course, as processing speed and RAM are increased, software performance will also improve. We
recommend business class computers, which generally offer higher levels of
performance than home models when running business applications.
The following links provide access to the general requirements for the current
versions of all of our applications. However, some products have more stringent
and/or additional requirements beyond those documented in the general requirements
sections. Be sure to read the Product-Specific Requirements as
well as the general requirements.
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Operating System
These system requirements apply to each workstation that will run CS
Professional Suite and Enterprise Suite applications. Unless otherwise noted in the
Product-Specific Requirements, all of our applications are fully
supported when run on the following operating systems with the latest
service packs installed.
- Windows® 8
- Windows 7
- Windows Vista®
- Windows XP
- Windows Server® 2012 (standard installation only)
- Windows Server 2008 (standard installation only)
- Windows 2003 Server network (all editions except Web Edition)
Notes
- We support all editions of Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP except the Home Edition.
- We support both 32- and 64-bit versions of the supported Windows operating systems.
- We support Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP Professional for workstations used
as peer-to-peer servers, but we recommend using one of the supported server
operating systems instead.
- Unless they allow for a Windows host control, network attached storage
(NAS) devices are not supported as file servers because they do not meet the
requirement of using a Windows operating system. NAS devices often use
proprietary operating systems that may not handle file locking properly and
may cause data corruption and performance issues.
SQL Servers
Some CS Professional Suite applications include the Express edition of SQL Server.® Depending on your firm's data needs, you may need to purchase a licensed (full) version of SQL Server. If so, you must use one of the following supported databases.
|
Accounting CS |
Supported with the
Nov 2012 release |
Supported |
Not supported as of
Nov 2012 |
FileCabinet CS |
Supported with the
Nov 2012 release |
Supported |
Not supported as of
Nov 2012 |
Financial Analysis CS |
Not supported |
Supported |
Supported |
Practice CS |
Supported (We also
support the Business
Intelligence Edition) |
Supported |
Not supported as of
Nov 2012 |
ToolBox CS |
Not supported |
Supported |
Supported |
Workpapers CS |
Supported with the
Nov 2012 release |
Supported |
Not supported as of
Nov 2012 |
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Processor
Most CS Professional Suite and Enterprise Suite applications require an
Intel® or AMD™ processor, with a recommended processor speed of 2 GHz or greater. For GoSystem Tax RS,
processor requirements vary by operating system; see the GoSystem Tax
RS section for more information.
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RAM
For most CS Professional Suite and Enterprise Suite applications, 2 GB of RAM is recommended. For GoSystem Tax
RS, RAM recommendations vary by operating system; see the GoSystem Tax
RS section for more information.
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Integration with Microsoft Office
Most CS Professional Suite and Enterprise Suite applications require Microsoft
Office XP or higher (with the latest service packs installed) to take advantage of
certain features that integrate with Outlook,® Word,®
or Excel.® See the Product-Specific Requirements
section for information on which of our applications integrate with which Office
applications.
Note for Office 2013 and Office 2010 users: All of our applications that
integrate with Office applications are supported on the 32-bit version of Office 2013 and
Office 2010. However, due to compatibility issues with existing 32-bit
applications and add-ins, we do not support the 64-bit version of Office
at this time.
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Product-Specific Requirements
Accounting CS
- A broadband or persistent high-speed Internet
connection is required to view the help topics.
Accounting CS Client Access
- As with most of our applications, a browser is required. We recommend a minimum of 128-bit encryption.
- Accounting CS Client Access is supported only in a hosted environment through Virtual Client Office.
- Because Accounting CS and Accounting CS Client Access share a common database, the firm is also required to run Accounting CS in a hosted environment through Virtual Office CS or Software as a Service, which requires a license for NetFirm CS.
- Because the software is accessed via the Internet and information travels through an Internet connection, the performance of the software is subject to the same speed variations experienced using the web. For this reason, the bandwidth used when accessing the Internet has a significant impact on the performance of the software. To achieve optimal product performance, we recommend a persistent Internet connection with a minimum bandwidth of 128 Kbps for up to four users and 32 Kbps for each additional, concurrent user. Examples of Internet connections that meet these recommendations include dual-channel ISDN, cable modem, ADSL or DSL, T1, and T3.
