ACT! and SQL Server Firewall Rules

While ACT! is the program you are "seeing" on the screen, the data is hosted on a Microsoft SQL Server database - possibly on your computer, possibly on a server, depending on your setup. Often when ACT! "doesn't work", or is "broken", it's really just a simple network connection issue, or more likely an issue with SQL Server.
The two main problems I come across are SQL Server Service not running, and Firewall issues.

• SQL Server Service - type services.msc into the Run/Start Search box on Windows, which launches a listing of all programs that run in the background when the computer starts. Scroll down that list and find SQL Server (ACT7), the third column should contain Started. If ever ACT! does not open your database, check this first, as it is the most common.
• Firewall - the Windows and/or other firewall programs can interfere with the ACT<->SQL connection. Even disabling the firewall might not work. Occasionally rules for ACT!, SQL Server, SQL Browser, and SQL TCP/UDP ports will need to be added for the connection to function. Here's the process for checking/adding these rules (note, your setting may be slightly different depending on your ACT! and/or SQL versions - feel free to contact me with any questions):

1. Open the Firewall control center, either via Control Panel, or typing Firewall in the Run/Start Search box.
2. Choose Allow a Program through Windows Firewall
3. ACT!: You may already see ACT! by Sage, but if not, choose Add Program..., then choose your ACT! version.
4. SQL Server: Choose Add Program... again, then choose Browse..., and browse to C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\Binn and select sqlservr.exe.  Follow the Open/OK prompts until you're back at the Firewall Settings
5. SQL Browser: Once more choose Add Program..., again Browse..., and browse to C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Shared and select sqlbrowser.exe (note: the "90" could be 80 or 100 in the file path).  Follow the Open/OK prompts back to Firewall Settings
6. SQL TCP: This time choose Add Port..., type SQL TCP in the Name field, 1433 in the Port field, and ensure TCP is the radio button checked. Click OK.
7. SQL UDP: Finally, choose Add Port... again, type SQL UDP in the Name field, 1434 in the Port field, and change the radio button to UDP.
8. Click OK to exit the Firewall Settings.

You've done it! Please contact me with any questions - certainly the different Windows versions and SQL/ACT! versions might not be exactly named as described above, and I'll help where I can.