Important notes! Read before installation!

Installation syska ProFI 2024 (14.000)

An overview of changes and information on the current version can be found in the "whatsnew.pdf" (Adobe Acrobat PDF file, you need the free "Adobe Reader" programme to view it. If you have not yet installed a version of Adobe Reader, you can download Adobe Reader at get.adobe.com/reader). 
The whatsnew.pdf file can be found in the download area (https://syska.de/downloads/profi/) and is stored in the DOKU directory below the ProFI installation directory during installation. It can be accessed from there or via the start menu entry "Changes Fibu" set up for a standard installation.

Contents

Installation documents
Supported Windows® versions for version 2024
Required runtime files
Files required for database connection
Supported databases for version 2024
Current OFCKS.NET interface
Classic OFCK interface
Notes on data backup and data consistency check
Database server settings
Initial installation
Carry out network installation and prepare database
Carry out workstation installation
Update within the version 2024
Switch from older versions (before version 2022) to version 2024
Installation of a subsequently licensed ProFI module
Changing the number of users / licence type
Reports
Path settings for programme and evaluations
Overview of the most important installed programme files

Installation documents

Please also be sure to observe the notes on data backup!

You should have received the following:
•	A download link
•	If it is a new installation or an update to a new major version: A licence certificate with the licence data. If this is missing, please get in touch with your syska ProFI account manager. 
No new licence data is required for updates within the same main version (e.g. for service releases)! You can view the version currently in use in the individual syska ProFI modules under "Module name > About" (e.g. in FIBU under "Finanzbuchhaltung > About", in OPOS under "Offene Posten > About"). 

Content of a download path:
1)	Main directory: The installation programme, overview of current changes (whatsnew.pdf), version file and readme file with brief information. 
2)	Subdirectory "DLL": any additional runtime files required. Note the file readme.txt in this directory.
3)	Subdirectory "OFCKS.NET": Installation programme for the current .NET and web service interface.

Supported Windows® versions for version 2024

syska ProFI version 2024 is released for the following Windows® versions as workstation operating systems:

•	Windows 10 Pro/Enterprise in the versions supported by Microsoft.
•	Windows 11 Pro/Enterprise in the versions supported by Microsoft.

Windows Server 2016, 2019 and 2022 are released as server operating systems. 

For the use of the ELSTER functions for electronic tax transmission in Germany, there may be restrictions regarding the supported Windows versions, please note the relevant information in whatsnew.pdf.

Required runtime files
syska ProFI version 2024 requires at least Microsoft .NET Framework 4.8, which must be installed on the workstations. If necessary, download a current version of the .NET Framework Runtime 4.8 from Microsoft. Syska ProFI is not designed for .NET 5!

The modules for the Elster transfer of the advance tax return require the Microsoft Visual C 2022 Runtime in the 32-bit version. You can obtain this from the Microsoft download page. The required file msvcp140.dll is also stored with ProFI in the installation path.

Files required for database connection
Syska ProFI 2024 requires .NET providers for database connection. 

The .NET provider for Microsoft SQL Server is part of the .NET Framework and is already installed. For other supported databases, the syska ProFI Setup contains .NET providers of a specific version.

There are several constellations:
•	The .NET provider is complete by itself and requires no further installation.
•	The .NET provider requires the client setup of the respective database.
•	The supplied .NET provider does not match the database version used and must be replaced by the version that matches the database.
The client files are part of the database setup and are not supplied with syska ProFI.

Further information on the client files and the database connection can be found in the Whatsnew document and the documentations
•	Sqlserver.pdf
•	Oracle.pdf
•	Informix.pdf
•	SQLBase.pdf
after installing the setup in the DOKU subdirectory of the syska ProFI installation.

Supported databases for version 2024
In principle, syska ProFI supports the Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, Gupta SQLBase and IBM Informix databases. Support for newer versions of the Gupta SQLBase and Informix databases will be discontinued.

Please refer to the Whatsnew document in the "Databases" section for the exact versions.

Current OFCKS.NET interface
If other applications are connected to syska ProFI using the .NET interface of OFCKS.NET or the web service of OFCKS.NET: OFCK version 5.1.3.0 or higher is required for version 2024 of syska ProFI. This can be found in the download area in the OFCKS.NET subdirectory.

