Before you begin: you need Kantivo for desktop version 2.5.0 or newer, and to be signed in as the installation's primary administrator; no approval from us is required. Hosting is charged on its own ($144 a year for the first plan user, $12 for each one after), with the first charge running only to your licence's renewal date. Look under System Admin → Backup & Restore.
Desktop to cloud
- Under System Admin → Backup & Restore, select Move my books to the cloud and review what the transfer involves.
- Pick the address for your organization; availability is confirmed as you type.
- Request a confirmation code. Six digits are sent to the email on your licence and stay valid for 15 minutes.
- Once the code is accepted, the installation is locked to read-only while a full snapshot is captured and uploaded with encryption. Progress is displayed, and you are free to step away.
- Compare the results: each company's debit and credit totals and entry count on your computer, beside the identical figures from a trial restore in the cloud. At this stage nothing has been transferred.
- With every company matching, choose Move now. Your new address appears when it completes; sign in there with your existing credentials.
The desktop installation remains read-only afterwards, so there is only ever one live copy. The licence now belongs to the cloud system.
Should the transfer fail or be cancelled before Move now, the desktop installation is returned to normal, fully editable, with the licence still in place, and the screen explains the reason.
Cloud to desktop
- Inside your cloud system, go to System Admin → Backup & Restore and select Move my books to my computer.
- Acknowledge that the cloud system will become read-only, then confirm.
- A file password is displayed a single time. Record it securely — it is never sent by email.
- A one-time download link, good for 24 hours, is emailed to you. Save the file.
- In Kantivo for desktop, use Backup & Restore → Full installation to upload the file, supply the password and restore it. The licence returns to that computer.
Notes
- Most transfers complete in a few minutes; larger histories need longer.
- Every company, user, setting and attachment in the installation travels together.
- Data residency, backups and service levels are described in the Kantivo Cloud guide.
- Want us on hand while you transfer? Open Help → Report an issue or get in touch.