Resetting the SQL password for 'sa' username

This support note applies to:

AO Practice Manager (NZ)
AO Practice Manager (AU)
AO Tax (AU)
AE Practice Manager (NZ)
AE Practice Manager (AU)
AE System Release (NZ)
AE System Release (AU)
AO Corporate Compliance (AU)
AE Tax Series 6 & 8 (AU)
AE Tax (AU)
AE Corporate Compliance (AU)

Article ID: 34861

After you've installed AE/AO version 5.4.46, you can use an utility file to change the SQL password for the sa username anytime. See Changing the default password for 'sa' username in SQL.

If you need to reset the password for the sa user, follow the instructions below.

Before you reset the password, ensure you are logged into Windows as a network Administrator and that the login method is set to Mixed Mode authentication.

To change the login method to Mixed Mode authentication

Right-click on the Start
menu and select Run. Alternatively, you can also press the Windows key + R on the keyboard.
In the Open field, type regedit and press Enter on the keyboard.

Navigate to the relevant location for your server instance:

OS Platform	Registry
32 or 64-bit default instance	HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQLServer
32-bit default instance on a 64-bit server	HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQLServer
32 or 64-bit named instance	HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\<InstanceName>\MSSQLServer
32-bit named instance of a 64-bit server	HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\<InstanceName>\MSSQLServer

Right-click and select String value.
Enter LoginMode under Name.
Right-click LoginMode and select Modify.
Change the Value data to 2 to enable Mixed Mode authentication, then close out of the Windows Registry.

You can also do this in SQL Server Management Studio. See Switching a SQL instance to mixed authentication mode to find out how.
Right-click on the Start menu and select Run.
In the Open field, type services.msc.
Locate the SQL Server and SQL Server Agent services then right-click on the service and select Restart.
Repeat the above procedure To reset the password again.

To reset the password

Right-click on the Start
menu on the Windows Desktop and select Command Prompt (Admin). Alternatively, you can press the Windows key + R and type cmd into the Open field.
In the Command Prompt window, type the following:
OSQL -S <ServerName>\MYOBACCT -E -Q "EXEC sp_password NULL, <NewPAssword>, sa
where <ServerName> is the name of your SQL Server and <NewPAssword> is the new password for sa.
Example: OSQL -S MYOBSERVER\MYOBACCT -E -Q "EXEC sp_password NULL,Thi$IsMyneWPa$$word, sa

Further information can be found in Microsoft KB 322336: How to verify and change the system administrator password in MSDE or SQL Server 2005 Express Edition.

Updating the password in AE/AO

Login to AE/AO.
Go to Maintenance > Tax > Settings.
On the left Tasks bar, click Edit connection details.
Enter the new password in the Password field and click Test. Connected successfully to the database message appears.
On the left Tasks bar, click Connect to Tax database. Integration with Tax is complete message appears.
Confirm you're able to open any tax returns without any errors.

Updating the password for tax letters (AE users only)

Updating the SQL password for Tax letters.

Open a tax return from 2007 to 2020 and go to Utilities > Control Record > Defaults and enter the SQL password then press ENTER twice to save.

Update the password in schedule backup

Login to AE/AO as an administrator or superuser.
Select Maintenance > Backup > Schedule Backups on the main menu.
Click Edit user details.
Select Specify SQL Server user and enter the new Password. Click OK.
Click Schedule.