--- title: Pointing Acctivate to use a different SQL Server. description: Using Database Maintenance, you can point Acctivate to use a different SQL Server. --- [Skip to content](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/installation/sqlserver/how-do-i-connect-acctivate-to-a-new-sql-server#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. [Installation](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/installation?hsLang=en) 3. [Database Server](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/installation?hsLang=en#database-server) April 8, 2025 # Pointing Acctivate to use a different SQL Server. ## Using Database Maintenance, you can point Acctivate to use a different SQL Server. If you would like to connect Acctivate to a new SQL Server instance, whether SQL Server is running on the same physical Server as Acctivate or a different local server computer, you will need to follow the steps below. 1. On the Acctivate Server, go to Start -\> Programs -\> Acctivate -\> Acctivate Database Maintenance. 2. In Database Maintenance, On the menus, select Database -\> Database Sources 3. In this window, you will find the list of Data Sources currently existing.  Each Data Source is used to tell Acctivate how to connect to each company database. ![DB Maint](https://hub.acctivate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/DB%20Maint.jpg?width=688&name=DB%20Maint.jpg) 1. In the Server Name field, you will find the SQL Server, which is has a nomenclature of ComputerName\\SQLServerInstanceName. 2. Edit the Database Sources window and modify the ComputerName and/or the sql server instance name as appropriate.  You may also need to update the User ID and Password of the SQL Server instance if appropriate as well. 3. Once you have modified the connection information, here, save the Database Sources window and close both Acctivate Database Maintenance and Acctivate.  To verify the connection, try opening Acctivate at this time. - [Getting Started](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/getting-started?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Basics](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/getting-started?hsLang=en#basics) - [User Interface](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/getting-started?hsLang=en#user-interface) - [Manager windows](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/getting-started?hsLang=en#manager-windows) - [List windows](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/getting-started?hsLang=en#list-windows) - [Transaction windows](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/getting-started?hsLang=en#transaction-windows) - [License and Users](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/getting-started?hsLang=en#license-and-users) - [Email](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/getting-started?hsLang=en#email) - [Getting Help](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/getting-started?hsLang=en#getting-help) - [Installation](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/installation?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Acctivate](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/installation?hsLang=en#acctivate) - [Database Server](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/installation?hsLang=en#database-server) - [Mobile WMS Setup](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/installation?hsLang=en#mobile-wms-setup) - [Software Updates](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/installation?hsLang=en#software-updates) - [Email Setup](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/installation?hsLang=en#email-setup) - [Remote Access](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/installation?hsLang=en#remote-access) - [Configuration](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/configuration?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Basics](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/configuration?hsLang=en#basics) - [Users](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/configuration?hsLang=en#users) - [Company Info](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/configuration?hsLang=en#company-info) - [Customers](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/configuration?hsLang=en#customers) - [Sales Orders](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/configuration?hsLang=en#sales-orders) - [Inventory](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/configuration?hsLang=en#inventory) - [Custom Fields](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/configuration?hsLang=en#custom-fields) - [Email Message Templates](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/configuration?hsLang=en#email-message-templates) - [Services](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/configuration?hsLang=en#services) - [Inventory](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/inventory?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Products](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/inventory?hsLang=en#products) - [Costing](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/inventory?hsLang=en#costing) - [Prices and Units](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/inventory?hsLang=en#prices-and-units) - [Warehouses and Locations](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/inventory?hsLang=en#warehouses-and-locations) - [Lot Numbers](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/inventory?hsLang=en#lot-numbers) - [Inventory Manager](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/inventory?hsLang=en#inventory-manager) - [Receipts](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/inventory?hsLang=en#receipts) - [Assemblies](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/inventory?hsLang=en#assemblies) - [Kits and Assortments](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/inventory?hsLang=en#kits-and-assortments) - [Landed Cost](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/inventory?hsLang=en#landed-cost) - [Transfers](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/inventory?hsLang=en#transfers) - [Adjustments](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/inventory?hsLang=en#adjustments) - [Counts](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/inventory?hsLang=en#counts) - [Reports](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/inventory?hsLang=en#reports) - [Purchasing](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/purchasing?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Purchase Orders](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/purchasing?hsLang=en#purchase-orders) - [Purchase Order Manager](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/purchasing?hsLang=en#purchase-order-manager) - [Purchase Invoices](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/purchasing?hsLang=en#purchase-invoices) - [Vendors](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/purchasing?hsLang=en#vendors) - [Customers](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/customers?