Protecting your license from disqualification
Budgets GetReal is licensed on the basis that only one copy of the database can be used at any time. The database can be operated freely on as many computers as you wish - provided only one copy is in use at any time.
Breaches of license provisions may result in your database being disqualified. You should read the following guide carefully to ensure this does not occur.
With the release of Version 2.02 (Build 037) we have extended the flexibility of your license by introducing a read-only mode of database operation.
Read-only mode is of great benefit when working with backups of financial records e.g. copies of your database used to prepare Tax Returns. In this case you need to be certain the records are not inadvertently changed.
The TaxTime extension further extends your license by allowing multiple databases to operate simultaneously for a limited time period. For practical reasons only one should be changed during this time. TaxTime extension will be released early 2010.
How our license protection works
The following guide outlines how our license protection system works. It is provided to assist you in complying with your License obligations. License protection consists of 3 main components:
1. Initial registration - allowed once only
Your license key and password can be only used once. This is the way we prevent someone licensing the product and simply distributing the login details on the internet.
2. On-going check of license cancellation
Budgets GetReal provides for a 60 day money back guarantee (conditions apply). Databases using a cancelled registration number are automatically disqualified. This check is ongoing every few weeks. Disqualified databases (see later for limitations) can be re-licensed at any time. None of the financial data you entered is ever destroyed.
3. On-going check for the use of duplicate databases
One method of software theft is to license the database and then distribute this without transactions. The normal counter to this is to lock the database to the computer used for registration. This is just not flexible enough when you need to work with your Accountant or Tax Agent, or across multiple computers.
One of the protections we use is to periodically (but at random times) assign a new validation token that must apply for future access by the database. The first database that logs-in after each token change gets the one-off token (unique for each registration number). The token is only issued once so that any other database copy, attempting to use that registration number, will be disqualified. The process repeats periodically thereby ensuring that only one valid database remains in use.
There is no way to predict what copy of the database will be disqualified.
If you do not distribute copies of the database then these cannot be opened and possibly disqualify your valid database.
This check applies only to editable databases. Databases opened read-only (introduced Build 037) do not participate in this check - and cannot be disqualified or trigger disqualification of other databases.
Can my license be incorrectly cancelled?
Certain procedures may cause the on-going check for duplicate databases to fail thereby disqualifying your database. This cannot happen if you are using Build 037+ and a read-only database.
The ways you, a legitimate user, could possibly be effected are
1. Reopening backup copies of your databases.
This risk applies only if you are using Builds prior to 037. With Build 037+ backups are opened read-only - and you change them to editable when you wish. Of course, once changed to editable, they will participate in the on-going check for duplicate databases and may disqualify shortly afterwards.
2. Running multiple editable database copies on several computers.
This is the likely way to breach your license obligations. It is usually non-workable in managing changes to your financial data, and so - if you follow our recommended procedures - it is unlikely to be an issue.
If you move your latest editable copy of the database between computers this problem will never occur. Use a USB Drive to store the latest copies of all backups and move these between computers. See Running Budgets GetReal on multiple computers
3. At tax time when you and your Accountant must both access your database.
The TaxTime extension provides extra licensing for multiple copies to operate simultaneously during this time.
4. Your Accountant has older copies of your financial data and opens an old database without your knowledge.
From Build 037 you can lock your database against change. Any backup opened by your Accountant will open read-only and can not be unlocked.
Registered Accountants and Tax Agents have access to special tools that eliminate this problem - even if you do not make your database read-only.
There is no risk of disqualification if you are using Version 2.02 (Build 037+), your database is read-only or you are following our recommended procedures.
If your database is disqualified, it is simply restored by requesting a free re-activation key. You will need to provide satisfactory proof of purchase.
What happens on Disqualification?
Database disqualification can result for a number of reasons, the most common being
A. You purchased Budgets GetReal and exercised your money back guarantee.
B. A breach of the on-going checks of license provisions.
On disqualification you still retain access to your financial data. You simply cannot change any transactions, import new transactions etc.. Your priveleges to access and report on transactions will be restricted as follows.
A. Disqualified files opened on the computer used to initially register the database will be given the most extensive priveleges to access and report on transactions.
B. Disqualified files opened by registered Accountants also gain most extensive priveleges.
C. Otherwise you can view your data but will be restricted in the extent of reporting and printouts you can perform.
Disqualified databases can be restored with an appropriate re-activation key.
Note. Disqualification is not the same as electing to open files read-only. Opening files read-only is a voluntary limitation that also prevents on-going license checking against the use of duplicate databases. Files opened read-only can still be Disqualified if your license is cancelled.
Beware the following licensing issues
The most common licensing problems we have encountered are:
1. You deleted your database shortly after registration
As a new user you may initially install and register the software and “play around” for a time getting to know Budget GetReal’s features.
When you want to enter your final data you may be tempted to delete the test database, the database folder and re-install again. If you do this and try and register a new copy of the database using your purchased serial number will be rejected. See also Serial number entered is registered to another user
There is no need to delete your Database folder or contents. Simply move all contents to a sub-folder called,say, “original database test”.
When you first registered your database a backup was automatically performed for you. It is usually named BGRbackup1000.bak. This usually will contain no transactions - if you followed the normal procedure of registering the program before doing anything else. If there are transactions these can be cleared.
So all you need do is to create a new Backups sub-folder, place BGRbackup1000.bak within this and restore from this backup. There is no need to re-register
2. Computer failures. Loss of database and all backups
You may have taken backups however these and the latest copy of your database are lost. When you restore the software on a new computer your purchased serial number will fail on registration.
We strongly suggest that you keep selected copies of your backup files on another computer (or USB drive). We suggest this be done at least monthly and with each tax return submission. A good way is to password protect your database (& backups) and email them to an external storage location like gMail or hotMail. See also Backup and restore your database
