Local Network Versions of DONATION Software
Easily track donors and donations and issue charitable receipts with DONATION.
The Local Network Versions of DONATION are made up of Local Network Server and Local Network Client versions. The Local Network Server version installs onto one Windows computer on your local network (usually within one building or set of offices, linked either hard-wired or using WiFi). It has the database on that computer. The Local Network Client version gets installed on additional Windows computers on your same local network. These clients can access the same database running on the computer with the Local Network Server version. However, there is no access over the Internet. Up to 5 users can use the program (including for data entry) at the same time.
Other versions of DONATION that also allow sharing a database between multiple users, including over the Internet rather than just on a local network, are:
- The Standard (previously called Standalone) version, that can be used on just a single computer, or shared over the Internet using its Cloud Storage Service.
- The OnDemand Version, which is entirely cloud-based, with the program and data on a server. It is run by remote control with a small OnDemand Client program, which can be used on Windows, Macs, or Android or iOS (iPad) tablets.
- The Remote Database Version, where the program is installed onto your computers, and the database is on a server. It has similar advantages to the OnDemand version but is much slower.
Whether you use the Local Network version, the Standard version, the OnDemand version, or the Remote Database Version, pricing does not depend on the number of computers on which you install DONATION.
The Local Network Version is Not Web-Based
The Local Network versions of DONATION, like all of the versions except for the OnDemand version, are not cloud-based or web-based. They have to be installed on Windows computers. And they are designed for use only on a group of computers within one local network - not over the Internet. If you need to share databases over the Internet, it would be best to use either OnDemand version or the the Cloud Storage Service of the Standard version. These are both discussed, with their pros and cons, in the Multiple User Options Help page.
Is the Local Network Version of the DONATION Software for You?
The DONATION Local Network version allows up to five users on five different computers on your local-area network to access the program simultaneously.
Most organizations only need the Standard version of DONATION. That's because, even if they have a network, only one person really needs access to DONATION. That user might want to have DONATION installed on a computer in the organization's office, and another computer at home, but the Local Network version isn't designed for that. (You can install multiple copies of the Standard version, at no additional charge, and copy the database file back and forth between those computers.)
Select the Local Network version if:
- You have a local-area network in your organization,
- More than one user in your organization wants access to the same DONATION database, and
- All of the users who need to access the program will always be on that network (never over the Internet from elsewhere).
See also the Selecting the Best Version of DONATION and DONATION Version Comparison pages.
DONATION Software Local Network Version Installation
Install the Local Network Server version on the main user's computer, and the Local Network Client version on any additional users' computers. The Local Network Server version should normally not be installed on a real Windows server computer, but rather on an actual user's computer.
You can find installation help for the Local Network version in the program's Help or the manual (readable online at Local Network Versions of DONATION).
License Keys
With the DONATION Local Network versions, the same license key is used for all installed copies of DONATION on your network.
Upgrading to the Local Network Version of the DONATION Software:
To upgrade from a DONATION Standard version to a Local Network version:
- Pay an appropriate upgrade fee, as detailed here.
- Request a new License Key that authorizes you to use the Local Network version, via the Help ⇒ Request or Install License Key menu option, and the "Request License Key for your Organization" button on the resulting window.
- Download and install the Local Network Server and Local Network Client versions on the appropriate computers. (Normally, you would install the Local Network Server version on top of your existing Standard version, assuming that was already on a computer on your network.)
Try the DONATION Software Local Network Version for Free
Free 60-day Evaluation! Download and evaluate DONATION on your Windows computer for free. (Mac users should select the OnDemand version that has an OnDemand Client program for Macs.) Do not pay until you decide to use the program for your organization. Check the PRICING/PAYMENT details.