--- title: Install Activate slug: install-activate createdAt: 2025-07-16T02:02:18.152Z --- # :::hint{type="danger"} Please ensure you have reviewed and prepared the necessary resources listed [here](docId\:TEFp2b1mpf8clQSM35NQE) before proceeding with the steps in this document. ::: The Activate Installer can install any of the components of Activate, which components are required will depend on the selected architecture. This document will guide you through the installation of the Activate Server. 1. Copy the Activate Install Package to a folder on the Activate Server. 2. Extract the files from the Zip archive. 3. Navigate to the ActivateInstaller folder. 4. Run **ActivateInstaller.exe** ![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/Lfto9rn2ELed8aLNOgwlJ/afuV7feaT4Ftthaj5fSmD_image.png) 6. Click **Install Platform** 7. Enter a unique instance name and click **Next** ![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/Lfto9rn2ELed8aLNOgwlJ/pSW6_aom8O8BK0OaScBnT_image.png) 8. Select an installation package and click **Next.** ![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/Lfto9rn2ELed8aLNOgwlJ/suwo7Gof67U-X9nowfsa3_image.png) 9. Review the installation settings and click **Install.** ![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/Lfto9rn2ELed8aLNOgwlJ/XOoqpxjuro8X-Pqz8ehQ6_image.png) 10. Install starts with extracting and verifying the package install. ![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/Lfto9rn2ELed8aLNOgwlJ/AM2Sn858TVzfmsLBxBoao_image.png) 11. Installation complete, click **Open Activate** to start the instance configuration wizard. ![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/Lfto9rn2ELed8aLNOgwlJ/OrAKLwCOQMHjvDVepnXym_image.png) ![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/Lfto9rn2ELed8aLNOgwlJ/RS9EzLaiZG5QZYfsJwpl__image.png) The **Activate **core platform has now been installed on the server, the next step is to work through the **Configuration Wizard **to continue the installation. # Configuration Wizard The Configuration Wizard is used to capture necessary information to setup Activate. Once the information is captured the wizard will install the components selected. An optional configuration file can also be used to prefill the fields to streamline the install. 1. Revise the interactive pre-check form on the link provided. 2. If you have completed an optional configuration file click **Browse** to select it, otherwise click **Next.** ![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/Lfto9rn2ELed8aLNOgwlJ/qfMosvmL6qpAnuA0qAOIC_image.png) **** ## Installation Type Activate has two installation types, this document will guide you through the Server Installation. - Server Installation: An installation of a new instance, including the Database, Orchestrator, Website and Studio - Client Only: Studio only, connecting to an existing instance. ![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/Lfto9rn2ELed8aLNOgwlJ/5yesqgw-t8jwNkTrhS9i8_image.png) 1. Select **Server Installation** and click **Next** ## SQL Server Configuration ![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/Lfto9rn2ELed8aLNOgwlJ/il4anG-SYNl_wGL_OveST_image.png) 1. Enter SQL server connection details, click **Test **to test the connection to the database server, then click **Next **to continue. ::::hint{type="info"} There are 3 options for choosing a SQL Server to host the Activate Database: :::Paragraph{listStyleType="decimal" indent="2"} **Local SQL Server** – this is a SQL Server on your internal network, Activate requires a low latency LAN connection to the local SQL Server. This could also be SQL Server installed onto the Activate Server itself ::: :::Paragraph{listStyleType="decimal" listStart="2" indent="2"} **Azure SQL Server** – This is when you are using Azure SQL Services. You will need to know the Azure Server URL, Database Name as well as the Azure SQL Username and Password. This assumes that the Activate Server is also hosted within Azure to ensure the connection between the Azure SQL Server and the Activate Server is a fast connection ::: :::Paragraph{listStyleType="decimal" listStart="3" indent="2"} **Custom Connection String** – For advanced users to manually provide a SQL connection string to the SQL server. ::: :::: 4. Select your SQL Server option and enter the hostname of the SQL Server that will host the Activate database into the **Server Name** field and the Authentication Method and click **Test** to test that the Configuration Wizard can connect to the SQL Database. 