What is flexible licensing?

The number of seats determines the maximum amount of users that can be activated on the product code and license key combination. When you purchase a base license, you get one seat. When you purchase additional licenses, you increase the number of seats that can be activated on your license.

ProFile is a user-based licensing model where each license should be used for one particular user.

You can activate the maximum amount of seats your license is entitled to. For example, if you purchased five seats, you can have five licenses activated at any given time. With flexible licensing, you can easily deactivate one seat to move to another computer without having to delete and then re-enter your product key and license code.

Flexible licensing requires:

• A tax year 2017 or later license
• ProFile version 2016.0.3 or later
• An internet connection during any activation or suspension of the flexible license

Yes. Once you have activated your license, you can use ProFile without an internet connection. Features like Auto-fill my Return and EFILE will still require an internet connection to work.

There is no cost for flexible licensing. The feature is included as part of your license purchase.

There is no limit. ProFile is free to download, but what can and cannot be done in the program depends on licensing. You can add your licenses to as many computers as you wish with flexible licensing, but you can only have the number of licenses that you paid for be active at the same time.

No. The flexible licensing option must be activated manually. See How can I enable Flexible Licensing? in this guide for instructions to activate the feature.

Not at this time. Remember that each license seat is intended for one user; it is the user's responsibility to manage the activation and suspension of the license.

Flexible licensing is enabled by entering the product code and license key either during product activation or after product activation.

During product activation

You will be prompted to enter your product code and license key during activation.

1. Enter your product and license key.
2. Click the Next - Set up Flexible Licensing button. The Configure Flexible Licensing window displays.
3. Click the Enable flexible licensing on this computer box; select either the Manual or Automatic mode button to activate your choice.
4. Manual mode displays the choice of two additional options:

• Prompt me every time when I close ProFileb Selecting this option results in ProFile prompting the user to suspend your license when closing the application.
• Don't prompt me. I'll do it manually: Selecting this option requires the user to suspend their license manually themselves when closing the application
• Automatic mode automatically suspends or activates your licenses when you close and open ProFile, respectively.

5. Click the Save button to save your preferences.

After Product Activation

1. Select the Configure Flexible Licensing option from the Help drop-down menu in the top toolbar. The Configure Flexible Licensing window displays.
2. Click the Enable flexible licensing on this computer box; select either the Manual or Automatic mode button to activate your choice.
3. Manual mode displays the choice of two additional options:

• Prompt me every time when I close ProFile: Selecting this option results in ProFile prompting the user to suspend your license when closing the application
• Don't prompt me. I'll do it manually: Selecting this option requires the user to suspend their license manually themselves when closing the application
• Automatic mode automatically suspends or activates your licenses when you close and open ProFile, respectively.

4. Click the Save button to save your preferences.

After you have enabled flexible licensing on one machine, ensure you have suspended that machine's license before enabling flexible licensing on another machine. Otherwise, you might get an error reading that you have no activateable units because all available licenses are active on other machines.

Flexible licensing will activate and suspend all your active licenses. For instance, if you have a T1 and T2 license activated, suspending your license will suspend the active T1 and T2 licenses.

At this time, flexible Licensing only supports "all-or-nothing" activation and suspension.

1. Select the Configure Flexible Licensing option from the Help drop-down menu in the top toolbar. The Configure Flexible Licensing window displays.
2. Deselect the option box in the Enable flexible licensing on this computer field.
3. Click the Save button. Flexible licensing has been disabled.

You can suspend the license through automatic or manual suspension.

Note: A working internet connection is required for you to successfully suspend your license.

Automatic suspension

Automatic suspension occurs automatically when the ProFile application is closed.

1. Close the ProFile application, either by clicking the X icon on the application or by selecting the Exit option under the File menu.
2. The ProFile application closes.
3. A message displays indicating that your license has been successfully suspended on the computer.

Manual suspension

Manual suspension occurs when the user suspends the licensing themselves in ProFile.

1. Close the ProFile application, either by clicking the X icon on the application or selecting the Exit option under the File menu.
2. The ProFile application closes.
3. A prompt displays asking if you would like to suspend your license and work on another computer.
4. Select the Yes option; a message displays confirming the license suspension.

Manual suspension via the Help menu

1. Select the Suspend Licenses option in the Help drop-down menu in the top toolbar.
2. Select Yes; a message displays, confirming the license suspension.

Common reasons can include:

• You are not connected to the internet
• License activation has reached the maximum seats available
• The license may be used on another machine that you forgot to suspend

Security is of the utmost importance to us. That's why we've introduced masking for your license key(s) to help prevent exposure to unintended viewers. Masking replaces some of the numbers in your license keys with asterisks in order to disguise the full key information.

We recommend that you limit access to your product code and license key information to only those that require it. In addition, the product code and license key email receipt you received should be also be protected with the same security as your product code and license key.

After you have enabled flexible licensing on one machine, ensure you have suspended that machine's license before enabling flexible licensing on another machine. Otherwise, you might get an error reading that you have no activateable units because all available licenses are active on other machines.