Installation Instructions

The installation and updating information in this topic do not apply to EMS Cloud Services customers. Learn more about the installation and updating of EMS software with Cloud Services.

To install EMS, perform two operations:

Preparation – install server components.
Install the application on the user's computers.

Learn about EMS Desktop Client Deployment Options.

Install EMS Server Components

The server installation process creates two EMS databases on your MS SQL Server:

EMS_Master database that contains licensing information.
A separate EMS database that contains your reservation data.

To execute the database installation process, you must have a Microsoft SQL Server SA level account.

Verify the prerequisite software is installed.
Secure the EMS.ServerInstall.exe file.
Run EMS.ServerInstall.exe as an Administrator.
The .exe can be run from any PC that has access to your database server.
In Server, enter the name of the server running MS SQL Server.
In Database, enter your EMS database name.

We recommend that you accept the default EMS value.
In the Server Authentication area, specify your MS SQL Server authentication credentials.

If SQL Server Authentication Mode is selected, you must specify a user name and password.
Click Execute.
To initiate the EMS database installation process, click Yes.
Click OK when you receive the Database Installed Successfully! message.
You can now install the software to client computers.

Create an EMS SQL Database User and Connect to Applications

To execute the database user creation process, you must have a Microsoft SQL Server SA level account.

Secure the Ems.EnvironmentUtil.App.msi file.
Run Ems.EnvironmentUtil.App.msi as an Administrator.
The .exe file can be run from any computer that has access to your database server.
From the Installation Directory, run the EmsEnvironmentConfigTool application.
Enter the EMS Database Username and Password.
The credentials are stored in the System Environment Variables to be used by the applications.
If Create User in Database is selected, enter the SQL server name in Server and EMS database name in Database.
This only needs to be done once per database.
Select SQL Server Authentication Mode to use a SQL SysAdmin account.
Repeat Steps 1 through 4 for each EMS web server.

Install EMS Desktop Client Web Deployment

Manually uninstall any previous versions of EMS Desktop Client Web Deployment on your web server.
Verify the prerequisite software is installed.
Download the EMSDesktopWebDeploySetup.msi file onto the web server that will be running the EMS Desktop Client Web Deployment.
Run EMSDesktopWebDeploySetup.msi as an administrator.
Click Next.
Select the destination folder.

The installation process creates a new physical directory on your web server based on the destination folder path entered, for example, EMS Desktop Web Deploy.
Enter your SQL Instance Name.
Enter your Database Name.
- EMS Professional customers – typically named EMSdata
- EMS Workplace, EMS Campus, EMS Enterprise, EMS District, and EMS Legal customers – typically named EMS
The Virtual Directory Name defaults to the destination folder specified in Step 6. We recommend that you keep the default setting.
Click Next.
EMS Desktop Client Web Deployment must not be installed in the same virtual directory as other EMS web-based products or under a site running another version of the EMS Desktop Client Web Deployment.
Click Ready to install to install The EMS Desktop Client Web Deployment.
Click Finish.
To verify your EMS Desktop Client Web Deployment installation, open a browser and enter the address:

http://[ServerName]/EMSDesktopWebDeploy/
You must replace [ServerName] with the name of your web server.
Open the application's web.config file from the installation folder.
In the web.config file, change the bindingConfiguration="webBinding" to bindingConfiguration="webHttpsBinding" in the line <endpoint address="../AppFacadeService.svc" binding="webHttpBinding" bindingConfiguration="webBinding" contract="EMS.AppFacade.IAppFacadeService" behaviorConfiguration="webBehavior"/>

This edit changes the line to <endpoint address="../AppFacadeService.svc" binding="webHttpBinding" bindingConfiguration="webHttpsBinding" contract="EMS.AppFacade.IAppFacadeService" behaviorConfiguration="webBehavior" /> and enables HTTPS.

The first time you launch the EMS Desktop Client Web Deployment, it might take a few extra moments for the website to display. If you encounter issues, contact Customer Support for assistance.

Install EMS Desktop Client (Web Deployment Method)

Access the URL from the EMS Desktop Client Web Deployment.
On the EMS Desktop Client Installation Instructions window, click the Download and Install the EMS Desktop Client link.

