End of Life Announcements
Stirling Accounts
31/10/25
Following very careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to retire the Stirling Accounts system from 31st May 2026.
Why Do We Need to Do This?
Supporting the Stirling Accounts system has become increasingly challenging, and we can no longer continue to meet evolving digital Tax and VAT Return requirements. We believe that retiring the system is the best course of action to ensure compliance and service efficiency.
What is Happening?
Stirling Accounts will be retired on 31st May 2026, and no further support for the product will be available.
Customers will continue to have full access to the system until this date, allowing for the completion of the current tax year, plus an additional two months for year-end processing, if required.
From 1st June 2026, system access will not be available; however, a Lifetime Archive Licence may be purchased, enabling access to historical financial records on your own PC/Server.
We understand that you will be disappointed to hear we’ve taken this decision, but we firmly believe this is the right decision for the long term. Please be assured that our team is here to provide as much help as possible, making this a smooth transition for you and your team.
What Do You Need To Do Next?
- Please find a replacement accounts package for your business. Although your current software will remain active until May 2026, we advise starting the process of selecting an alternative as soon as possible.
- Please ensure your new system is fully operational by 1st May 2026 to avoid disruptions to your accounting processes.
- Export and back up any necessary data from the Stirling Accounts system before the deadline to ensure a smooth transition, and to ensure you can access your complete historical records, if required. We recommend storing your archive Stirling Accounts system on a well-maintained PC/Server, as you may need to access the details up to 7 years after your financial year end.
- Please note that it is the responsibility of each customer to securely retain and maintain their own archived copy of the Stirling Accounts data after the system end-of-life date. Mandata will not be able to provide access, support, or data recovery once the system is no longer supported.
- Consider purchasing a Lifetime Archive Licence, allowing continued access to the system after 1st June 2026 for tasks such as running reports or reprinting invoices. Please click here to contact our team and request further details.
Stirling TMS
29/11/24
Stirling TMS Update
We have emailed customers providing an update to Stirling TMS Support. Please contact csm@mandata.co.uk if you’ve not received the email and would like a copy of the email to be sent to you, or if you’d like to discuss the email further.
Enterprise TMS
Support ending for PCs running Web Services Manager on MS Windows 7 & 8 OS – 1 February 2024
28 November 23
Microsoft ended support for MS Windows 7 on 14 January 2020, and MS Windows 8.1 on 10 January 2023.
This means PCs running either version of MS Windows will no longer be receiving essential security updates. Without continued software and security updates, PCs will be at greater risk of viruses and malware.
How does this affect me?
To ensure that we are able to take advantage of the features and security benefits found in newer Operating Systems, we will no longer support MS Windows 7 and MS Windows 8 in our Web Services Manager application after 1 February 2024.
After this date, the Mandata Web Services Manager application will no longer function on a PC running the MS Windows 7 or 8 Operating Systems.
What Operating System does Mandata’s Web Services Manager Support?
For the security of your own business, as well as for compatibility with our Web Services Manager application, you should use an Operating System that is supported by Microsoft.
Currently Microsoft supports two Operating Systems:
- MS Windows 10
- MS Windows 11
Mandata would recommend that you use MS Windows 11 and ensure that it is fully updated with the latest security patches from Microsoft.
Please contact your Mandata Customer Success Manager if you have any queries or concerns.
Go/GoPlus TMS
Support ending for PCs running Go/GoPlus on MS Windows 7 & 8 OS – 1 February 2024
28 November 23
Microsoft ended support for MS Windows 7 on 14 January 2020, and MS Windows 8.1 on 10 January 2023.
This means PCs running either version of MS Windows will no longer be receiving essential security updates. Without continued software and security updates, PCs will be at greater risk of viruses and malware.
How does this affect me?
To ensure that we are able to take advantage of the features and security benefits found in newer Operating Systems, we will no longer support MS Windows 7 and MS Windows 8 in our Go/GoPlus application after 1 February 2024.
After this date the Mandata Go/GoPlus application will no longer function on a PC running the MS Windows 7 or 8 Operating Systems.
What Operating System does Mandata’s Go/GoPlus Support?
For the security of your own business, as well as for compatibility with our Go/GoPlus application, you should use an Operating System that is supported by Microsoft.
Currently Microsoft supports two Operating Systems:
- MS Windows 10
- MS Windows 11
Mandata would recommend that you use MS Windows 11 and ensure that it is fully updated with the latest security patches from Microsoft.
Please contact your Mandata Customer Success Manager if you have any queries or concerns.
Stirling TMS and Apps
1 February 2024
Stirling TMS Update – EoL date extended to 31 December 24
Support of the Stirling TMS and associated apps has been extended to 31 December 2024 to provide customers, still using Stirling TMS, further time to migrate.
This announcement is being communicated to allow customers to plan for the year ahead.
Please note: hardware support will not be extended and will end from 31 May 2024 as originally communicated.
