--- title: Setting up an ODBC connection to access data. description: Create an ODBC connection for connecting applications to your SQL Server database to view your Acctivate data. --- [Skip to content](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/how-do-i-create-an-odbc-connection-to-access-my-data#main-content) [Go to Customer Portal](https://hub.acctivate.com/tickets?hsLang=en) ![Acctivate - A CAI Solution](https://hub.acctivate.com/hubfs/Images/Logos/acctivate-cai-logo-svg.svg) - [Knowledge Base](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles) Open main navigation Close main navigation - [Knowledge Base](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles) - [Go to Customer Portal](https://hub.acctivate.com/tickets) - [Support Resources / Create Ticket](https://acctivate.com/support) [Support Resources / Create Ticket](https://acctivate.com/support) Hello. How can we help you? - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. [Knowledge Base](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles?hsLang=en) 2. [Database](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/database?hsLang=en) 3. [Basics](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/database?hsLang=en#basics) April 11, 2025 # Setting up an ODBC connection to access data. ## Create an ODBC connection for connecting applications to your SQL Server database to view your Acctivate data. Acctivate uses a [Microsoft SQL Server](https://help.acctivate.com/articles/5914/) database.  The most common method for connecting to a SQL Server database is via [Open Database Connectivity (ODBC)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ODBC). ODBC allows other software, such as the UPS or FedEx shipping workstation to connect to the Acctivate database.  The following procedure can be used from a shipping workstation or any computer on the local network that needs direct access to the Acctivate database. 1. Log in to the workstation as a user with **Windows Administrator** privileges 2. Open the **Administrative Tools** section of the Windows Control Panel (in the **System and Security category**) or search for **ODBC** and select **ODBC Data Sources (32-bit) **and skip to step 4. 3. Open **Data Sources (ODBC)** 4. Click **Add…** on the **System DSN** tab ![SystemDSN](https://help.acctivate.com/wp-content/uploads/SystemDSN.png) 5. Choose **SQL Server** from the list and Click **Finish** ![CreateNewDataSource](https://help.acctivate.com/wp-content/uploads/CreateNewDataSource.png) 6. Choose a Name and Description and the Microsoft SQL Server for this data source connection. ![DataSourceName](https://help.acctivate.com/wp-content/uploads/DataSourceName.png) - NOTE: The Server is usually the server’s computer name followed by \\ACCTIVATE as shown above. 7. Click **Next** to proceed 8. The ODBC data source should be configured **With SQL Server authentication using a login ID and password entered by the user**. 9. The Microsoft SQL Server administrator login is **sa** (i.e., System Admin).  The password may have been changed during the installation or configuration of SQL Server. Please contact the Acctivate support team or your database or network administrator for credentials for the database. ![DataSourceUser](https://help.acctivate.com/wp-content/uploads/DataSourceUser.png) 10. Click **Next \>** to continue 11. Check the box adjacent to **Change the default database to:** and select your **company database** (e.g., ACCTivate$YourCompany) and **click Next** ![DataSourceChangeDatabase](https://help.acctivate.com/wp-content/uploads/DataSourceChangeDatabase.png) 12. Do not adjust any settings on the next step (e.g., Change the language of SQL Server…) and **click Finish** 13. Click **Test Data Source…** to confirm everything is working. ![DataSourceTest](https://help.acctivate.com/wp-content/uploads/DataSourceTest.png) 14. Ensure that **TESTS COMPLETED SUCCESSFULLY!** message appears and **YOU’RE DONE, Congratulations!** Now you can continue with the UPS or FedEx shipping workstation setup, [Microsoft Excel query](https://help.acctivate.com/articles/3727/), etc. If you don’t see your ODBC connection when trying to setup your UPS or FedEx shipping workstation, refer to our [Can’t Find Created ODBC Connection](https://help.acctivate.com/articles/19826/) article. 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