Answer:  To install a new version of Catalyst, uninstall the prior version using either the Catalyst setup program or the Add and Remove Programs option in the Windows® Control Panel. After installing the new version on the client and server machines, you can import the data from your prior version to the back-end database of the new version using the Catalyst Upgrade Wizard as described below.

The Refresh Data option in the Catalyst menu under File > Database Management > Refresh Data launches the Catalyst Upgrade Wizard. The wizard transfers records from one Catalyst back-end database to another and can be used to upgrade from a prior version of Catalyst Manufacturing® beginning with version 4.49. The back-end database which you are importing from is referred to as the source database. The currently selected company data file is the default target database. The target database should be the empty database that is supplied with each new release. To change the target database, exit the wizard and choose a new back-end database using the File > Select Company option.

Before running the wizard, all users must be logged off both the target and source back-end databases. It is highly recommended that you make a backup of both databases before proceeding. In addition, the data transfer will run much faster with both databases on the same local machine.

The steps of the Catalyst Upgrade Wizard are outlined below.

1.      The first step confirms the current back-end database. The current back-end is the target database into which records from the source back-end database will be imported. The target path cannot be edited directly. To change the current back-end database, exit the wizard and choose the Select Company option under the File menu. Before proceeding, indicate whether the source data that you will be importing resides in a Microsoft Access® or SQL Server® database

2.      In the second step, you are asked to specify the source database from which data will be imported. If you selected a Microsoft Access® source, use the Browse button to enter the file name and path of the mdb file. If you selected a SQL Server® source, select the server and database name of the SQL Server database. Verify the source database version and edit as required.

3.      In the third step, you have the option to let the wizard perform the necessary table changes on your source back-end database to match the target back-end. This step will be skipped if you are transferring data between two databases of the same version. The table structure of the source and target databases must be identical before data can be transferred between them. Any custom changes made to the source database will need to be replicated in the target database manually.

4.      The final step in the upgrade process is the transfer of data from the source to the target back-end database. All records in the target database will be replaced by records in the source database. Any autonumber and key field values from the source database will be preserved during import.  

When the import process completes, you will be able to review an Error Log Report that summarizes any import errors encountered. If errors were reported during the upgrade process, perform the changes suggested on the Error Log Report manually and rerun the Upgrade Wizard. It is recommended that you verify that the data in key tables has refreshed correctly before resuming normal operation.