Most of our software will require you to activate the software for a specific computer. The computer is associated with a Request Number, which identifies the software. From the Request Number and information about the software that you are running, we will generate an Activation Code. The activation code is unique to a computer and a software product (and major version within a product line), so a newer/different version of the software or a different computer will require a new Activation Code. Note that the Activation Code is not generated automatically—we check to make sure that you are entitled to use the software that you are trying to activate.

 

Grace Period Dialog

Except for trial software, our software allows for a "grace period" during which you can use the software while waiting for the Activation Code. During this grace period, you will first see a dialog like the one below.

 

 

 

The information at the top tells you how many hours you have left in your grace period. The clock on this starts the first time you actually run the software (not when you install it). The first time you run the software, you should click on the "Request Activation Code" button. That will put up the Activation Dialog. Once you have sent the activation request, you can do "Skip Activation" to run the software during your grace period. Once you have received the e-mail with the Activation Code, you can do "Activate Now" which will also put up the Activation Dialog.

 

Once the grace period is up, if you haven't yet activated the software, it will automatically skip this dialog and go straight to the Activation Dialog.

 

Activation Dialog

This is the main Activation Dialog. You will see this when you need to either request an Activation Code or when you have the Activation Code and need to activate the software.

The first time through, you need to click on the highlighted link. This will pop up a web form which will send us an e-mail with the information that we will use to generate the Activation Code. That has the computer's request code and identification of the software product already filled in—you need to add the contact information and then "Submit Request" at the end of the form. (Don't forget to do that).

You will get two e-mails: the first is just a confirmation of the request. The second (which may take up to 24 hours) will have the actual Activation Code. That will look something like (with quote of the request omitted):

 

 

The Activation Code for the software is at the location circled. This is the number that will unlock the software. Once you have this e-mail, start the software again. If you see the Grace Period Dialog, do the "Activate Now" on it. Otherwise, you should again see the Activation Dialog.

 

Copy the number out of the email and paste/type it into the text box at the lower left as was done here. Then push the "Activate Now" button. If all has gone correctly, you should be running the software without any further intervention. If not, you probably will have the message described below.

Invalid Activation Code

If you get the message "An invalid activation code was entered", you have just been through the type of dialog shown immediately above. There are several possible reasons for the "invalid activation code" message.

1.You put in the Request Number itself (the one showing in the middle of the dialog box), and not the Activation Code. Until you get the Activation Code from us in an email like the one shown above, you can't successfully activate the software.

2.The request number that you sent us, and the activation code generated from it, are specific to a single computer. If you try to use an Activation Code on a different computer from the one used to generate the request, it won't work. You will need to send a separate activation request from the second computer. Click on the Retry button in the message box, and when you get the main Activation Dialog back, do Click here... to submit the request for this computer.

3.If you haven't sent us the activation request, you need to do that. That will send us the information that will allow us to provide the correct activation code for this computer. We will send back an e-mail with the proper code. Click on the Retry button to reload the main Activation Dialog back and then Click here....

4.Occasionally, the Request Code actually changes between the time you sent the activation request and when you tried to use it. (Certain operating system updates can do that). Check the activation e-mail and see if the "ActivationRequest" number on that (down in the quoted part of the e-mail) is different from what is now showing in the Activation Dialog. Usually the change is to the last four or five digits so at a quick glance it may look similar. If this is different, you will need to re-do the "Click here..." link so we can get the corrected code.

5.Some e-mail programs don't handle the copy and paste of the Activation Code very well. If you've received the activation code in an e-mail and this is the computer that generated the request and the Request Code hasn't changed (see #4), click on Retry in the message box, and when you get back to the main activation dialog, try typing the activation code provided in the e-mail into the dialog instead of pasting, then do "Activate Now." (Make sure you do the Activation Code from the e-mail and not the Request Code itself).

If you still have the problem and none of these applies, contact license@estima.com and we can check to see if you were sent the correct code.

 

Copyright © 2025 Thomas A. Doan