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Configuring SQL Backup scripts

This support note applies to:

  • AE Practice Manager (NZ)

  • AE Practice Manager (AU)

  • AE Tax (NZ)

  • AE Tax (AU)

These instructions require technical expertise

Make sure you know what you're doing and are using one of the products listed. If you're not sure, ask your IT professional or MYOB.

Article ID: 33981

After installing MYOB Accountants Enterprise (AE) 5.x when running on SQL, whether for a new install or post migration, you may need to save, configure and schedule a series of scripts to do automated backups of the SQL databases.

If you are on version 5.2 or greater there is a backup feature included in AE Practice Manager (PM) > Maintenance > Backup.  Please refer to

Backing up and restoring data in AE Practice Manager

Click the item for the required task:

To configure the scripts

Download the file attached to this article and extract the contents into a folder location on the server taking note of the location for future reference. These scripts are dependent on the machine name of the server, as well as the location where the scripts are stored. Ensure you are a domain administrator before continuing. Perform the following on the extracted files.

  1. Right-click AutoBackup.bat and select Edit. AutoBackup.bat opens in Notepad.

  2. Amend SET BACKUPNUMBERKEPT=x to be the number of backups you wish to keep and Save and Close the file.

    The default is 7.

  3. Right-click BackupTAX.bat and select Edit. BackupTax.bat opens in Notepad.

  4. Locate the line CALL AutoBackup.BAT <DBName> "<PATH>" <INSTANCE> and amend <DBName> to be the name of the Database. For example AETAX, SQLTAX, TAXSQL.

  5. Change <PATH> to be the desired location of the backup. Ensure this is a local path with no spaces and that there is a trailing back-slash \ at the end.

  6. Change <INSTANCE> to be the instance name, Save and close. The database details are updated.

    For the Instance name, (local) is acceptable if installed to default instance.

  7. If your practice runs Accountants Enterprise Practice Manager repeat steps 3 to 7 for BackupVPM.bat and use VPMSER or AEDB1 as the DBName for AEPM backups.

  8. Double-click on AddScheduleTAX.bat. A command prompt window opens, runs the script and closes.

  9. Double-click on AddScheduleVPM.bat. A command prompt window opens, runs the script and closes.

To configure the task

  1. Follow the menu path: START > Control Panel > Administrative Tools.

  2. Double-click Task Scheduler.

  3. Click Task Scheduler Library. The tasks AETAXBACKUP and VPMSERBACKUP appear.

  4. Right-click on AETAXBACKUP and select Properties. The AETAXBACKUP properties appear.

  5. Click the Actions tab, then select Start a program and click Edit. The Edit Action window appears.

  6. Enter the location from which to run the task into the Start in (optional) field and click OK. For example enter the path where the *.bat file is located. The AETAXBACKUP properties appear.

    Please ensure this path does not contain a trailing back-slash \.

  7. Click OK. The SQL Backup scripts and task are now configured.

  8. If your practice also runs Accountants Enterprise Practice Manager repeat steps 4 to 7 for the VPMSERBACKUP task.

  9. Right-click AETAXBACKUP click Run to test the backups then check the location specified earlier at step 6 to verify the backup file creates and has been compressed/zipped.