Using a networked version of Lacerte while away from the office

This article will assist you if you have installed Lacerte as a network but you need to take the computer away from the office and network connection.

Before you start

• Before you're able to sign in to Lacerte while working offline, you must first sign in to Lacerte while connected to the internet. This will cache your login credentials on the computer that'll be working offline. After you've logged in while online once, you'll no longer need an internet connection to sign in to Lacerte.
  • However, once your password expires, you'll need to connect to the internet and sign in to Lacerte again so that the system can cache your new credentials.
• If you are in a networked environment, and the Option path is pointing to a network drive, follow the steps below.

Follow these steps to sign in to Lacerte while offline in a networked environment:

1. While connected to the network and the internet, sign in to Lacerte.
2. From the Settings menu, select System File Path and choose Change.
   • Take note of the current System File Path before you change it. You'll need to change it back to the original System File Path when you return to the office.
3. In the Change To: field, type in C:\LacerteYYTax
   • YY represents the 2-digit tax year. For example, for 2021, this would be C:\Lacerte21Tax.
4. Click OK.
5. When you see the following prompt "Would you like to copy existing systems files to this directory?", select Yes.
6. Click OK.
7. Close Lacerte so that the changes can take effect.
8. Open Lacerte and sign in.
9. From the Settings menu, select Options.
10. Go to the Setup tab.
11. If the Data Path and Shared K1 Data Path aren't pointing to a local drive, change them now and then click OK.
    • For example, C:\LACERTE\21TAX\IDATA and C:\LACERTE\21TAX\SHARED\K1.

The next time you open Lacerte, you'll have the option to Sign in Offline. Select the Sign in Offline button to access the program without an internet connection.

Follow these steps to change the System File Path back to the network:

1. From the Settings menu, select System File Path and choose Change.
2. In the Change To: field, click the arrow and select the path on the network from the dropdown list.
3. Click OK.
4. Click NO, and then click OK again.
   • The program will close.
5. Open Lacerte again using the icon on your desktop.