Pontem Upgrade

MIS Department Policy & Procedure 

Pontem Upgrade Procedure    

Below are notes on the Pontem upgrade procedure from Pontem. When I upgraded on 9/2/2020, I had to restart the Firebird services to finalize the upgrade.  This upgrade brought us from 4.5.5.200 to 4.5.5.220 and corrected the issue Clerk’s was having with the Pontem program not shutting down correctly. (Updated to 4.5.5.237 in 2021)

UPGRADE INSTRUCTIONS: 

The password you'll need to complete your upgrade is: Username: PontemAdmin PW: Check Dashlane

If the password in Dashlane is not working, contact Pontem. They seem to change it randomly. 

How To Upgrade Your Pontem Cemetery Manager Program

IMPORTANT to NOTE before you start: Upgrade your Server first.  The server/computer where the database is stored must be upgraded before upgrading the client PCs.

To verify you are on the Server, launch Cemetery and look for the Status Bar along the very bottom of the main program window.   From left to right you will see boxes for:

Date | Time | USER | PC Role (Server or Client) | Copyright

Insure the PC Role = Server.  If the PC Role = Client, you will need to find the computer which shows “Server” to install the upgrade on the Server first.                   

--Log in to your Server as Administrator

Alternatively you can launch the Pontem CM program as Administrator (right click on the Cemetery short-cut and select “Run as administrator”.)

Upgrade Your Server Application First

1. On the Server, Launch the Cemetery application as Administrator and Log in as

User = UPGRADE and enter the Upgrade User Password from the Release Notice email.

2. Make sure no other users are connected to the database

a.  From the Menu bar, select File, Administration, and Licensing.

b.  Insure the Available Users = one less than the number of Authorized Users

If other users are in the program have them exit before moving continuing.

c. Select the Close button to continue

3. Retrieve the Available Upgrade

From the Menu bar, select Help, Check for Upgrade

-- Read the notice and note the time needed to complete the upgrade and select Next button to continue.  If there is an Upgrade release available you will be prompted for a password.  

-- Enter the Software Upgrade password from your upgrade notice email and click the Next button.

4.  Install the Upgrade: The installation wizard will download the Upgrade Installer and ask you a series of questions: 

-- Yes Apply: Do you wish to apply the Upgrade now?  Select “Yes”

-- Default Configuration: leave defaults and select Next.

-- Install: Select the Install button.

-- RTU Shut Down; only get this if you have an Online Burial Site

-- Finish: Select to open the Cemetery log in dialog

Upgrade the Database before Upgrading Client PCs

1.  Once again, Log in as User = UPGRADE

“Your data must be upgraded from …  Do you want to apply it now”.- Select “Yes” to continue.

2.  Back up and Optimize your Database will prompt you as follows:

-- Review and Back up: review the backup database information and click the Next button to run the back up

-- Restore Dialog; select the Next button to begin the restore and optimization process.  (Note:  For this to complete, no other users can be logged in)

-- Finish the Restore and Optimize; click the Finish button

-- Log out: When completed the Pontem CM Overview work space is displayed.

3.  Verify your login and upgrade version

-- Click File on the Menu bar and select Open an Existing Pontem Cemetery Manager…

-- Log in to the program with your regular user name and password

-- On the Menu bar Select Help, About and review the version information

Your Server Upgrade is now complete and you can continue with updating your Client PCs

Update Client PCs

After the upgrade process is complete on the server, the client machines will need to be upgraded.  This is done automatically when you run Cemetery at each client machine.  This process may require administrator privileges on the local computer to install the upgrade.

1.      Open the Pontem CM program on the Client PC as Administrator

The Installation Wizard will start automatically.

-- Click the Next button begin the upgraded

-- Click Install button to proceed

-- Once completed, click Finish button to open the program

2.      Log into the program using a regular user name and password

3.      On the Menu bar Select Help, About and review the version information

Assistance

If you have questions or need assistance with the upgrade, contact the Pontem Help Desk via the “Submit A Request”  this link or from your Help option on the Pontem CM Menu bar.

You can also call the Pontem Help Desk @ 888.237.8531.