Important: Before importing a new OFCK version, check with the manufacturer of the other application whether it supports the new OFCK version!

Classic OFCK interface
If other applications are connected to syska ProFI using the classic OFCK interface (version 4.x): There is no longer any support from syska for syska ProFI version 2024. If your manufacturer still uses this interface, please clarify with them a prompt changeover to OFCKS.NET.

Notes on data backup and data consistency check

Even your system is not immune to hardware failures, operating errors or viruses! Therefore, make sure you regularly and promptly back up the programme installation and the database system! 

After setting up the backup, check whether it works and whether the backed up data can be restored!

To secure the database system, follow the instructions in the database manufacturer's documentation, as certain peculiarities must be observed depending on the database used! 
It is NOT sufficient to simply back up the database files, as either not all the information required for a backup is recorded or not all files can be backed up because files are permanently opened by the database system.

If you have any questions about data backup, please contact your system administrator, who will be able to recommend a suitable data backup method for your system environment.

All database systems supported by syska ProFI offer the option of checking the internal consistency of the database in order to recognise corrupt database files (i.e. with a damaged internal structure). Corrupt database files can be caused, for example, by hardware malfunctions or failures (memory, hard disk controller, hard disk) but also by power failures/fluctuations and do not have to manifest themselves immediately in problems during operation! Corrupt databases often appear to function normally at first, but there are areas in the database that can no longer be accessed. Error messages only appear when these areas are accessed.

Without regular consistency checks of the database, there is therefore a risk that defects in the database files will go unnoticed for a long time and the data corruption will become so severe that it is no longer possible to correct it. 

To prevent a defective database from being backed up unnoticed over a longer period of time, it is necessary to integrate these consistency checks into the backup concept so that problems can be recognised at an early stage!

The best data backup is useless if a defective database is backed up over a period of weeks and no intact backup copy is available!

Details on checking the consistency of your databases can be found in the database manufacturer's documentation.

Database server settings

These notes mainly concern updates to an existing installation.

Back up your existing installation and database before you start the update!

If you are using Microsoft SQL Server as the database system, you must ensure that the log segment (not the tempdb segment!) of the database that is being updated is sufficiently dimensioned. 
Note: Log segment twice the size of the current database size (the actual hard disc space used by the database, not twice the size of the entire database segment!
The update transactions create extensive log files (for technical database reasons) for large amounts of data. 
If dynamic enlargement of the log segment is activated, free disc space of the specified size should also be available.

Make sure that you update your data backup settings accordingly after changing the log segment size. You can find more information on this in the Microsoft SQL Server documentation.

If you use Oracle as your database system and have defined fixed sizes for the TABLESPACEs, you must also ensure that you have sufficient free disc space.
Reference point: 50% of the current database size.
If dynamic enlargement of the TABLESPACEs is activated, free disc space of the specified size should also be available.

When using Gupta SQLBase as a database system, sufficient free disc space must also be available for the creation of temporary files. 
Reference point: 50% of the current database size.

The same applies to IBM Informix: there must be sufficient free Extends or disk space available. As a guide: 50% of the current database size.

Initial installation

Prerequisites: The database system must be installed and an empty database must have been created using the administration tools of the respective database. The client files including the .NET provider of the respective database system must also be installed and configured.

Further information on database connection can also be found in the section "Files required for database connection" and in the Whatsnew document. Installation instructions can be found in the help for the installation programme and in the " Installation.pdf " manual.

You must log in with administrator rights to run the syska ProFI setup programme.

In the following, it is assumed that a centralised installation is to be set up so that the workstation PCs can start the ProFI modules via network sharing.
Execute the setup locally on the server (and not from a workstation PC) so that the Windows software administration can register the updates correctly during subsequent updates!

