Questions Asked About AzureMate Explorer and ShopMate Database Software

No.
You only loose the software access to it via ShopMate program operations. We keep the record of your Company Trading Name and your first ShopMate subscription or full purchase, indefinitely. This means that, if you are on subscriptions, you can decide when to subscribe and when not to.

For example, you are going for extended 6 month holidays etc. and nobody else is going to need ShopMate, you just close the business, plan for your payments accordingly. When you run ShopMate on any workstation, it lets you know every day a week before your subscription runs out and after it runs out by a pop-up Subscription form each time you start it and before the normal log on form.

If you stay away a longer period of time, first it is important to make sure to check to see if there are any updates for your particular ShopMate installation by running ShopMate, you are notified that there is an update and to accept it. Update your ShopMate installation accordingly.

Then, when you want to continue with your subscriptions, get the new subscription number from us via email and simply type it in and if correct, ShopMate will continue on to give you the log on form and access to your data.

Yes.
This happens if you used the older Windows Installer for your ShopMate Installation (you downloaded ShopMate installation files in zipped form from our website). When you update ShopMate this way, all the previous settings, including connection string, backup procedures and such are set at their default and are lost. You must set these up again. But this is not a big deal.

When you are brought to the Sql Server and Database Connector Manager form, simply go through the motions on the screen. At the database tab it is important to type in your Company Trading Name exactly as it was before (it may already be there) and test for database and finish and you will be brought to your normal login screen. Make sure you do not re-create your database, just use the test for database button to see if it already exists.

Note that this does not happen anymore since we now, from version 8 on, only support the Internet Installation of your ShopMate which uses the Microsoft ClickOnce technology and updates are done automatically, no settings are lost.

We will frequently update ShopMate Database Program and make it available to you automatically using the Internet Installation for your ShopMate update but this time, after you install an update, you will not loose any settings and continue as normal.

No.
Since it can be used by other applications, by design, uninstalling (or re-installing) ShopMate will not uninstall the SQL Server, even if it was originally installed by the ShopMate installation medium, so your data is safe for each ShopMate Update or Uninstallation.

If it was originally installed by the ShopMate installation medium, it is given to you legally, by Microsoft permission to us to distribute it and you can use it for many other applications outside ShopMate.

If, on the other hand, you are concerned that the Sql Server will stay on your computer(s) after you uninstall ShopMate from your machine(s) and no other applications on your machine(s) or elsewhere use it, just simply go to your Windows Panel then to Add Remove Programs and remove it from your machine there same way as you uninstall ShopMate.

Note that when you uninstall Sql Server, it is removed from your machine but your ShopMate Database is not removed. You must navigate to the sql server \Data folder (which is left behind) and remove it there together with the remnants of sql server folders.

Yes.
If it was originally installed by the ShopMate installation medium, it is given to you legally, by Microsoft permission to us to distribute it and you can use it for many other applications outside ShopMate.

If you are running a legal copy of Microsoft Windows operating system on your machine then your SQL Server will be serviced by the Microsoft Windows Update method for any service packs or updates automatically.

Yes.
You may purchase ShopMate outright. If you purchase ShopMate outright and wish to network ShopMate (more than one user working on one database at the same time) after, you must purchase network user licence(s) for each additional user. ShopMate comes with one network user.

When subscribed to ShopMate you can have unlimited number of users connected to one database at the same time. We have great price specials all the time so, please, check with us.

Please note that all updates and any new versions of ShopMate are available free of any charge to all owners of ShopMate, subscribed to or outright purchased.