- For optimal results when printing from any application running in the Virtual Office CS environment (or, for clients, the Virtual Client Office environment), we recommend using a native Windows Server 2008 printer. For a complete list of printers recommended for use in Virtual Office CS, see Printer drivers available on Virtual Office CS in our Help & How-To Center.
Client Bookkeeping Solution
- A broadband or persistent high-speed Internet connection or modem is
required for specific features, such as direct deposit, online banking, and
remote payment authorization.
- A MAPI-compliant email client is required to take
advantage of some program features.
- Microsoft Office XP or higher is required to take advantage of
integration with Microsoft Excel.
- A Magtek® USB
credit card reader is required to enable Client Bookkeeping Solution to
automatically complete the credit card fields in CS Payment when your
client swipes a customer's credit card. We support the following models:
21040147, 21040145, 21040107, and 21040108, all of which are keyboard
emulators.
Creative Solutions Practice
There are no product-specific requirements for
Creative Solutions Practice.
CS Professional Suite Accounting Products
The CS Professional Suite Accounting Products include the
following applications:
- Write-Up CS (There are no
product-specific requirements for Write-Up CS.)
- Payroll CS (There are no
product-specific requirements for Payroll CS.)
- Trial Balance CS (There are no
product-specific requirements for Trial Balance CS.)
- Engagement CS
- Financial Analysis CS (There are no
product-specific requirements for Financial Analysis CS.)
A MAPI-compliant email client is required to take
advantage of some program features in these applications. See below for
additional requirements for Engagement CS.
Engagement CS
- Microsoft® Office XP or higher is required to take advantage of
integration with Excel and Word.
- Engagement CS is supported on Colligo® Workgroup Edition
Version 4.0, with a wired environment.
- A TWAIN-compliant scanner is required to scan documents into
Engagement CS. See the Scanner section for additional
information.
FileCabinet CS
- A MAPI-compliant email client is required to take
advantage of some program features.
- Microsoft Office XP or higher is required to take advantage of
integration with Microsoft Excel and Word.
- A TWAIN-compliant scanner is recommended to scan documents into
FileCabinet CS. See the Scanner section for additional
information.
- Optionally, you can store FileCabinet CS data in database format. See
the SQL servers section for details on the supported
databases.
Fixed Assets CS
- A MAPI-compliant email client is required to take
advantage of some program features.
- Microsoft Office XP or higher is required to take advantage of
integration with Microsoft Excel.
- A TWAIN-compliant scanner is recommended to scan documents into
Fixed Assets CS. See the Scanner section for additional
information.
GoFileRoom
- GoFileRoom is not supported on the Windows 8 operating system at this time.
- Microsoft Office 2003 or higher is required to take advantage of
integration with Office applications.
- In order to use GoFileRoom, Internet Explorer version 8.0 or higher is required. We recommend a minimum of 128-bit encryption. Internet Explorer should be configured as follows:
- Third-party popup blockers must be set to allow
*.GoFileRoom.com.
- https://*.GoFileRoom.com should be added as a
trusted site.
- The Display Mixed Content security setting
must be enabled.
- The Reuse windows for launching shortcuts
setting should be turned off.
- Because GoFileRoom software is accessed via the Internet, it
requires a broadband connection. The optimal type of broadband connection
depends upon bandwidth utilization and the number of concurrent users.
- GoFileRoom requires that various third-party components be
installed on each workstation. To view the list of required components, go
to GoFileRoom.com and
click the Check Browser link. If the components are not
already installed, you can install them using the links in that page.
- The following add-ins must be installed on each workstation to allow
program integration: GoFileRoom Adobe®
Acrobat,® GoFileRoom Microsoft Office, and GoFileRoom
Microsoft Outlook. These add-ins are bundled into the GoFileRoom Client
add-in.
- GoFileRoom requires that only one version of
Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader® is installed on the
workstation. We support Adobe Acrobat Standard or Professional version 7.0
or higher with all patches applied or Adobe Reader 7.0 or higher with all
patches applied.
