Maintenance FAQ

Q: What is XACT "XSS" Maintenance and why is it necessary?

A: XACT's "XSS" is comprehensive maintenance program that includes technical support, software updates, and many other benefits. An active maintenance program is a condition of our licence agreement and therefore you will automatically receive the newest versions of our software upon release at no additional cost. This allows you and your organization to keep up with the latest software technology developments, take advantage of usability improvements. You are eligible for:

• Technical Support assistance from skilled and experienced PCB professionals
• Assistance on operational aspects of the software
• Software enhancements, updates and upgrades during the maintenance period:
• New releases, Product Enhancements, Bug Fixes and patches, Integration/Interface enhancement
• XACT Data Management Services
• Ability to migrate from their current level of product to a higher level of product for the list price difference between the two products. For example, a user of Gemini-X Linear+ may purchase NonLinear by paying the list price difference between the two packages.
• A 20% discount on XACT training, engineering and consultancy services.
• Access to user groups
• Participation in pre-release software evaluations

Q: How much does XACT "XSS" Maintenance cost?

A: Our pricing is set at a percentage of the licence cost for the products purchased.

Q: When does the Maintenance term start?

A: The Maintenance term begins immediately following the stated warranty period of your software product.

Q: If my Maintenance expires can I still use the product?

A: It is a condition of our licence agreement that an active maintenance agreement is in force in order to use the software.

Q: If I purchased multiple licenses previously, can I have one Maintenance renewal date?

A: Yes, you can. We can put all of your licenses on to a Master Maintenance date if you prefer.

Q: If I have questions about Maintenance whom can I contact?

A: Please contact our Support Team at XACT PCB or one of your local representatives

Q: As an "XSS" holder what is the cost of upgrading my product (eg Linear to NonLinear)?

A: If your "XSS" maintenance agreement is current then to upgrade you only need to pay the list price difference between the two products. Your maintenance cost will be linked to the new product from the date that you upgrade to it. If you are not a current "XSS" holder then you will need to pay the full list price for the higher product that you wish to upgrade to.

Before contacting XACT Software Support

In order for us to understand and resolve your request in the most expedient way possible it is important that you take the following steps before contacting XACT product support.

The following steps are an example of what is required:

(1) Define the Problem:

Be ready to describe the problem and symptoms when contacting software support - this will expedite the problem solving process. It is very important to be as specific as possible in explaining a problem or question. Our team want to be sure that they provide you with exactly the right solution so, the better they understand your specific problem scenario, the better they are able to resolve it.

(2) Gather Background Information:

To effectively and efficiently solve a problem, XACT support team needs to have all of the relevant information about the problem. Being ready to answer the following questions will help us greatly in resolving your problem:

What product and release level of software were you running when the problem occurred?

Please include all relevant products, ie: operating system, client/server model etc.

Has the problem happened before, or is this an isolated problem?

What steps led to the failure?

Can the problem be recreated? If so, what steps are required?

Have any changes been made to the operating system?

Were any error messages or other diagnostic information produced? If yes, what were they?

It is often helpful to have a screen shot or printout of the error messages received when you place the call for support.

(3) Reporting a Software Problem:

When calling or submitting a problem, please have the following information ready:

• Company name
• Contact name
• XACT product and version
• Preferred means of contact (voice or email)
• Telephone number where you can be reached
• Related product and version information
• Related operating system and database information
• Detailed description of the issue
• Severity of the issue
  

XACT does not warrant that our complex software will be entirely bug free, however we do warrant that the product will function as designed and that we will fix problems as quickly and thoroughly as possible. Your support call plays a key role in this effort.

Please note that you are also responsible for obtaining fixes, by downloading or by receiving ones that have been shipped to you on media, applying the fixes to your systems and testing the fixes to ensure they meet your needs. Occasionally, removal of installed fixes may be necessary in the process of isolating problems. Occasionally, fixing a problem will mean the installation of a later release of the software as some fixes cannot be applied into earlier versions.