5 Tips to Improve Performance of Caseware Working Papers

Do you want to know some handy tips to improve on the speed and performance of Caseware Working Papers? Read on to understand five ways to make sure your Working Papers runs smoothly…

Tip #1 – Back to Basics: Storage Capacity

Make sure there is enough storage capacity in the location you are saving all your engagement files.

By default, all Caseware files are stored in the local C: drive of your computer. However, if you are working from a network drive, you also need to ensure there is enough storage capacity in that location.

This is a relatively simple thing to check by navigating to Windows Explorer and clicking on This PC and checking free space available in the C: drive and/or network drive. 

Tip #2 – Working Local Is Best!

This is one of the most common causes of lag in Caseware performance. Working Papers works best when files are located in the local drive (on your personal computer).

Get a local copy for better performance: If working on a file from a shared network drive, use the Sign In/Sign Out feature to sign out a copy of the file into your local drive, complete your work, and then make sure you check the copy back in. This feature allows you to sign out a copy of the entire engagement file to a local location, leaving a read-only copy behind at the network drive. Again, ensuring you have enough storage space on your C: drive (see point 1, above) is crucial to reducing lag times.

Tip #3 – Keep Up With Updates

Outdated engagement files can lead to slower performance overall of the software and engagement file. Update these files regularly to improve their functionality and to make sure that all the relevant content and functions in your engagement file remain in tip-top condition.

Tip #4 – Short Filename Pathways: Long-Winded Filenames Not Recommended

It is important to keep the filename pathways of engagement files as short as possible. By keeping the engagement file close to the root folder, the performance of the file improves and the risk of exceeding Microsoft’s character limit for pathways is reduced. 

Tip #5 – Anti-virus Exclusions: Constant Checking Processes Cause Delays

There may be a lag in Caseware performance due to your antivirus software preventing effective functionality. If you are experiencing performance issues with Caseware, make sure the file extensions and executables listed in this document have been excluded from the antivirus software.