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Hi Geoffy , for a few transactions annually, I don't see that you would need to be paying anywhere near $300 a month for these 'couple' of offline files.
You could install server edition and continue to use them offline. You could install a previous version of PC edition each time you need to enter a transaction (a few times a year based on your psot)
Or you might consider using something like MYOB Business Lite which is $35 per month.
Hi Mike_MYOB
Can you confirm that the server edition will not continue to remind for updates?
If a client stayed on an older version of PC version - and said no to updates - will this work as well?
What MYOB hasn't considered is we still have some patchy areas of internet here in NZ - so going on line is not a practical step, and we have clients that don't need all the bells and whistles of bank feeds etc - very old school, and want to remain offline.
Morning jenniek,
Thanks for the questions. Server edition will still have offline functionality in the 2026.5 release, and then will not receive any more updates after this (so there will be none to remind of or try to stop). For these clients you mention, installing and using server edition is likely their best course of action.
For PC Edition, this does have the silent installer which will automatically update to the latest version after it is used.
So you would essentially need to download a version of PC edition prior to 2026.5 (best to download 2026.4 once it is available) each time you need to access the file if doing it this way.
Some instructions for how to stop the updates in PC edition have been shared here in the forum, but please note that these are not instructions from MYOB. We cannot confirm if this works, or whether there could be any adverse effects to doing this.Hi jenniek
See suggestion I posted here.
I would recommend all users who prefer to stay offline, do so via a process to stop updates on the PC Edition. And you could have both on the same computer, a PC version that updates for online files, and a PC version that doesn't update for offline files.
As mentioned by Mike_MYOB, unless disabled, the PC Edition will continue to update without a prompt, so the user cannot decline. However the updates can be stopped. I only update once a year for tax tables.
The reason I would recommend this (continuing to use AR2026.3 PC Edition) rather than switching to the Server Edition, is as follows:
- When SE updates to AR2026.5, the offline company file will also update.
- This means that file will be 'stuck' in SE 2026.5 and cannot be opened in AR2026.3 even if you later download AR2026.3 to open the file - as suggested by Mike_MYOB for viewing backups etc.
When (not if) MYOB blocks SE 2026.5, you will no longer be able to open that file offline, even as read-only.
Regards
Gavingavinw222@gmail.com
Thanks gavin12345 - good points made. Mike_MYOB - care to comment whether MYOB will eventually remove access to SE version. I realise it will die eventually because of technology updates from the likes of microsoft, virus scan etc - but what it is expected life of the SE version if they stay on 2026.5 - I had already thought to leave clients on 2026.4 or 2026.3 for the time being.
Hey jenniek
We have no intention of making any changes in the near future, SE version will continue to work as long as compatible with Microsoft.
- When SE updates to AR2026.5, the offline company file will also update.
