Inventory Express can be installed in a network environment where one or more users can access the program and data from different computers or locations.


Setting up a Local Area Network, shared network folders, users and permissions are tasks outside of Inventory Express, and beyond the scope of this help topic.  General instructions, specific to Inventory Express, follow.  For help with networking, sharing folders, etc.please visit  https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4092694.


The instructions that follow are for Windows 10.  For other Windows operating systems, the screens and instructions will be somewhat different.


To set up remote access from additional computers:

  • All computers must be on the same Local Area Network (LAN) or Windows Home Group.
  • Choose which computer will act as the Host Computer or Server.  Install Inventory Express normally on that computer using the standard installation files.
  • The Inventory Express directory, usually C:\InventoryExpress, must be set up as a shared folder on the Host Computer. (In File Explorer, right-click on the InventoryExpress folder, click on "Properties," then the "Sharing" tab, then "Share.")  Users or groups must be given a permission level of "Read/Write." 
  • On each Remote or "Client" computer:
    • In File Explorer, navigate to the shared C:\InventoryExpress\Network folder on the Host computer.  (You should see the Host Computer's name toward the bottom of the left-hand Explorer pane under "Network" and can navigate from there to InventoryExpress\Network.)
    • Double-click on PLUS1231Runtime-b2591_ALL.exe.  This will install the necessary support files to run Inventory Express on the Remote ("Client") computer.

Do NOT install the Inventory Express main program on any Client computer, only PLUS1231Runtime-b2591_ALL.exe.

    • Navigate up one folder to the InventoyExpress folder, and scroll down in the right-hand pane until you locate InventoryExpress.exe.
    • Right-click on InventoryExpress.exe.
    • Choose "Send to" then "Desktop (create shortcut)" from the speed menu.
    • When you return to the desktop of the client computer, you'll see an InventoryExpress.exe shortcut icon has been added to your desktop.  Double-click on the shortcut to run Inventory Express on the Client computer.
    • If you would like to have Inventory Express on the main Windows program list from the Start Button on the Client Computer:
      • Right-click once on the Inventory Express shortcut on the desktop to highlight the shortcut.
      • Use Ctrl-C to copy the shortcut to the clipboard.
      • In File Explorer, navigate to C:\Users\Default\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs.
      • Use Ctrl-V to copy the shortcut to the C:\Users\Default\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs folder.


To recap:  The Inventory Express program, and all data will live only on the Host Computer.  You can run Inventory Express from more than one computer, but all the network computers will be accessing the same program and data. 


And it's a multi-user program.  More than one user can be working on the program from different computers at the same time.  Automatic record locking will prevent 2 users from trying to change data in the same record at the same time.