5. Click **Yes** to install the Activate database onto the server selected – click **Next** to continue ## Authentication Type ![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/Lfto9rn2ELed8aLNOgwlJ/nbryFXFZEpVLp1ExM2vWW_image.png) 1. Select the desired Authentication type and click **Next** **** ## Administrators Group ![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/Lfto9rn2ELed8aLNOgwlJ/brNpTFA-lvBwd8SrIoPgo_image.png) 1. Click **Browse** to search for and select the “Activate Administrators” Group, this can be a specific Activate Group or an existing Administrators Group. The selected Group can be changed at a later stage if required. This group contains the users that have administrative privileges within Activate . ## Activate Orchestrator Configuration ![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/Lfto9rn2ELed8aLNOgwlJ/1u4C5yFIQxAFmtI5znhng_image.png) 1. Check the **Install Activate Orchestrator Service** option, on completion of the wizard the installer will create a Windows Server Service called ‘Activate Orchestrator - \’. 2. Enter the Active Directory Account for the Activate Orchestrator Account created earlier for this new Windows Service to run as. Ensure you include the Domain name in front of the account – DOMAIN\UserName. 3. Enter the password into the **Password **field. 4. Click **Select** to select the previously installed SSL certificate, or for non-production environments only you may click **Self Signed** to automatically create a self signed certificate for testing purposes. 5. Click **Next **to continue ## IIS Configuration ![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/Lfto9rn2ELed8aLNOgwlJ/acUsKVkleDEr-cRz9z8kK_image.png) 1. Check the **Create Web Site** option and select the SSL certificate installed earlierfor the web site. 2. Select the **Create App Pool** option for the configuration wizard to install the Activate Web App Pool. 3. Enter the AD account which you want this App Pool to run under (Activate Service Account or Activate Web Service Account). Ensure you enter the Domain name in front of the account – DOMAIN\UserName. 4. Enter the Password into the **Password **fields and click **Next **to continue ## SMTP Email Configuration ![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/Lfto9rn2ELed8aLNOgwlJ/p8GivjoKRqTb7lF5Hz1Wc_image.png) 1. Enter the **SMTP server** name that Activate is to use to relay emails. :::hint{type="info"} This can be left blank if the SMTP server is not known at the time of installation. However, any requests will not send emails until the SMTP Server parameter has been configured within Activate Administrator. See [SMTP Configuration](docId\:qiTiO5zVEXMKxkWOB6u76). ::: 2. Enter the **Default Email Domain **that all users will use as their SMTP address 3. Enter the email address for the **Default From Address **– this is the email address that users will receive emails from such as [selfservice@mydomain.com](mailto\:selfservice@mydomain.com) – this does not have to be a genuine mailbox on the network 4. Click **Next** ## Installation Click **Finish** to complete the Configuration Wizard and start the Installation process The database and all other actions will now be processed. Wait for processing to complete. ![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/Lfto9rn2ELed8aLNOgwlJ/_AoxQ3pYE-gAXcDS1oQqy_image.png) ## # License Wizard On completion of the Configuration Wizard, the Activate License Wizard will automatically start. ![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/Lfto9rn2ELed8aLNOgwlJ/tI04xx8wLkz0TOfRx09w__image.png) 1. Enter the licence key you have been provided using the following methods: 2. Copy the licence section from \ to \ and select **Paste from Clipboard** :::BlockQuote \   \XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX\   \XXXX-12-16T11:11:26\   \XXXXXXXX-XXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXX\   \Activate Demo Environment\   \     \Activate Demo\     \dc=XXXX,dc=XXXXXX,dc=XXXXXXX,dc=XX,dc=XX\     \1000\   \   \   \   \   \   \   \   \ \ ::: 3. Alternatively save the section from \ to \ to a text file and select the **Load from File** option and select the text file 4. Click **Finish** to complete the Activate License Wizard # Import Wizard On completion of the Activate License Wizard, the Activate Import Wizard will automatically start. This wizard imports all of the latest Activate system packages such as Roles, Tasks and Resources. Click **Finish** to import all packages and complete the Activate Import Wizard Once the Import Wizard has completed Activate server has been successfully installed and Activate Studio will open, allowing you to continue configuring and customising Activate. ![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/Lfto9rn2ELed8aLNOgwlJ/sWwE6_YWHLxVXmEui91NB_image.png)