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Customers](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/customers?hsLang=en#customers) - [Locations](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/customers?hsLang=en#locations) - [Credit & Terms](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/customers?hsLang=en#credit-terms) - [Pricing](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/customers?hsLang=en#pricing) - [Broadcast Email](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/customers?hsLang=en#broadcast-email) - [Sales](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/sales?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Orders](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/sales?hsLang=en#orders) - [Sales Order Manager](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/sales?hsLang=en#sales-order-manager) - [Picking](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/sales?hsLang=en#picking) - [Drop Shipments](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/sales?hsLang=en#drop-shipments) - [Sales Tax](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/sales?hsLang=en#sales-tax) - [Packaging](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/sales?hsLang=en#packaging) - [Shipping](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/sales?hsLang=en#shipping) - [Invoices](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/sales?hsLang=en#invoices) - [Payments](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/sales?hsLang=en#payments) - [Credits](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/sales?hsLang=en#credits) - [Business Activities](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/business-activities?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Business Activities](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/business-activities?hsLang=en#business-activities) - [Business Alerts](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/business-activities?hsLang=en#business-alerts) - [QuickBooks](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/quickbooks?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Basics](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/quickbooks?hsLang=en#basics) - [QuickBooks Online](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/quickbooks?hsLang=en#quickbooks-online) - [QuickBooks Desktop](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/quickbooks?hsLang=en#quickbooks-desktop) - [Mobile WMS](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/mobile-wms?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Basics](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/mobile-wms?hsLang=en#basics) - [Picking](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/mobile-wms?hsLang=en#picking) - [Receiving](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/mobile-wms?hsLang=en#receiving) - [Counts](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/mobile-wms?hsLang=en#counts) - [Assemblies](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/mobile-wms?hsLang=en#assemblies) - [Web Store Integrations](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/web-store-integrations?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Basics](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/web-store-integrations?hsLang=en#basics) - [Templates and Options](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/web-store-integrations?hsLang=en#templates-and-options) - [EDI](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/edi?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Basics](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/edi?hsLang=en#basics) - [Orders - 850](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/edi?hsLang=en#orders-850) - [Shipments - 856](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/edi?hsLang=en#shipments-856) - [Invoices - 810](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/edi?hsLang=en#invoices-810) - [Warehouse - 940/945](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/edi?hsLang=en#warehouse-940-945) - [Reports](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/reports?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Basics](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/reports?hsLang=en#basics) - [Standard Reports](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/reports?hsLang=en#standard-reports) - [Crystal Reports](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/reports?hsLang=en#crystal-reports) - [Excel](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/reports?hsLang=en#excel) - [Database](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/database?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Basics](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/database?hsLang=en#basics) - [Backup & Restore](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/database?hsLang=en#backup-restore) - [Microsoft SQL Server](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/database?hsLang=en#microsoft-sql-server) - [Imports](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/database?hsLang=en#imports) - [Troubleshoot](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/troubleshoot?hsLang=en#main-content) - [General](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/troubleshoot?hsLang=en#general) - [Installation](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/troubleshoot?hsLang=en#installation) - [Inventory](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/troubleshoot?hsLang=en#inventory) - [Purchasing](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/troubleshoot?hsLang=en#purchasing) - [Sales](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/troubleshoot?hsLang=en#sales) - [Shipping](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/troubleshoot?hsLang=en#shipping) - [QuickBooks Desktop](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/troubleshoot?hsLang=en#quickbooks-desktop) - [QuickBooks Online](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/troubleshoot?hsLang=en#quickbooks-online) - [Mobile WMS](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/troubleshoot?hsLang=en#mobile-wms) - [Web Store Integration](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/troubleshoot?hsLang=en#web-store-integration) - [EDI](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/troubleshoot?hsLang=en#edi) - [Reports](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/troubleshoot?hsLang=en#reports) - [Database](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/troubleshoot?hsLang=en#database) - [Imports](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/troubleshoot?hsLang=en#imports) - [Email](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/troubleshoot?hsLang=en#email) - [Integrations](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/troubleshoot?hsLang=en#integrations) [![Acctivate Inventory Software](https://hub.acctivate.com/hubfs/Images/Logos/acctivate-cai-logo-svg.svg "Acctivate Inventory Software")](https://acctivate.com) Acctivate Knowledge Base [mailto:support@acctivate.com](mailto:support@acctivate.com) Copyright © 2025, Alterity, LLC