MYOB to switch off Windows 7 support

Accounting software provider MYOB will cease supporting its applications running on Windows 7, Server 2008 R2 and SQL Server 2008 R2 from December this year.

MYOB last month quietly noted the software that "drives the majority of businesses in Australia and New Zealand is no longer supported by Microsoft's mainstream support".

The company said it had therefore made the decision to cease supporting MYOB Accountants Office and Accountants Enterprise on the older Microsoft platforms by December 31 this year.

Windows 7 left Microsoft's mainstream support in January last year. It remains in the extended support cycle until 2020, and customers can also opt to buy premier support packages.

SQL Server 2008 R2 and Windows Server 2008 R2 will also continue to receive extended support from Microsoft until 2019 and 2020 respectively.

MYOB said it additionally will no longer support its software running on Microsoft Office 2010.

It advised customers to plan ahead and upgrade their Microsoft operating systems and applications to ensure support for MYOB software.

"... by running your practice on software that isn’t covered by mainstream support, you’re introducing an element of risk into your own business. When Microsoft ceases mainstream support for a product, it ceases to fix anything other than security issues with a technology," MYOB warned.

Upgrades could take anywhere from a couple of days, to two to three weeks for smaller practices, MYOB said. Larger and more complex accounting practices may need to budget for two to three months to manage the upgrades from start to finish, it advised.