Scan Station
A scan station is a workstation that is devoted to scanning documents
directly into Adobe Acrobat and subsequently into GoFileRoom via the
GoFileRoom ScanFlow and Upload Server Add-Ins or the CopyFlow utility. Scan
stations are typically directly connected to high-speed scanners via
SCSI or USB ports.
Scan stations must meet the same requirements as the workstations that run
the GoFileRoom application and they must also meet the following requirements
if your firm uses ScanFlow.
- Adobe Acrobat Standard or Professional must be installed on the scan
station workstation.
- The scan station requires 2 GB of RAM.
If the GoFileRoom Upload Documents utility is installed on the scan
station workstation, 2 to 4 GB of RAM is required.
- We recommend that you use a USB 2.0 port to connect the scanner to the
scan station. Alternately, you can connect the scanner via a PCI slot. If you use a
PCI slot, the scanner PC must be a full-size chassis (not a mini tower) to
accommodate full-size Adrenaline cards.
- If the scan station is connected to the workstation via a SCSI port,
Adaptec® ASPI layer must be up to date.
- When using a scan station, we recommend you dedicate a business
DSL or cable broadband
Internet connection to uploading documents from the scan station. This
reduces the amount of traffic for other general users.
- A TWAIN-compliant scanner is recommended for use with the scan station.
See the Scanner section for additional information.
Utility Servers
Utility servers host GoFileRoom utilities and services such as
GoFileRoom Upload Documents, GoFileRoom Auto File Import, GoFileRoom Auto
List, and GoFileRoom .NET Local Cache. Utility servers must meet the same
requirements as the GoFileRoom application and the scan station.
Note for CS Professional Suite users:
Additional fees may apply if you want to use GoFileRoom Auto File Import,
GoFileRoom Auto List, and GoFileRoom .NET Local Cache. Please contact us at
800.968.8900 for details on these utilities.
GoSystem Tax RS
- GoSystem Tax RS is not supported on the Windows 8 operating system at this time.
- The following versions of GoSystem Tax are supported on the Windows 7
operating system (Enterprise and Ultimate Editions): The 2009 and 2008
versions of GoSystem Tax RS and the 2009 version of the CD-based product.
- GoSystem Tax RS is supported on the Windows Vista (Ultimate or Business
Edition) and XP Professional operating systems. To view detailed
information about using GoSystem Tax RS with Windows Vista, visit the Product Assistance
website.
- When run on Windows 7 or Vista, GoSystem Tax RS requires an Intel dual-core
processor. When run on Windows XP, GoSystem Tax RS requires an Intel 1.8 GHz
processor.
- When run on Windows 7 or Vista, GoSystem Tax RS requires 1.5 GB of RAM. When
run on Windows XP, GoSystem Tax RS requires 1 GB of RAM.
Additional memory, page file, and/or free hard drive space is necessary for
processing large returns and reports. Depending on the level of chart
detail and the number of states, entities, partners, and so on, several
hundred MB of temporary free hard drive space may be required.
- Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 with the latest service packs installed is
required for both versions of GoSystem Tax RS. For the Remote Server
(GoSystem Tax RS) version, .NET Framework 2.0 must be installed before you
can install the Remote Server client. For the CD version, .NET Framework
2.0 may be installed as part of the product installation. If possible, we
recommend you install the .NET Framework 3.0, which can be installed
alongside .NET Framework 2.0.
- GoSystem Tax RS requires that Web Services Enhancements (WSE) 3.0 for
Microsoft .NET is installed. If it is not already installed on the
workstation, it is installed during the Remote Server client download.
Note: GoSystem Tax RS is not officially supported in a
Citrix® environment.
- For Hewlett-Packard (HP) laser printers, GoSystem Tax RS supports the
HP Universal Print Driver for Windows (PCL 5 or 6). For non-HP laser
printers, GoSystem Tax RS supports the native PCL 6 print driver. Consult
the manufacturer guidelines to determine memory requirements for 600 DPI.
