Installation Instructions for iFMLA

Table 1 lists the system requirements for the server and client components. You may install all of the server components on one computer, or you may install them separately. The client uses an auto-update function that is similar to Windows Updates. For auto-updates to work, each user needs write permissions on their local folder, c:\Program Files\Apex\iHR, and firewalls must allow SOAP messages over HTTP port 80 to/from 64.199.129.131. Apex recommends that all of the workstations, users, and server(s) are joined to the same Windows AD domain.

Table 2 lists server configurations for a typical client/server installation. In the recommended configuration, performance is balanced with cost. The recommended configuration uses two IDE drives: one drive holds system files and the SQL Server transaction log. The other hard drive holds the database and the network share for the file attachments.

2.1. Attaching the Database to an Existing SQL Server

2.2. "No SQL Server" Installation

3.1. .NET Framework 1.0 or Better Is Already Installed

3.2. .NET Framework 1.0 or Better Is Not Installed

3.3. Enabling Auto-Updates

iFMLA can associate files like portraits, resumes, and MS Office documents with an employee. If you choose to take advantage of this feature then use Windows Explorer and/or Computer Management to create a network share that will hold the documents. Set appropriate security on the share, and enter the share's UNC path into the software.

To enter the UNC path, log on as an administrator and open the client. Click Company > Settings. Click the File Associations tab. Enter the UNC path. On that same tab, you can also edit the subfolders that will be created for each employee. Note that iFMLA does not automatically manage the security on any of those folders.

To set security, log on as an administrator and open the client. Click Company > Security. Click Yes when prompted to remove Users from db_owner. To grant a user or group of users full control, add the user/group, and join him to the db_owner SQL Role. For additional security settings refer to the help manual at http://iHRsoftware.com/ftp/help.doc.

1. Choose the server that will host the service. The server needs network access to the Apex database and an SMTP server. Apex recommends that you install the e-mailer service on an existing SMTP server that does not require SMTP authentication.

   If the SMTP server is a remote computer then it must grant relay permissions to the local server. Also, the e-mailer service cannot pass SMTP credentials. If authentication and relaying create problems then work around them by installing a new, local SMTP service from your Windows server CD-ROM.

2. Log on to the target server. Click here to download (6M) and run the install package.
3. After the service installs, open the apexTaskEmailer.xml file with notepad. The file is usually located at C:\Program Files\Apex\Apex Task Emailer\apexTaskEmailer.xml. Edit the file and change the database and SMTP keys to point to your database and SMTP server.

   You may choose to create an administrative SQL account and use that account in the database connection string. Otherwise, database permissions will be determined by the Windows Account in which the service runs. Two example connection strings are listed below. One uses Windows Authentication and the other uses SQL Authentication.
   
   Data Source=.;Database=IHR;Trusted_Connection=Yes
   Data Source=.;Database=IHR;User Id=SQLEmailAccount;Password=colts2007

4. Open the computer's list of services. Find Apex Task E-mailer.

   If you choose to use Windows Authentication instead of SQL Authentication then right-click the service, edit its properties, and change the Windows Account to a domain account that has administrative database access (member of IHR.db_owner). Note that the domain account needs read permissions on the local apexTaskEmailer.xml file.

5. Right-click the service and start it. Review your application event log to confirm that the service started successfully.