In order to work, RTG Bills requires a license key.

Each license key is valid for a specific version of RTG Bills. If you want to upgrade to a newer version, you need a new license key.

The upgrade to Version 2.20 is special, because it is the first version to use this licensing method. For Version 2.20 only, we are offering a free license key (that is, a free upgrade) to anyone who purchased RTG Bills (either for the first time or as an upgrade) on or after January 1, 2007. This special offer expires on June 30, 2008.

In the future, we plan to offer a free upgrade if you have purchased a license key within the past year. Otherwise, you must pay the standard upgrade fee.

If you believe that you qualify for a free upgrade, request a license key now. We will check our records and send you the license key if you qualify.

Reference: RTG Bills Upgrade Policy

If you don't qualify for a free upgrade, or if you want a CD with the installation file, you can get the latest version of RTG Bills for a reduced fee:

RTG Bills Version 2 Upgrade

Remember, RTG Bills will not work without the new license key. If you do not want a CD, wait until you get the license key and then download the software from this page.

Here are detailed directions for downloading and installing RTG Bills and RTG Timer. You may want to print this page so you can refer to it.

1. Click here to download RTG Bills Version 2.20   Is it safe?
   
   If your browser offers a choice, click the Save or Save File button, or choose Save this program to disk and click OK.
   
   You may see the Save As window. To save the file bills.exe on the Desktop, click the Desktop button, then click the Save button.
   
   The Desktop button is along the left side of the Save As window.
   
   
   
   
2. Wait patiently while the file is copied across the Internet to your computer (that's what "download" means).
   
   When the download is complete, you should see the file bills.exe on the Desktop. It may appear as bills, without the .exe extension.
   
   
   
   

   Important Note: If you currently have RTG Bills V2.16 or earlier installed, we have special installation instructions for you. Follow one of the links below: Upgrading RTG Bills V2.16 or below on a Network Upgrading RTG Bills V2.16 or below - No Network If you install RTG Bills using the standard data location, you won't see your existing data. These instructions tell you how to avoid that problem.

   
   
   
3. Start bills.exe to install RTG Bills and RTG Timer. To start it, double-click the icon. As an alternative, you can right-click the icon and choose Open.
   
   Windows may show a warning because the installation file does not have a digital signature. As explained here, a digital signature offers no protection at all. Use your antivirus software to confirm the safety of the file.
   
   Click Run (in XP) or Allow (in Vista) to proceed.
   
   
4. Follow the instructions to complete the installation.
   
   If you are installing RTG Bills and RTG Timer on a network, please read the Network Installation Instructions. You must install RTG Bills and RTG Timer separately, because you will need to specify different data locations for the two programs. The installation instructions explain what to do.
   
   If the software was not installed previously on this computer, the setup program will offer to install the programs in C:\Program Files\Rtgbills and we recommend that you accept this suggestion.
   
   The setup program will offer to install the data in a separate location. This is required for Windows Vista compatibility, because Vista won't allow programs to store their data in the Program Files folder.
   
   The suggested data location for Windows Vista is:
   
   C:\ProgramData\RTG\RTG Bills\
   
   and for Windows XP it is:
   
   C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\RTG\RTG Bills\
   
   These suggested locations can be used for a non-networked computer. However, on a network, the data must be in a shared folder accessible to other computers.
   
   The setup program may supply the correct data location if you have previously installed RTG Bills and RTG Timer Version 2.17 or above on this computer. Otherwise, you will have to enter the shared data location yourself.

1. When the setup program is finished, the file bills.exe is still on your Desktop. We suggest that you copy it to a removable medium and save it, along with your license information, in case you need to re-install RTG Bills and RTG Timer. Then delete the file.
   
   
2. To start RTG Bills, double-click its icon:
   
   RTG Bills will say that it needs to update the database format. Click Yes to proceed.
   
   Note: You cannot go back from this point. Once the database is updated, you must use the new version of RTG Bills and RTG Timer.
   
   You will be asked to enter the licensed user name (in the Licensed To box) and the license key. Enter them exactly as you received them from RTG and click OK.
   
   If RTG Bills does not start, the license information was incorrect. Double-click the RTG Bills icon and try again.
   
   Note: If RTG Bills displays the number of days left in the trial period, click OK, then choose Setup > Licensed User to enter the name of the licensed user and the license key.
   
   
3. RTG Timer does not require a license key. However, RTG Bills and RTG Timer must always be the same version, so be sure to install the new RTG Timer on each PC that will use it.