# Before you begin

Before running any Apteco software update, confirm your current release version and prepare your environment.

## Check your current release

### Apteco FastStats

To check your FastStats release:

1. Open **FastStats**.
2. Select **Help**, then **About**.

You can determine the version by the **Client Build Date**, which is typically in the month before the release date. The previous example has a build date of 1 August 2023 for the Q3 2023 release.

> [!NOTE]
>
> Determine if your currently installed Apteco applications are 32-bit or 64-bit. Use the 64-bit versions where possible.

### FastStats service

To determine your current FastStats Service version:

1. Open the **FastStats Configurator**.
2. Select **FastStats Services**.

You can see the version number and quarterly release under **Version**. In the previous example, the version is Q2 2023.

## Prepare for an Apteco update

To fully prepare for an Apteco software update:

1. Review the [technical updates](<https://help.apteco.com/en/release-notes/technical-updates/index.md>) section for any configuration changes you need to make manually.
2. Tell users about planned downtime. Allocate approximately two hours for an update, and perhaps slightly longer if you:

   - Have a multi-server solution
   - Are using PeopleStage
   - Need to make additional changes from previous interim releases
3. Download and extract your software installation files from the [software releases](<https://portal.apteco.com/software-releases>) page on the Apteco portal to create the appropriate installation folders.
4. Stop all your FastStats Services.

   To do this:

   1. Open the **FastStats Configurator**.
   2. Select **FastStats Services**.
   3. Highlight all services, then select **Stop**.
5. Quit all Apteco software.

You are now prepared for an Apteco software update.