Desktop installation guide

1. Before you start

Prepare the following before you visit the school computer:

• A Windows 10 or Windows 11 x64 computer with at least 8 GB RAM and 5 GB free disk space.
• A Windows Administrator account.
• Internet access for the first enrolment and school-data download.
• The school’s cloud backend URL (for example https://app.tailoredschool.com).
• A fresh one-time Edge enrolment code created for the correct school.
• The email address of the admin, accounts, headmaster, or teacher user who needs the first offline login.
• The postgres superuser password you will set when installing PostgreSQL. Write it down; ISMS Desktop setup will ask for it.

2. Install PostgreSQL

Do this before you run the Tailored School / ISMS Desktop setup. Use the official Windows installer from EnterpriseDB, not a bundled copy from another app.

1. Open EnterpriseDB PostgreSQL downloads and get PostgreSQL 18 for Windows x86-64.
2. Right-click the downloaded installer and choose Run as administrator.
3. Keep the default installation directory and port 5432 unless this computer already uses that port.
4. Set a strong postgres superuser password and store it with the school’s office records. You will need it in the next step.
5. Skip Stack Builder / extra tools if the installer offers them. ISMS Desktop does not need them.
6. Finish the installer, then confirm the postgresql-x64-18 Windows service is running.

3. Install Tailored School Desktop

1. Download TailoredSchool-Setup.exe (or copy ISMS-Edge-<version>-offline-setup.exe to the computer).
2. Right-click the file and choose Run as administrator.
3. Accept the Windows elevation prompt and complete the installer.
4. Wait while the offline runtime is staged. No Python, Node.js, or Rust is required.
5. The installer opens the graphical Configure ISMS School Edge wizard. Approve its administrator prompt. No PowerShell terminal should appear.
6. Enter the cloud URL, a descriptive computer name, and the one-time enrolment code.
7. When setup detects the PostgreSQL service, enter the postgres administrator password from step 2. The password is used only to create the isolated Edge database and is not stored.
8. Enter an eligible staff email for offline access, or leave it blank. If entered, choose and confirm a numeric offline PIN of at least six digits.
9. Setup runs database migrations, downloads the school snapshot and files, installs the Windows services, and verifies loopback-only access.
10. Keep the graphical setup open until it reports that School Edge is ready.

4. Open and test

1. Open ISMS Desktop from the Start menu. It waits for the local services and opens the school portal directly.
2. Sign in using the activated email and offline PIN.
3. While internet is connected, confirm classes, students, invoices, subjects, exams/results, reports, attendance, communications, and fee setup are visible.
4. Disconnect Wi‑Fi, refresh the local portal, and verify the same local data remains available.
5. Make one controlled offline change and reconnect. Confirm sync-backed pending changes return to zero. Edge Sync separately identifies full-portal changes that currently remain local-only.
6. Sign in as an administrator, open Edge Sync, and set an offline PIN for every verified admin, accounts, cash desk, headmaster, or teacher who needs this computer.
7. To inspect Windows services, use the ISMS Desktop tray icon and choose Desktop settings & diagnostics.

5. Offline users and PINs

• The account must already exist in the school’s cloud data and be included in a successful Edge bootstrap or pull.
• First-run setup activates only the one staff email entered during configuration.
• A local administrator can open Edge Sync → Staff offline access, select an eligible user, and set or replace that person’s PIN.
• After signing in, each eligible staff member can open Edge Sync → My offline PIN and replace their own PIN.
• Alternatively, choose Configure Edge in Desktop settings, approve the administrator prompt, enter another eligible email and PIN, and run setup again. The existing school enrolment is reused.
• PINs are hashed in this computer’s local database, expire automatically, and are never uploaded to the cloud.

6. Daily operation

• Closing the desktop window leaves the Windows services running.
• Closing the school portal leaves the tray application and services running; use Open school portal on the tray icon to reopen it.
• Use Back up edge data regularly and copy completed backups off the computer.
• Logs: C:\ProgramData\Tailored Bytes\ISMS Edge\logs
• Backups: C:\ProgramData\Tailored Bytes\ISMS Edge\backups
• After Windows maintenance or a package upgrade, open Desktop settings & diagnostics and confirm that all four services are running.

7. Upgrade

Run the newer offline setup executable as administrator. The installer replaces application and runtime files but preserves .env, media, the local database, logs, backups, and the enrolled node identity. Run verification after the upgrade.

8. Uninstall

Windows uninstall removes the launcher and ISMS Edge services but deliberately preserves PostgreSQL, local school data, configuration, media, logs, and backups. This prevents accidental data loss.

9. Troubleshooting

Support: [email protected] · Contact · Download Desktop setup. Print this page if you need a paper copy on site.