Additional memory may be required to print large returns or reports.
- GoSystem Tax requires Internet Explorer® 7, 8, or 9; GoSystem Tax is not compatible with Internet Explorer 10 at this time. GoSystem Tax RS requires a persistent Internet connection of 128 Kbps
to 256 Kbps for every 10 users. These bandwidth requirements are in
addition to the current bandwidth utilization. If utilization reports show
70-percent utilization during peak processing periods, consider upgrading
the connection.
- For the firewall, GoSystem Tax RS requires that the server address be
transparent to the workstation (no proxy). The workstation address can be
hidden (proxy) when read from the server. Ports 443 and 2429 must be open
for outbound connections. No limitations can be set on the number of TCP
sessions.
File server
- For the file server, GoSystem Tax RS is supported on the Windows Server 2008 (but not the Windows Small Business Server 2008) operating system and the Windows Server 2003
operating system. Distributed file system (DFS) is not supported.
- The GoSystem Tax RS communications server must meet the same operating
system and hardware requirements as the workstations that run GoSystem Tax RS.
Mobile CS
There are no product-specific requirements for Mobile CS Link,
which is the desktop application used to sync data between Mobile CS apps on your mobile
device and your CS Professional Suite applications. Operating system requirements for
the devices on which you can run Mobile CS apps are as follows:
- Apple iOS devices: iOS version 4.1 or later
- Android devices: Android OS 2.1 or later
Planner CS
There are no product-specific requirements for Planner
CS.
Practice CS
- Microsoft Office XP or higher is required to take advantage of
integration with Office applications.
- A Magtek USB credit card reader is required to enable Practice CS to
automatically complete the credit card information fields in CS Payment
when you swipe a credit card. We recommend the following models:
21040147, 21040145, 21040107, and 21040108, all of which are keyboard
emulators.
Service Bureau Payroll CS
- As with most of our applications, a browser is required. We recommend a minimum of
128-bit encryption.
- Service Bureau Payroll CS is supported only in a hosted environment
through Virtual Office CS. Because the software is
accessed via the Internet and information travels through an Internet
connection, the performance of the software is subject to the same speed
variations experienced using the web. For this reason, the bandwidth used
when accessing the Internet has a significant impact on the performance of
the software. To achieve optimal product performance, we recommend a
persistent Internet connection with a minimum bandwidth of 128 Kbps for up
to four users and 32 Kbps for each additional, concurrent user. Examples of
Internet connections that meet these recommendations include dual-channel
ISDN, cable modem, ADSL or DSL, T1, and T3.
- For optimal results when printing from any application running in the Virtual Office CS environment (or, for clients, the Virtual Client Office environment), we recommend using a native Windows Server 2008 printer. For a complete list of printers recommended for use in Virtual Office CS, see Printer drivers available on Virtual Office CS in our Help & How-To Center.
ToolBox CS
- There are no product-specific requirements for ToolBox CS.
UltraTax CS
- A MAPI-compliant email client is required to take
advantage of some program features.
- Microsoft Office XP or higher is required to take advantage of
integration with Microsoft Excel.
- Scanning K-1 and W-2 barcodes requires a barcode scanner that is (a)
connected to the computer via a serial connection (standard RS-232) or
USB connection, and (b)
capable of decoding two-dimensional (2D) barcodes in PDF417 format.
Web Services (NetClient CS, Virtual Office
CS, and Web Builder CS)
- As with most of our applications, a browser is required. We recommend a minimum of
128-bit encryption.
- Because Web Services software is accessed via the Internet and
information travels through an Internet connection, the performance of the
software is subject to the same speed variations experienced using the
web. For this reason, the bandwidth used when accessing the Internet has a
significant impact on the performance of the software. To achieve optimum
product performance, we recommend a persistent Internet connection with a
minimum bandwidth of 128 Kbps for
up to four users and 32 Kbps for each additional, concurrent user.
Examples of Internet connections that meet these recommendations include
dual-channel ISDN, cable modem, ADSL or DSL, T1, and T3.