Carry out network installation and prepare database

1)	Start the downloaded setup programme locally on the server.
2)	If you carry out a "customised" installation instead of the "standard" installation, you must select the following minimum features to be installed for the network installation:
•	Programme files
•	Database provider for databases other than Microsoft SQL Server
You should also install the tool for remote maintenance support (Anydesk).
3)	As the installation directory, select the directory that will later be available to the workstations as a network share.
4)	After installing the programme files, start the syska ProFI database installation programme ("DB-Installation" icon or db_inst.exe). 
5)	Click on the SQL.CONFIG button in the login dialogue and configure the database connection. Alternatively, you can create the correct configuration with an editor using the example file sqlconfig.txt.
6)	Restart the DB installation programme after adjusting the SQL.CONFIG and now log on to the database as an administrator according to the configured database connection. 
7)	Select the menu item "Installation/Update" under "Installation" in the database installation programme. You will first be asked to enter your licence data. These can be found on your licence certificate.
8)	Once you have entered the licence data correctly, a dialogue box opens in which the modules to be installed or updated are listed. Click OK to start the installation. The installation scripts are then executed, which create the required database tables. If errors are reported during this process, please contact your system administrator.
9)	If the new installation(s) has/have been carried out, you must carry out the client installation under "Clients" "New client".
10)	Once this has been done, set up the users in the "Users" menu item and assign access rights for them (functional access rights under "Users" "User rights" and database-side rights under "Users" "Module authorisations ").
11)	Follow the "Checklist" chapter in the FNA manual for further setup.

Carry out workstation installation
If only the standard functions of syska ProFI are used, only programme links to the network share need to be created on the workstations. 

Additional workstation installations are not necessary. 

Update within the version 2024

These steps only describe updates within version 2024, for updates of older major versions (e.g. 2020 or 2022) please refer to the corresponding chapters below.

To run the installation programme, you must log in with administrator rights.
Important: run the setup from the same server or administration workstation as the original setup so that the Windows software administration can register the update correctly!

1)	Back up the database! (If you use several databases, back up all databases and carry out the update for each database).
2)	Save your existing installation, especially .MRT reports that you have customised (e.g. the dunning form op_mahn.mrt if you are not using a renamed version).
3)	Start the downloaded installation programme.
4)	Carry out the installation as described above under "Carrying out the network installation".
5)	If you have customised .MRT reports: If necessary, copy these back into the Reports subdirectory of the installation directory if they were overwritten during the update.

An update of the workstation installation is generally not necessary, but please check the notes in the document whatsnew.pdf!

For later versions of 2024 SRx, it may be necessary to update the database structure to the new version after installing the files.

1)	Start the database installation programme (symbol "DB-Installation" or db_inst.exe).
2)	Log in to the database installer and select "Installation/Update" from the "Install" menu.
 You will first be asked to enter your licence data. These can be found on your licence certificate. 
Updates within the same main version, i.e. without changing the first two version numbers (e.g. from 13.000 to 13.010 (=version 2022)) do not require any new licence data. Simply confirm the previous licence data.
3)	Once you have correctly entered or confirmed the licence data, a dialogue box opens in which the modules to be installed or updated are listed. Pay attention to the selected tablespace for Oracle databases! Click OK to start the installation/update. The installation scripts are then executed, which carry out the required database changes. If errors are reported, please contact your system administrator.
You must not execute any scripts manually or via the "Execute script" menu item when updating! Otherwise you could damage your data!
4)	If you have customised report templates: Refer to the Whatsnew.pdf provided to see which report changes have been made. 

Switch from older versions (before version 2022) to version 2024

Versions older than version 2022 are no longer supported by Support. An update from the version before (2020) will usually work without any problems. However, should an update from an even older version become necessary, you can expect unforeseen difficulties. Support will endeavour to assist you with the update, but will not necessarily be able to do so to the full extent!

Installation of a subsequently licensed ProFI module

If you have licensed an additional ProFI module for an existing installation, install it as follows (if only the number of users is to be changed, please read the section "Changing the number of user licences"):

If you have received a download link in addition to a new licence certificate: 
•	In addition to installing the new ProFI module, you must also update your existing installation. In this case, first carry out the steps in the sections of these instructions that apply to you. In this case, the installation of newly licensed modules will be carried out automatically when you run "Installation/Update".