If your browser has a pop-up blocker, disable it to download the EMSApplication.exe and configuration files.
Run EMSApplication.exe.

If it asks for the EMS Web Deploy configuration URL, enter the EMS Desktop Client Web Deployment URL: http://[ServerName]/EMSDesktopWebDeploy/
You must replace [ServerName] with the name of your web server.

When a user launches the client, it checks the EMS Desktop Client Web Deployment for a new version of the client. Clients installed through the EMS Desktop Client Web Deployment do not require administrative permission to install.
Click OK.
To import your EMS license key, follow the instructions on the page.

You only need to import your license key one time.
On the EMS sign in page, type admin as both the User ID and the Password.
Click OK.

When an EMS Client is installed through the EMS Desktop Client Web Deployment it can only connect to the EMS instance received from the service.

Install EMS Desktop Client (Conventional Method)

Pre-Installation Instructions

Enable the Windows Component .NET 4.5 on the client machine.

The client must also have access to the EMS Server component, that is, to the Desktop Client API, or directly to the EMS Database.
Obtain the required MSI file.
Sign in to the EMS Product Portal.
Navigate to the Software & Documents Library > New Releases and Patches > EMS Desktop Clients (Conventional and Web Deploy).

When you install, the application loads into the Program Files, Program Files (x86), or a custom directory that you specify. The first time the application is run by a user, it prompts the user to enter in the Server and Database. These entries are saved in the user's registry. The next time the application is accessed, it does not prompt the user for this information again. If upgrading from a previous version, the desktop client searches for the connection string from the previous version, and update the current version so the user is not prompted to enter that information.

Set the Server Programmatically

Option 1: Set the registry keys for the user

The Server and Database information are stored in Keys in the following location:

32bit Machines: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\EMS Software\Version44.1

There will be two string values—one for the server and one for the database.

Option 2: Use switches in the executable

There are two switches that can be used with the applications executable. That is ems.exe. You can use these within a shortcut you give to the user to specify the Server and Database for them.

/s=Servername.domain.local
/d=DatabaseName

Replace "Servername.domain.local" with the Domain name of your Database Server and DatabaseName with the Database of the Database of EMS the user needs to connect to.

For Example: C:\Program Files(x86)\EMS\EMS.exe /s=Servername.Domain.local /d=DatabaseName

Establish Network Connections

The conventional EMS Desktop Client connects directly to the database server for all related transactions. The EMS Desktop Client might also need to connect to the following services:

EMS Web Server
SMTP Server
LDAP Server

Verify the prerequisite software is installed.
Secure EMSClient.msi. (See Obtain Installation Files for EMS Desktop Client below.)
Run EMSClient.msi on the client workstation and follow the on-page prompts.

We recommend that you accept the defaults.
Start EMS from the shortcut located on your desktop.
In the Provide Server Parameters dialog, enter the name of your EMS Server and Database.
Click OK.
Click OK.
Follow the instructions outlined on the page to import your EMS license key.

Your license key only needs to be imported once.
On the EMS sign in page, type admin as both the User ID and the Password.
Click OK.
You can begin defining your data following the instructions in Setting Up EMS or you can install to additional client computers by repeating Steps 1 through 6.

Obtain Installation Files for EMS Desktop Client

Download the latest release of EMS from the online Support Center.

Sign in to Accruent Access.
Click My Products.
Under EMS, click Downloads.
In the Software Downloads area, click the link for your software version.

Download the following files. These are required for both first time installations and upgrades.
- EMS License (License.lic) – License file required to activate your EMS software.
- EMS Server Install (EMS.ServerInstall.exe) – File used to install or upgrade the EMS databases on your Microsoft SQL Server.
- EMS Client (EMSClient.msi) – File used to install or upgrade the EMS desktop application.
- EMS Email Notification (EMSEmailNotificationSetup.msi) – File used to install the EMS Email Notification service that is an optional system component. See Installing the EMS Email Notification Service.
- EMS Campus Auto Sync Service (EMSCampusAutoSyncSetup.msi) – EMS Campus only. File used to install the optional EMS Campus Auto Sync Service that is an optional system component. See Installing the EMS Campus Auto Sync Service.