Herb 50 Accounts: Running reports across a network

Introduction

We use the term server side reporting to describe running reports across a network. To set this up, you will need to have some knowledge of networks and firewalls. If you are unsure about any of the tasks described, we recommend that you contact your network administrator or the person who set up your network.

Before you start

Ensure you have:

A network version of Herb 50 Accounts installed on the server PC and each client PC.
A network that uses TCP/IP protocol.

Set up tasks

Task	How to
Install server side reporting on the server PC	Insert the Herb 50 Accounts CD. From the Welcome window, choose Optional Tools. Follow the prompts to complete the installation and then restart the server PC.
Set up firewall access on the server PC	Enable the server to accept incoming connections through port 5976. Your software is set up to use port number 5976. If it is unsuitable or becomes unusable, assign another port to server side reporting from those listed on your client PC. Note: The port should only be used on a local area network. Opening ports between the network and the Internet poses significant security risks.
Set up client PC	Open Report Designer on the client PC, and choose Tools > Data Sources. Select the data source you want to use with server side reporting, then click Remote. Enter the name of the server. Select the Connect to the Remote Report Server for this Data Source option, then click OK. Tip: This icon will appear at the bottom of your screen to confirm server side reporting is active. You can double-click this icon to open the Configure Remote Data Source window.
Copy customised reports to the server PC	If you have any customised reports stored on your client, copy them to the Reports folder on the server.

Troubleshooting

If you are having problems, there are several things you could check:

Check	How to
The software is accessing the data through a UNC path	On the client PC, open Herb 50 and choose Help > About. Check that the Data Directory begins with a UNC path in the format \\<server name>, and is not a drive letter. Note: Server side reporting does not work on a mapped drive. For example, F:\Accounts\Accdata.
The Herb Hosting Service is running on the server	On the server PC, open Computer Management (e.g. right-click My Computer and select Manage). Open Services and Applications, then open Services. In the service list, check that the Herb Hosting Service is listed as Started. If the service does not have the status Started, right-click the service name and choose Start.
The target server name is correct	On the server PC, right-click My Computer and select Properties. Check that the Computer Name is the same as you set in the client; if the name is incorrect, set up the client again.
The network protocol is TCP/IP	On the client PC, open the Local Area Connection properties. Check that the protocol TCP/IP appears. If you can't see the TCP/IP, contact your network administrator. Note: To display the properties using Windows Vista, open Control Panel, Network and Internet, Network and Sharing Center. Select Manage network connections, then right-click Local Area Connection and select Properties.
The client PC can find the server PC on the network	On the client, choose Start > Run. In the Run window type CMD, then click OK. In the displayed window type ping <server name> and press Enter. If you get a response the client PC can find the server. If there is no response, contact your network administrator.
The Report Service page is accessible	On the client, open Report Designer. Choose Tools > Data Sources. Select the data source you want to access then click Remote. Copy the URL and paste it into a browser such as Internet Explorer. If the ReportService page appears, the client can connect to the hosting service. If it can't connect, check your firewall settings.

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