Frequently Asked Questions

• The use of all modules.
• Access to all software upgrades.
• First-line call centre support via Email, Slack, Skype, Telephone and remote access. Please review question 2 for what is excluded, even if these are provided by the call centre.
• Paper price updates (available for South African print companies only.)
• Backup utility.

• Any configuration or changes to the QuickEasy setup.
• Creation of custom reports and templates.
• Training of new or existing staff on new functionality.

Subscription invoices are sent on the 20th of the month. These invoices will be for licensing for the following month — e.g. on 20 August an invoice will be sent for September.

Payment for subscriptions is due on or before the end of the month, so payment terms are around 10 days from invoice.

Invoices for support and training will be sent on or before the end of the month in which the service was completed. Payment is due immediately.

A licence code will be sent via email to all nominated recipients on the 26th of the month for all accounts in good standing.

Customers whose accounts are in arrears will be sent a temporary licence key on the 1st day of the new month. The temporary licence is valid for 3 days; thereafter clients will need to either contact Helpdesk to open the licence (Helpdesk can open the licence for a day) or make arrangements with Accounts who would be able to open the licence based on payment arrangements.

Clients can opt to pay for subscriptions quarterly, bi-annually or annually in advance. A licence key for the same period will be issued.

The monthly hosting rental fee allows you to serve the QuickEasy application to users.

Cloud Server

If you are hosting on the cloud, then the answer is no. QuickEasy takes care of backups when hosting your database on a cloud server. Backups are made twice a day and stored on a separate server.

Local Server

If BOS is hosting on your local server, then yes, you need to make provision for, and regularly run, backups. Even though we do the initial setup for backups on local servers, it remains the client's responsibility to secure offsite/external backups etc. In the event that there is a failure on the local server and there are no external backups, QuickEasy cannot be held responsible.

In the case of a severe problem (e.g. a ransomware attack) on the cloud server, a new server can be created within two to four hours.

Winflector licences may require up to one day to be restored.

We are often asked why our BOS products are not a browser application, with concerns that this might place a burden on IT departments when it comes to upgrades.

Comparing Firebird and Microsoft SQL Server (MSSQL)

When comparing Firebird and Microsoft SQL Server (MSSQL), several key factors come into play, especially around data handling capabilities, connections, and cost. Here's a detailed comparison:

Architecture & Usage. Firebird supports advanced SQL standards, triggers, stored procedures, and concurrency control. It's optimised for lower resource consumption and is easy to deploy. Firebird is efficient with small to medium-sized datasets and scales well for moderate loads, commonly handling databases in the range of 100 GB to 1 TB in production environments. It does not have hard-coded limits on database size but is more practical for databases under 1 TB in typical installations — for larger datasets, performance optimisations are needed.

MSSQL is built for handling very large databases, and enterprise installations often handle multi-terabyte databases (e.g. 10 TB and beyond).

Connections & Concurrency. Firebird is designed to support multiple connections but is typically seen handling hundreds of simultaneous connections in practical use. Firebird 3.x introduced improved multi-core and multi-threading capabilities for better connection handling, and its lightweight resource usage suits environments where fewer concurrent users (often hundreds) need access.

MSSQL can handle thousands of simultaneous connections efficiently, especially in enterprise environments, using a multi-threaded architecture with sophisticated resource management and connection pooling.

Cost. Firebird is free and open-source under a permissive licence. Because it is lightweight, it doesn't require specialised hardware, and its maintenance costs are minimal. Firebird suits:

• Small to mid-sized databases or applications with moderate data and connection requirements.
• Scenarios where low cost, ease of maintenance, and simplicity are crucial.

MSSQL is ideal for:

• Large-scale enterprise environments requiring robust data handling capabilities, advanced analytics, and high availability.
• Applications needing extensive integration with Microsoft tools and technologies.
• Organisations willing to invest in high-performance infrastructure with greater licensing and hardware costs.

Cost-wise, Firebird is free and highly cost-effective, whereas MSSQL comes with significant licensing costs but offers enterprise-grade features. For performance, scalability, and enterprise needs, MSSQL outshines Firebird, but Firebird remains a solid choice for smaller, cost-conscious applications.