License keys
Your license key looks like SA-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX: the letters SA- followed by 16 letters and digits. Keys never contain I, O, 0, or 1, so if you see one of those, it's a typo. The key carries your tier (Standard, Professional, or Accountant) and how many users your license allows.
Your key is in your purchase email and on your account page at solidaccounting.com/account.
Activating
On first launch the app shows the activation screen. Choose one of three tabs:
- Account — sign in through your browser and pick the license for this computer.
- License Key — paste your key. The app formats it as you type; lowercase and missing hyphens are fine.
- Email Login — get a code sent to the email you bought with.
Activation needs an internet connection. After that the app doesn't need a constant connection: it checks your license about once a week and needs a successful check within about five weeks (a week plus a 30-day grace period). See Activation problems if it fails.
Before you buy, the same screen starts a 30-day free trial with every feature of the plan you choose.
Settings → License & Updates shows your tier, license key, the version you're running and the dates that matter: when Updates & Cloud Services runs through, and, if a check has failed, the days left in the 30-day grace period. It offers Re-validate, Renew… or a field for a new key, depending on where your license stands. You get a reminder before a trial, a license or Updates & Cloud Services ends. The window title shows your license, for example "Solid Accounting Professional".
Computers and users
| Tier | Users included |
|---|---|
| Standard | Up to 3 |
| Professional | Up to 5 |
| Accountant | Up to 10 |
Each added user costs $100, one time, and raises the count by one. Your account page lists the computers where your license is active and how many it allows. See Add-on users.
Moving to a new computer
Free up the old computer first: Settings → License & Updates → Deactivate. Then activate on the new one. If the old computer is gone (broken, lost, sold), deactivate it from your account page instead — find it in the machine list and click Deactivate. See Migrating between machines for moving your company file too.
If a computer was stolen, also change your company file's password.
Finding a lost key
Sign in to solidaccounting.com/account with the email you bought with, or use Email access link there to have it sent again. If you no longer have that email address, email support@solidaccounting.com with proof of purchase (the receipt or a card statement line).
Your license and Updates & Cloud Services
They're tracked separately. If you don't renew Updates & Cloud Services, your license stays valid and the version you bought keeps working. New releases need active Updates & Cloud Services.
Several licenses. Each license has its own key, user count, and renewal date. Every license bought with your email shows on your account page.
Licenses can't be transferred. A license stays with the person or business that bought it. If you sell your business, the new owner buys their own license; the company file can go with the business.