- For optimal results when printing from any application running in the Virtual Office CS environment (or, for clients, the Virtual Client Office environment), we recommend using a native Windows Server 2008 printer. For a complete list of printers recommended for use in Virtual Office CS, see Printer drivers available on Virtual Office CS in our Help & How-To Center.
Workpapers CS
- A broadband or persistent high-speed Internet connection is required to
view the help topics.
- Microsoft® Office 2007 or higher is required to take advantage
of integration with Excel and Word.
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Browser (Internet Explorer) and Modem or Internet
Connection
A browser is required for all CS Professional Suite and
Enterprise Suite applications except Client Bookkeeping Solution
and Creative Solutions Practice (for which no browser is required). For GoSystem Tax, Internet Explorer 7, 8, or 9 is required; GoSystem Tax is not compatible with Internet Explorer 10 at this time.
Our applications require a broadband or persistent high-speed Internet
connection to retrieve licensing information, user bulletins, and/or
product updates. We recommend a dedicated high-speed connection (e.g., cable modem,
DSL, T1, T3, or satellite) to safeguard against interruptions and improve performance.
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Networks/Remote Access
Network Operating Systems
Supported network operating systems are Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server
2003, both with the latest service packs installed.
Remote Access via Server-based Computing
With proper licensing, all CS Professional Suite and Enterprise Suite
applications except Client Bookkeeping Solution are supported in a remote server
environment using Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2003 in application server
mode with or without Citrix XP Feature Release 3 or Citrix Presentation Server 4.
In the remote server environment, workstation requirements are significantly
reduced.
We also offer all applications (including Client Bookkeeping Solution) in a
hosted environment. Please contact us about these
Virtual Office CS opportunities at 800.968.8900.
Wireless Networks
Wireless networks are not recommended for use with any CS Professional Suite
or Enterprise Suite application.
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Printer
A Windows-supported printer capable of data compression and a minimum 2 MB of memory is required. For the extensive printing
requirements of tax software, we recommend high-speed laser printers, such as
Hewlett-Packard's HP 4000 series and HP 8000 series, or Xerox's Docuprint series
and Phaser series.
We also recommend that you enable the duplex printing option for your printer,
if available.
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Monitor
A monitor with the resolution set to 1024 x 768 or higher is required. We
recommend a 17" or larger monitor with a minimum requirement of 15".
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CD or DVD Drive
Most CS Professional Suite and some Enterprise Suite applications are
distributed on CD-ROM and updated periodically via CS Connect, our
electronic communications tool. GoSystem Tax (CD version) products are also
distributed on CD-ROM with periodic updates available
from the Product Assistance
website. As an alternative, most CS Professional Suite applications are
available for download from our website.
Note: GoFileRoom, NetClient CS, Web Builder CS, and Virtual
Office CS users do not need CD drives because they do not install these
applications on their own computers. Instead, they use the Internet to access these
products, which are installed on Thomson Reuters servers.
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Email and Website Accounts (Optional)
We distribute software update notices and other information via email to users
who choose to subscribe to our email subscription service. In addition, some CS
Professional Suite and Enterprise Suite products require the use of a MAPI-compliant email
program to send client data and other items via email. See the Product-Specific Requirements section for details.
We strongly recommend that you set up an account on
our website, which enables you to download products for which you are licensed,
track shipments, receive important email notifications, and so on.
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Scanner
A TWAIN-compliant scanner is necessary if you want to scan hardcopy documents
directly into Engagement CS, FileCabinet CS, Fixed Assets CS and/or GoFileRoom.
Most scanners available today are TWAIN-compliant, including flatbed
scanners, sheet-fed scanners, and all-in-one units. (Note that most WIA device drivers are TWAIN compliant
and that they work only with the Windows XP or higher operating system.) The type
of scanner required should be determined by your own business practices and uses.
Engagement CS, FileCabinet CS, Fixed Assets CS, and GoFileRoom (with the CopyFlow
utility) can be used with a network scanner. For more information on scanners, see
the Selecting a Scanner For Use with the CS Professional Suite
white paper.
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TAX & ACCOUNTING
THOMSON REUTERS
