Moving to a new computer

(Note: in the following steps, the \C21 folder refers to the main installation folder name you choose. The default and typical name is \C21.)


Prepare for the move

21st Century Accounting requires Version 10 or higher of the PSQL Database Software (Actian PSQL/Zen), depending on what operating system you are running. PSQL is the database engine used by the 21st Century Accounting program.

Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016 require at least PSQL version 12. PSQL version 12 is no longer available for upgrade but if you are currently running PSQL version 12, you can transfer your license to your new computer. You will need to deactivate your PSQL when you are ready to activate on your new computer. Please see instructions further down this page. If you need to upgrade your PSQL, you can upgrade to version 13, which is backward compatible.

Windows Server 2019 requires PSQL version 13.

Determine Your Status

Start the 21st Century Accounting program and go to the Help/About command. If the About window does not show Database: PVSW version 10 or higher, contact 21st Century Accounting about obtaining an upgrade before you continue with your transition.

Install on the new computer

We will provide download links for you to install on your new computer that includes PSQL and a full C21 installation. Your account must be current to receive the download links or you will need to re-instate your license. Follow the installation wizard and choose "Full" when installing on a new server or a stand-alone computer and "Client" when you are installing new C21 workstations.

Do not try to copy the 21st Century Accounting application files from one computer to another. As with almost all Windows applications, you must reinstall from the original media or download links when you move to a new computer in order to get the proper registry entries and to make sure all the support files are placed where the application expects to find them.

After reinstalling, download and install the latest cumulative program update from our website.

Transferring company information

Networking your old and new computers together, at least for a period of time, will ease the transfer of files and folders during the move. Otherwise, plan to use a CD or some other backup media, to transfer the \c21\data folder and \c21\reports\custom folder (if it exists) from your old computer. If you have a copy of the \c21\data folder and \c21\reports\custom from any point in time, you can restore it to use as a starting point.

On your new computer, open Windows Explorer and navigate to C21. There should be a data folder listed. Copy all of the files in the data folder on your storage media and paste them into this folder. Repeat this process with the reports\custom folder. After this procedure, you should be able to view all of your companies in the C21 installation.


If for some reason you are not able to transfer your current information from these folders, then review and perform the following steps, as applicable:

1. Review user IDs and Access Control settings and create any new ones you need

2. If you have any Payroll user-defined taxes, review them and create any new ones you need. User defined taxes must have the same names that they had in the previous C21 installation. If you no longer have access to your old computer, you will need to do the following:

  1. Restore from a backup from your old installation.
  2. If you have user-defined taxes, the system will display a notification with a list of the payroll factors you need to reconfigure.
  3. Save this picture to a word document and/or print it out.
  4. Go to Payroll/Configure/Tax Calculations and define your user-defined taxes as listed on the notification.
  5. You may need to restore multiple companies depending on how many have user-defined taxes.
  6. Once these taxes have been redefined, re-restore the company and you should no longer see the message when you select your company.



Add-ons and Payroll Tax Updates

If you use the payroll system in C21, install the latest Payroll Tax Update (available on our website), which is cumulative for each year, so you'll be running the current year's Payroll tax calculations.

If you purchased any Add-on products for the 21st Century Accounting program, such as Direct Deposit, then you must install those products separately from the CD or installer file you received from us.

Use the Restore Window Defaults command from the System menu to avoid any issues with command window visibility. You can resize and reposition command windows as desired as you use the program.

Review Preferences

1. Run the System/Company/Preferences command. You should review the settings on all tabs in any case. If you have restored custom forms and/or report definitions, then especially go to the Forms tab, click on the Refresh button and then set all the form choice selections as needed.

2. You should Preview the form layouts and possibly print test pages to make sure the definitions match your current needs.

3. If you did not have a current copy of the \c21\data folder to restore (see step #3), then carefully review the other tabs, especially the Doc. number formats tab. You want those settings to be correct before you post new transactions

4. The program saves printer selections for each C21 user ID. Each user should run the System/Select Printer and System/Company/Preference : Forms tab commands to make sure the printer selections are appropriate. In the select printer window, verify or select the correct printer and click OK to exit the window whether you changed the selected printer or not, to make sure the selection is registered in the new environment.

Deactivate PSQL

If you already have Pervasive Version 12 or higher, you must deactivate the PSQL license on your existing computer before you can complete the transition to your new computer. When you are ready to finalize the transition, go to the Windows Start/All Programs. Locate the Actian menu and open the License Administrator, highlight the entry for your current license, and click the Deactivate or Deauthorize button.

Removal of Old 21st Century Accounting

1. On the old computer, run Start/Settings/Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs.
2. Remove 21st Century Accounting and any entries for Pervasive from the old computer
3. Complete network installation if necessary.

If you have other new computers that you will be using as 21st Century workstations, then perform a "Client" installation on those, using an installation CD with Pervasive 10 or higher.