 Support for Windows XP ends April 8
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If you are still running Windows XP, you should know that Microsoft no longer will offer technical support, automated updates, or patches for vulnerabilities after April 8, which could drastically increase your computer's vulnerability to attack. PC World has a good article on how this will affect you and what to do about it. Read it here.Meanwhile ... - Wintix will continue to work.
- That does not mean it is a good idea to stay on XP.
Our best suggestion is to get a new computer. Pay an extra $50 and get Windows 7. If your IT department tells you to get Windows 8, do a Google search on Windows 8 problems. Then get Windows 7. If life, and the IT Department, requires you to have Windows 8, here is a good article on the Windows 8.1 spring update. |
Why you need Windows 7 Pro - not the home version!
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There are several important reasons you need the Pro version of Windows in the box office. |
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Contact Us
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Center Stage Software
1191 Luxton St.
Seaside, California 93955
centerstage.com
info@centerstage.com
831-583-0641
Support:
support@centerstage.com
831-920-1254
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Important Wintix updates
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 We are always improving the performance and usability of Wintix and Webtix.
Here's what we've been up to lately:
- If multiple ticket PDFs are emailed they will now conveniently be on one page to help save paper when customers print them.
- If you want to email ticket PDFs from your regular email program, go to the Sales record | Tickets tab | click on either "Print all tickets" or "Print selected tickets," then choose the "To a PDF" radio button. Wintix will save the PDF in your Tix7/Output folder. In the folder, the file name will be the sales number.
- The Donations report (Reports | By day | Donations) now includes the dates of donations and no longer has extraneous sales records.
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Backing up data in Wintix and Webtix
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One of our Wintix users is considering subscribing to Webtix, our online ticketing software. They came up with a very good question that we would like to share with our Wintix and Webtix users:
"If we back up every day, that still leaves an issue with loss of data from the time of the back up. My geek/techies are interested in knowing if you have a real-time, mirror backup of your server so that no matter what happens to the main server there is still a complete, up-to-date, no possible loss of data, back up. They call it real-time, mirror backup where another server is duplicating the main server so with a main server complete loss there will still be no data loss."
Here's our response:
This type of 'backup' is called a replication server. There are two servers used. One server is read/write and the other is read-only. If you like, Center Stage Software can set up and maintain a replication server setup especially for your box office. There would be an extra charge for this.
We have not set up this kind of database because there simply has been no need. Our servers are backed up every day. And, most of the data for the transactions is duplicated at Authorize.net. In fact, the servers have been the most reliable part of our operation.
Plenty of other things are less reliable. Computer problems happen. Routers give trouble. People trip over network cables. Ticket printers have always been cranky. The line voltage in the wall varies. Internet service is not as fast or reliable as advertised.
Our suggestion is to concentrate first on getting office procedures running smoothly. When you can balance your cash drawer in only ten minutes after closing and go home with a clear conscience, then think about adding things. You may want to perform more than one backup a day. The Windows task scheduler can automate it for you. The only disadvantage is that it would slow down your internet connection while it runs.
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Reminder! The address of the Center Stage Help Desk has changed.
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 The Center Stage Software Help Desk is a valuable resource available to all Wintix users with a current support contract. It's a searchable, interactive blog filled with tutorials and how-to tips. Please note the address has changed. The new address is http://help.centerstageticketing.com/
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How to print mailing addresses directly on envelopes instead of on labels
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How many times have you said, "Oh, I love spending hours sticking mailing labels on envelopes!"
How about never?
Wintix lets you print directly to envelopes. All you need to do is to ask us to email you a couple of files, then follow the instructions from the Help Desk post below.
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