Fishbowl Inventory gets updated several times a year with new features and bug fixes. Thus, it’s important for Fishbowl Inventory users to know how to properly upgrade to the newest version from time to time.
If you have a current contract with Fishbowl then you are entitled to receive all these enhancements as they become available.
There is a page on the Fishbowl Wiki that explains the steps that you must go through to upgrade your version of Fishbowl Inventory. I’ll distill that information into three simple steps. I recommend you visit that Wiki page to get the rest of the details, too.
Step 1: Back Up Your Database
The first thing you should do is back up your Fishbowl Inventory database, just to be safe. You can either copy the file and put it somewhere other than the Fishbowl folder on your computer, or use the Schedule module in Fishbowl Inventory to back up your files from within the interface. If, heaven forbid, anything goes wrong, you can quickly restore everything to just the way it was.
Step 2: Update the Server
Fishbowl Inventory runs on a Server, which allows the various Clients to run off of it on other computers and devices. The Server must be updated first. Shut down the Server and then download the new software version from the Fishbowl Updates page. Fill in the required information and you’ll gain access to the latest software download. Once the download is complete, open the Server and it should be updated.
Step 3: Update the Client(s)
The Clients are even easier to update. When you open a Client after the Server is updated, you’ll receive a message asking if you would like to update your Client. Click yes, and it will do the rest of the work for you automatically. Each Fishbowl Inventory user can update their Client on their own, so you don’t have to worry about having to update every Client yourself.
And that’s all there is to it.
As I said before, Fishbowl releases a big new version usually toward the end of the year, and then it has smaller releases every other month or so. With all these updates, it’s important to know how to stay with the latest version. And now you know how to do just that.
Robert Lockard is a copywriter with Fishbowl. He writes for several blogs about inventory management, manufacturing, QuickBooks, and small business. Fishbowl is the #1-requested manufacturing and warehouse management software for QuickBooks users. Robert enjoys running, reading, writing, spending time with his wife and children, and watching movies.
