MYOB have made public announcements ending support for their Premier 19 range of products from September 2019, and the associated ODBC Driver (the tool we use to connect Calxa to Premier 19) from September 2018. What does this mean for you?
The end of MYOB ODBC Support
Without getting too technical, the ODBC Driver is a tool provided by MYOB that we use to connect to your MYOB Classic file and extract data from it. If you’re using MYOB AccountRight 2018 (the modern one), this article doesn’t apply to you and you can relax for the rest of the day. MYOB are ending support to developers for the ODBC driver from September 2018 and not issuing new licences from then. We’ve been using the MYOB ODBC Driver since the first version was released in 2000 so we’re not concerned about our ability to handle common problems (and even they are not very common these days). What it does mean though, is that if there is some unusual problem, we’re left with our own resources to try to resolve it and can’t go back to MYOB as we would have in the past.
Our recommendation to MYOB Classic users
There’s no need to panic but you should start making plans to (a) upgrade your accounting system and (b) move your Calxa online. If you don’t touch it, the ODBC connection will most likely just keep on working. Where you will have potential problems is moving to another computer (it may not activate on the new one) or if you’re upgrading any major hardware or operating system to your existing computer.
Upgrading your accounting software
The simplest option is to move to MYOB’s AccountRight 2018. You can do that at any time and you don’t lose any of your history or settings. There are other options and, if you have good reasons to change, there may be something else that suits your needs better. Bear in mind that Calxa works with MYOB Essentials, Xero and QuickBooks Online, as well as MYOB AccountRight.
Moving Calxa online
When you upgrade your accounting system, you’ll need to create a new organisation in Calxa. You can do this with just a few manual steps to the process. It makes sense to move Calxa online at this point (the Workspace Transfer will move most of your data and settings) to get the benefits of better collaboration, automation and efficiency. Talk to our team if you need a hand.
Summary of Key Dates for MYOB Classic Users
30 September 2018: end of developer support for ODBC integration. From here the Calxa Support Team will draw on its internal experience without MYOB back up to assist our customers. At this point, MYOB will also stop issuing new ODBC keys used for new installations.
30 September 2019: MYOB no longer provides new features or compliance updates (tax tables) for AccountRight Classic (v19). This is the end of any kind of Product or ODBC support.
For those thinking of upgrading and in need of some assistance with their Calxa, book a session with our Support Team.