If you have only received a new licence certificate:
1)	Start the DB installation (db_inst.exe) in the syska-ProFI installation directory. Log in to the database and select "Installation/Update" in the "Installation" menu. You will now be asked to enter your licence data, the existing settings are preset. Change the details according to your new licence certificate.
2)	Once you have entered the licence data correctly, a dialogue box opens in which the modules to be installed or updated are listed. Pay attention to the selected tablespace for Oracle databases! Click OK to start the installation/update. The installation scripts are then executed, which carry out the required database changes. If errors are reported, please contact your system administrator.
3)	If you have licensed Kore Plus or Asset Accounting as new modules, you still need to activate these modules for the desired clients. This is done in the FIBU module in the settings dialogue in the "General - Company settings" branch.
IMPORTANT: these settings can no longer be changed later! Therefore, make sure that the correct start data is entered for asset accounting and cost accounting! For asset accounting in particular, please refer to the notes on "Transferring old stock" in the Anbu manual! 
These settings must be made separately for each client.
4)	If, for example, you have newly licenced the Chief Info, Invoice Receipt Book or Automatic Bank Statement Import module, this is automatically set up for all clients. No entries are required in the company settings of the financial accounting.

Changing the number of users / licence type

If you want to change the number of users (e.g. 3 users Fibu to 4 users Fibu) or change the licence type (e.g. demo to full version), please proceed as follows:

1)	Start the DB installation (db_inst.exe) in the ProFI installation directory. Log in to the database and select "Edit licence data" in the "Installation" menu.
2)	Enter the details from your new licence certificate in this dialogue and click on Save. The new licence data is then stored in the database.

Reports

Instructions for operating the report generators (classic RS and new Stimulsoft MRT) can be found in the document "Manual Reports.pdf" in the "Docs" subdirectory.

All report templates are gradually being converted to the Stimulsoft report generator (these templates have the file extension "MRT").

The appearance of MRT report templates can be changed using a design mode from syska ProFI; details can be found in the document "Manual Reports.pdf " in the documentation subdirectory of the installation. Please observe the following notes when customising report templates:
1)	Before modifying a supplied MRT file, copy the original supplied by us to a safe place. You can also copy most of the reports and should edit a copy instead of the original supplied.
2)	If you have modified and tested an MRT file and want to keep it in this form for your installation, copy it to a safe place and then back again after an update 
Alternatively, you can also give the dunning form a different name and store the name in the dunning template administration.
3)	If you require more detailed instruction, please contact your system administrator.

Path settings for programme and evaluations

Financial Accounting and its modules evaluate various path settings, in particular the execution path and report path. This setting can be changed in the settings dialogue under "Options - Paths" at various levels (database, client, user). 
The execution path specifies the directory in which the programme files of the modules (cost accounting, asset accounting, open items, etc.) are searched for if one of these modules is to be started from another via the corresponding ribbon entries. 
The report path defines the directory in which the template files for the analyses are to be searched for (the default is the Reports subdirectory of the installation directory). In order for users to be able to save adjustments to the report templates, they need write authorisation to the report directory.

If you change the installation directory and/or the report directory during an update, you may need to reset the path details in the settings dialogue.
If you want to use the Business Cockpit, define a path as the storage path to which all users have write access (configuration files are stored there for each user). The same applies to the path for the Elster files.

Overview of the most important installed programme files

File name	Contents	
Fibu.exe	Financial accounting	
Opos.exe	Open item management	
Anbu.exe	Asset accounting	
Kore.exe	Cost accounting	
Abi.exe	Automatic bank statement import	
Chefinfo.exe	Chief info module	
SQLKabu.exe	Cashbook module	
Rebu.exe	Invoice receipt book	
Sqlgdpdu.exe	GDPdU export module	
Sqldex.exe	DATEV interface	
Fibuabgl.exe	Adjustment utility programme	
Db_inst.exe	Database installation programme/administration programme	
Db_inst.ini	Installation control file	
		
Whatsnew.pdf	Description of the current changes	
fi_*.rs, op*.rs, cl_*.rs	RS report templates Fibu and OPos	
fi_*.mrt, op*.mrt	Stimulsoft report templates Fibu and OPos	
*.wts	Installation scripts	
*.kr	Chart of accounts scripts	
ProFIExcel-packed.xll	Excel-AddIn for evaluation access to syska ProFI data