How do I upgrade a previous version of CCH® IntelliForms® using Active Directory Group Policy Objects (GPO)?
Using GPO to upgrade to CCH IntelliForms allows you to upgrade multiple endpoint workstations remotely. Upgrades also do not require administrator privileges.
This article and the included video cover the following topics about upgrading IntelliForms:
- Prerequisites
- Modifying the Distribution Point
- Modifying the CCH IntelliForms Group Policy Object
- Testing the Upgrade Deployment
Note: This article is for people who are new to pushing software via GPO, but are familiar with basic server management. Thus, common server configuration tasks are not covered step-by-step.
Prerequisites
Download IFSetup.msi (the installation file) from https://files.cchsfs.com/releases/intelliforms/ifsetup.msi.Verify that your environment meets the following requirements:
- The network must have Active Directory enabled.
- You must have a domain controller running Windows® 2016 or newer.
- You must be a Domain Administrator on the Domain Controller to use:
- Active Directory Users and Computers.
- Group Policy Management Console.
- You must have a network share to use as the Distribution Point.
- Microsoft® .NET Framework 4.8 or newer is pre-installed on workstation endpoints.
- Workstation endpoints are joined to the domain.
- Workstations have Windows® 10 or newer.
- There are Domain user accounts to assist you with testing deployment.
- A previous version of CCH IntelliForms is already installed on workstation endpoints via GPO.
Modifying the Distribution Point
- As an administrator, log on to the file server (if you have one) or your domain controller.
- Navigate to the Distribution Point folder you used to deploy your previous CCH IntelliForms installation.
- Create a new folder to hold the new CCH IntelliForms installation file. You might want to name the folder to reflect the new tax year.
- Copy the new CCH IntelliForms installation file, IFSetup.msi, into the new folder you just created.
Modifying the CCH IntelliForms Group Policy Object
- Log on to the Domain Controller as a Domain Administrator.
- Open Group Policy Management. In Server Manager, click Tools > Group Policy Management.
- In the Group Policy Management console, expand the Organizational Unit (OU) that contains the CCH IntelliForms GPO.
- Right-click CCH IntelliForms GPO and select Edit.
- Expand Computer Configuration > Policies > Software Settings and select Software installation.
- You should see the previous CCH IntelliForms package listed in the right pane.
- In the right pane, right-click and select New > Package.
- Using a UNC path, navigate to the new CCH IntelliForms distribution point folder you created when modifying the distribution point and select IFSetup.msi.
- Click Open.
- The Deploy Software window displays.
- Accept the default Assigned and click OK.
- The new CCH IntelliForms installation package displays.
- Its default name is CCH IntelliForms.
- Right-click CCH IntelliForms and select Properties.
- On the General tab, rename the CCH IntelliForms package so it reflects the new tax year (for example, CCH IntelliForms [tax year]).
- As an optional, but recommended step, click the Deployment tab and select Uninstall this application when it falls out of the scope of management.
- This step ensures the automatic uninstall of CCH IntelliForms if a workstation or group falls out scope of the CCH IntelliForms GPO.
- Click the Upgrades tab.
- The Packages that this package will upgrade field should default to Upgrade CCH IntelliForms [old tax year].
- If it doesn’t, click Add and use the Browse button to navigate to your CCH IntelliForms GPO.
- Click OK. The Group Policy Management Editor should reflect the changes you made.
- Note: If you used the IntelliFormsAdmin.xml file for your previous CCH IntelliForms GPO installation, you do not have to make any changes to the GPO in regards to the file’s deployment. Any new workstations added to the GPO will have the IntelliFormsAdmin.xml file automatically deployed to the new CCH IntelliForms installation.
- Close the window.
Testing the Upgrade Deployment
- While logged on to your Domain Controller, open a command window and enter gpupdate /force. Do not include the period.
- Press Enter.
- You will be prompted that the policy update has been completed.
- To test your GPO deployment on a workstation, do the following:
- Log on to an endpoint workstation with a restricted user account ID.
- Open a command prompt, and enter gpupdate /force to force the GPO to apply itself to the workstation rather than wait for the GPO update cycle.
- Press Enter.
- If you are prompted to restart, enter Y and press Enter. If not prompted, restart the computer.
- Note: As the workstation restarts, you should see “Please wait” displayed prior to log in. In some cases this “Please wait" message displays for several minutes.
- When prompted, use restricted user credentials to log into Microsoft® Windows®.
- Open CCH IntelliForms.
- Click the Blank Forms tab and make sure that the Year list displays the new tax year. If it does not, restart the computer again.
- Note: If CCH IntelliForms still displays the old tax year, restart the workstation again. In some cases the upgrade process requires one or two additional restarts.
Solution Id | 000152798/How-do-I-upgrade-a-previous-version-of-CCH-IntelliForms-using-Active-Directory-Group-Policy-Objects-GPO |
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