Sage 100

Customer was on v2013 Adv and upgraded to v2016 Adv. on 9/20/16. On 9/9/16, printing in v2013 (from Sage only) got really slow from the workstations (W7). Nothing was changed in Sage. After the upgrade, printing was still really slow from the workstation (20 seconds to preview a sales order, 30 seconds to preview the Daily Sales Journal, 17 seconds to preview IML). So today I connected and at the server, everything previews very quickly (4/9/4 respectively). I created a new printer on the Server holding the printers (server 1) and used the Universal PCL6 driver and then installed it on the Sage Server (server 3) and the workstation (did not remove the other printers though). No change. They are using Windows Essentials for AV so on the workstation today I excluded the Sage folder on the workstation, added the extensions and even turned off real time protection - all with no change to the printing speed. Showed the owner that it's not a Sage issue as the server is just fine. Users are in another building but even when in the same building, workstation printing is just as slow so not 'cable between the bldg'. He keeps telling me - 'but its only in Sage so must be something in Sage!' Claims it's forms and reports and based on Daily Sales Journal, it is reports too so reinitializing the work tables seems futile since it would have to be all of them would be corrupt. I did seem to get through that it's not a Sage issue. Thought about using the CS ODBC Driver but was having problem configuring it last night so turned it back off. Server 1 and 3 are 2012 servers. There is also a Server 2 (2008) which has a couple of printers too. I don't know what else to try!

Advanced printing speed... CS-ODBC service is always step 1.

You could be having a DNS network issue. Does your shortcut and sota.ini refer to the server name or IP address. If name, you can try changing it to the IP address in the shortcut and two places on the 1= lines in the server section of sota.ini on the workstation....

If something adversely affected their network latency / bandwidth, starting on 9/9/16, that would explain it. With Advanced printing the CR print engine talks directly to the data files over the share, bypassing the Sage service. (This is what the CS-ODBC service helps with).

Sage 100 Advanced is server side processing but any forms and reports using Crystal is processed at the workstation. So, you are correct that it is not a Sage issue. It is (most likely) a Crystal issue accessing and printing the data. I second the recommendation by @KevinMoyes

Agree with putting CS-ODBC in. Also, remove from all workstations and servers any printers that no longer exist. Only 'real' and active printers should be in printer listings.

Are all the printers shared from the server? You could try installing the printer directly on the PC using the IP address of the printer (assuming it is a network printer plugged into the switch) - this takes the print server out of the picture. And make sure to PING the server NAME from the workstation with this command: ping servername -l 1800 - (it's minus L) should be 20-30 milliseconds or faster according to Advanced Matirx - if you have slow ping speeds to server name - try ping to IP address - if faster than you have a DNS issue to resolved. If ping times are slow regardless then CS/ODBC is definitely the way to go. Read the Sage install manual for setup instructions. You will have to get IT involved to open the port assigned on the firewall if you have routers between building.