Setup

Setting up Scheduled Updates in the Update Manager ensures you have the latest updates in security for both Federal and State tax preparation. Scheduled Updates may be set to run overnight when there will be no conflict with normal office operations.

Watch the video Auto Updates for a demonstration.

If you do not set up Scheduled Updates, you will get a message when you open your Drake Tax installation after an update has been released. You must install available updates. Click OK on the message to install updates. If you choose Cancel, the software will close.

To set up Scheduled Updates:

1. Select the box to the left of Schedule software updates to occur at.

2. Set the time to run updates by clicking on the hour, minute, second, and AM/PM fields, then clicking the up or down arrows to the right

3. Click Exit to leave the Update Manager.

4. Updates will now run at the scheduled time. Be sure to configure sleep and hibernation settings on your computer so they do not interrupt your updates (details below).

Issues

Sleep and Hibernate settings can interfere with your scheduled updates. Sleep and Hibernate are two power-saving features in Windows. While both can prevent scheduled updates, both can be configured to allow scheduled updates.

Sleep

If your computer is in sleep mode, it won't apply updates. To configure your computer to wake up for updates, follow these steps:

1. Open the Windows search box.

2. Type Task Scheduler in the Windows search box.

3. The Task Scheduler window opens.

4. On the left of the Task Scheduler window, find and click on Task Scheduler Library.

5. On the Task Scheduler Library window, find a task with the name 20YYDrakeUpdates followed by the drive letter in the Name column.

6. In the Triggers column, the time for automatic updates you chose in Drake Tax will be listed.

   • If the time is different than expected, click on Refresh on the right, then check the listed time.

   • If the time is still different than expected, you may need to verify the time entered in Drake Tax, then click Refresh again.

7. Once the correct time is displayed, double-click on the task or right-click on the task and select Properties.

8. Click on the Conditions tab.

9. Under the Power section, check the box beside Wake the computer to run this task.

10. Click OK.

11. You can now put your computer to sleep and still receive scheduled updates.

Hibernate

If your computer is set up to hibernate after going to sleep, your computer may not wake up to apply scheduled updates, even after configuring the sleep settings. To prevent your computer from hibernating, follow these steps:

1. Click the Start button (the windows logo on the left of the taskbar).

2. Click the Settings icon.

3. Click on System.

4. Click Power & sleep on the left menu.

5. Under Related settings, click Additional power settings.

6. Click Change plan settings to the right of whichever plan is selected.

7. Click Change advanced power settings.

8. Find Sleep in the tree below the drop down.

9. Expand its contents by clicking the plus sign (+) to the left of the word Sleep.

10. Find Hibernate after in the contents.

11. Expand the contents by clicking on the plus sign (+) to the left of the words Hibernate after.

12. Find Setting in the contents.

13. Click to the right of the word Setting.

    • A field will appear that will allow you to adjust how long the computer sleeps before hibernating.

14. Select Never if that option is available.

    • If Never isn't an option, set the time to 0 (zero).

15. While still in the Sleep tree, expand the option Allow wake timers.

    • Find Setting in the contents.

    • Click to the right of the word Setting.

    • A drop down will appear that will allow you to adjust the setting to Enable.

16. Click Apply then OK on the Power Options window and click Save Changes.

17. Close Settings.

18. Your computer is now set up to avoid hibernation mode.

B Acks

See Drake Tax - B Ack 7102 and Software Updates for details.

Notes

Your computer needs to be on and a user needs to be logged onto the computer. If your computer is not on and a user is not logged in, you will not receive scheduled updates.

Drake Tax does not need to be running and a user does not need to be logged in to Drake Tax.

If the computer goes to sleep less than one minute before the scheduled update, the update may not occur.

When using a network, Drake Software must be closed on all workstations and the server for Scheduled Updates to run.

Occasionally, a user may be logged out after a Microsoft update that requires the system to restart. If that restart happens overnight and happens before the Scheduled Update, the update will not be applied.

The instructions above apply to Windows 10. Other versions of Windows may not support these options, or the steps may vary.