Activation keys
Activate the firm's licence with an NF key, understand what it unlocks, release it and react when it expires.
An activation key unlocks the licence of a firm without going through a subscription billed on usage. It is handed over with a purchase, at a trade fair, through a partnership or as part of the pilot programme. This page explains how it works and how to enter it.
What a key looks like
A key has the form NF-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX: the NF prefix followed by sixteen characters in four groups. Ambiguous characters (zero and the letter O, the digit 1 and the letter I) are never used, which limits copying errors. Entry accepts lower case and spaces.
A key is displayed in full only once, when it is generated. Keep it in a safe place: it is then masked everywhere in the application.
What a key grants
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Plan | The plan unlocked by the key. Unless specified otherwise, the Firm plan. |
| Options | For example Client portal or Client invoicing, with a quantity. |
| Services | Accounting, Peppol, CODA, Client portal, Client invoicing, Document import, or all services. |
| Limits | Maximum number of users and files, if they are set. |
| Duration | Period of validity after activation, in months. A duration of 0 means unlimited validity. |
| Validity window | Dates between which the key can be activated. |
| Number of activations | A key can be intended for one or several firms. |
| Reservation | A key can be reserved for a specific firm. |
While a key is valid, no usage statement is issued for the firm.
Activating a key
- Open the Licence screen from the list of files.
- In the Activation key section, enter the sixteen characters in the Licence key field.
- Click Activate.
- The message "Licence activated." is displayed. The section then shows the active key, its activation date and the end date of its validity.
Activation creates or replaces the firm's subscription on the plan of the key. Only the administrators and managers of the firm can activate a key. Attempts are limited to ten per minute.
Refusal messages
| Message | Meaning | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| This licence key is invalid. | The key does not exist, has been revoked or is not yet valid. | Read the key again; contact the person who gave it to you. |
| This licence key has expired. | The validity window has passed. | Ask for a new key. |
| This licence key has already been used the allowed number of times. | All the seats of the key are taken. | Release it in the other firm or ask for another key. |
| This licence key is reserved for another firm. | The key was issued for a specific firm. | Check that you are in the right firm. |
| This licence key is already active for your firm. | The same key is already activated here. | No action needed. |
If the message "Enter the 16 characters of the key." appears, the entry is incomplete.
Releasing a key
Releasing a key detaches it from the firm: the seat becomes available again and the key can be activated elsewhere.
- In the Activation key section, click Release.
- Confirm. The message "Key released." is displayed.
The subscription created by the key is terminated on release: the services it unlocked are no longer available in this firm until another key or a plan is active.
On expiry
A daily check handles expiries:
- a key whose validity window has passed can no longer be activated;
- when an activation reaches its term, the firm's subscription is put on hold and the Licence screen displays a banner: "Your licence expired on … Activate a new key or choose a plan to continue."
Before expiry, a banner warns you: "Your licence expires on … Remember to renew it." The Enter a key and See plans buttons of the banner lead directly to the right section.
If a key is revoked by NovaFisko, the banner indicates: "Your licence key has been revoked. Please contact NovaFisko."
The expiry of a licence does not delete any data of the firm or of its files.