IT Admin: Updating to the latest version

If your organization needs IT approval and administrative rights to install updates, an IT Administrator should temporarily access the PVcase License Manager to download the required files. 

Why update PVcase? 

Updating PVcase to the latest version is a standard software lifecycle practice that ensures security, compliance, and operational efficiency.

• Security & Stability: Updates patch vulnerabilities, deploy critical bug fixes, and mitigate operational risks to maintain infrastructure stability.
• Compatibility & Collaboration: Ensures seamless data exchange across teams. Running outdated versions risks file corruption or data loss when opening projects created in newer releases.
• Technical Debt Reduction: Incremental updates are low-risk. Delaying updates creates significant technical debt, making future migrations complex and prone to deployment failures.
• Official Vendor Support: PVcase prioritizes troubleshooting and SLA support for current software versions. Staying updated ensures rapid incident resolution.
• Performance & Features: Includes optimizations that reduce hardware strain and enhance end-user workflow efficiency.

Here’s a step-by-step guide for IT professionals to request admin rights and update to the latest version. 

Step 1| Requesting Company Admin access

To download the installation files, you must first be designated as a Company Admin within the PVcase system.

1. Ask the PVcase user in your organization for the email address of your company’s main Point of Contact (POC) for PVcase.
2. Contact that POC via email and request to be set up as a Company Admin. Provide them with your:
   • Full Name
   • IT Title
   • Corporate Email Address
   • Phone Number
   • City & Country
3. The PVcase team will process the request. Once approved, you will receive an automated email from the PVcase License Manager containing your login credentials.
4. Click the link in the email to set up your password.

Step 2| Downloading and Installing the update

Once you have access to the License Manager, you can proceed with the installation on the end-user's computer.

1. Log in to PVcase License Manager using your new admin credentials.
2. Navigate to the downloads section and download the latest .msi installation file. Make sure AutoCAD is closed before proceeding.
3. Run the downloaded .msi file on the user's computer and follow the on-screen installation prompts. Ensure that AutoCAD is completely closed on the user's computer before proceeding. 

Step 3| Post-Installation Verification & Troubleshooting

After the installation is complete, open AutoCAD on the user's computer to verify the setup.

1. Verifying the plugin 

Look for the PVcase plugin under the "Add-ins" tab in AutoCAD.

• Missing Plugin? If the plugin does not appear (which is common when the user is transitioning to a brand-new computer at the same time), open the AutoCAD App Store. Search for and select either PVcase Ground Mount or PVcase Roof Mount to manually re-link it.

2. License activation

The user may be prompted to re-enter their PVcase license key (e.g., if their previous license expired before the update).

• How to retrieve the key: If prompted for an activation key, the end-user (not the IT admin) must log into their own PVcase License Manager account, navigate to the "PVcase for AutoCAD" section, and copy their activation key.

Need Help?

If you made hardware or OS changes to the user's computer during this ticket, refer to our Getting Started with PVcase Guide for detailed system requirements, compatibility checks, and installation troubleshooting. If you encounter any issues during setup, contact support@pvcase.com for assistance.