To discuss your migration from Stirling TMS please contact Jonathan Ball or James Jarvis on 0191 250 2220.
—
16 March 2023
Support ending for Stirling TMS – 1 June 24 (date extended to 31 December 24)
Effective 1 June 2024, the Stirling TMS product (a Mandata Group product) will be discontinued from both a user license and a support perspective.
For more information, please see the FAQs below.
Why is Mandata discontinuing Stirling TMS?
When the businesses came together in 2021, there was an in-depth review of both product architecture and functionality. Following that analysis, a decision was made to retire the Stirling TMS product and for all future investment to be focused on a single platform; the Mandata TMS product.
The Mandata technology had already seen significant modernisation investment in the previous few years and the decision was centred on ensuring best long term platform for all customers; a highly secure TMS that is scalable, configurable, is accessible anytime and has a clear future roadmap.
Is Mandata discontinuing any of its own products?
No, this relates solely to the Stirling TMS product.
When does the End of Life take effect?
Licensed usage and software support for the Stirling TMS product will come to an end 1st June 2024 (deadline extended in February 24 to 31 December 2024).
Will I still have technical support for Stirling TMS after the EoL date?
Support for customers will end on 1 June 2024 (deadline extended in February 24 to 31 December 2024).
Are all of the Stirling products being discontinued
No, the Stirling WMS is not and for more details on other Stirling apps please refer to this table.
Why is Mandata providing advance notice?
Mandata is providing advance notice to give customers sufficient time to prepare, research and decide on the best TMS for their business going forward.
What solutions or products does Mandata recommend moving forward?
Mandata’s TMS products (Go, GoPlus, Enterprise) are available to customers across a range of business sizes and requirements. In addition, key features from the Stirling TMS have been built into the Mandata TMS offer, to ensure continuity of functionality for Stirling customers, should they choose to migrate to a Mandata TMS product.
What support is Mandata offering for migration to the Mandata product?
Mandata has recruited additional implementation team members to ensure a smooth migration process that can be planned to minimise any disruption. We have streamlined the migration process, using experience of those Stirling customers who have already made the switch. We are offering rolling webinars on product demonstrations and have bolstered our customer teams to help during the transition.
Where can I get more information?
Customers that are currently using the Stirling TMS product will have received a call from either James Jarvis to ask any questions and discuss their options.
Hardware (Stirling Customers)
Support ending 31 May 2024
9 June 2023
We realise hardware support is important to you, however we are no longer able to continue to provide support at the level you expect or need, and support will end on 31 May 2024.
For all new IT hardware purchases, services and support, we are pleased to recommend our IT partner Jungle IT.
Mandata apps
Google End of Life – Android OS 6.0.1-7.1.2
31 October 23
Google has announced changes to security requirements which affects all Android applications. This mandate will impact your company’s ability to use our apps in the future.
To increase security, Google has raised the bar which dictates the level of the Software Development Kit (SDK) we use in our Android applications. To be able to install Android apps on the latest version of Android (Android 14), we must now target the Google SDK #23 as a minimum.
What this means in practice is that earlier versions of Android that do not support SDK #23, will not be able to receive app updates or re-install the app if it is uninstalled.
What does this mean to your business?
If you are using devices running Android 6.0.1-7.1.2 you will be affected by this new Google mandate.
We anticipate that you have at most 12-18 months to update devices running Android 6.0.1-7.1.2, however we strongly encourage you to consider updating them earlier, as this timeline is not guaranteed and is outside of Mandata’s control.
Please contact your Mandata Customer Success Manager if you have any queries or concerns.
Google End of Life – Android OS 5.1.1
31 October 23
Google has announced changes to security requirements which affect all Android applications. This mandate will impact your company’s ability to use Mandata apps in the future.
To increase security, Google has raised the bar which dictates the level of the Software Development Kit (SDK) we use in our Android Applications. To be able to install Android apps on the latest version of Android (Android 14), we must now target the Google SDK #23 as a minimum.
What this means in practice is that earlier versions of Android that do not support SDK #23, will not be able to receive app updates or re-install the app if it is uninstalled.
What does this mean to your business?
If you are using devices dating back to 2014 and run Android 5.1. you will be affected by this new Google mandate.
We anticipate that you have at most 4-6 months to update devices running Android 5.1, however we strongly encourage you to consider updating them earlier, as this timeline is not guaranteed and is outside of Mandata’s control.
Please contact your Mandata Customer Success Manager if you have any queries or concerns.
Archive
All TMS
Microsoft has announced it will soon be ending support for Microsoft Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2. This means there will be no further security updates, non-security updates, bug fixes, technical support, or online technical content updates after 10th October 2023.
If you are running Stirling software on the Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2 operating system, please note Microsoft cannot guarantee the stability or security of their operating system beyond the support end date. Please plan to ensure your Stirling system continues to run on a supported Microsoft Server Operating System.