FactSage Software and Databases

The FactSage 8.4 Update/Installation (2025) package was released in July 2025.

Customers who are entitled to download and run FactSage 8.4 should have been contacted by their FactSage representative.

The FactSage Education 8.4 Package – FactSageEdu is a free FactSage 8.4 Demonstration Version that has also been released. For more information visit FactSageEdu.

FactSage 8.4 Report and Error Messages

Here we post the most recent messages about FactSage 8.4 including items not addressed in What’s New in FactSage 8.4

To date the FactSage 8.4 Apps and Databases are essentially working as designed but there are some issues to report.

“All versions of FactSage 6.0 – 8.4 will stop working in 2026” (December 2025)

All users of FactSage 7.0 – 8.4 will need to apply a patch (December 2025) in order to keep FactSage running on January 1st.

The patch addresses incorrect dates stored in the .cdb (compound) database files. It is a permanent fix for all versions of FactSage 7.0 – 8.4 including FactSageEdu.

(Note: The patches sent out in November 2025 for ELEM etc. are not good enough – we discovered that the “December 2025” bug is more extensive than we originally thought.)

1. 1. 1. Make sure you have a valid installation of FactSage 7.0 – 8.4 that runs without issues (apart from the December 2025 error message). The installation must have a valid dongle or cloud license. Quit FactSage.
      2. Click on FactSageCdbPatch.zip to download the zip file – updated December 2025.
      3. Unzip the file and copy FactSageCDBPatch.exe to the FactSage main folder where FactSage.exe resides (typically C:\Factsage).
      4. Run FactSageCDBPatch.exe.
      5. Wait a while (up to a minute or more) and then follow the instructions. Note the patch applies to standalone versions of FactSage 7.0 – 8.4 with a valid dongle or cloud license. For an installation with a valid password file follow the instructions.
      6. When finished run FactSage and you should see that the issues have been resolved.

Notes :

FactSage 8.0 – 8.4:

For a network server installation, copy FactSageCDBPatch.exe to the server folder and follow the instructions (the clients will get updated automatically) or contact your representative.

FactSage 7.0 – 7.3:

For a network server installation, copy FactSageCDBPatch.exe to the server folder and follow the instructions
and
for the network client installations either copy FactSageCDBPatch.exe to the client folder and follow the instructions
or delete all .iw0 and .iw1 files in the client \FACTDATA\ subfolders.

FactSage 6.4 and earlier versions:

Please contact your FactSage representative.

We apologize for the inconvenience.

“Add-ons on client network installations – FactFlow and FactProSim” (reported October 28, 2025)

At release, add-ons were only available for standalone installations – this includes the FactFlow and FactProSim Add-ons. We have now found a workaround to make the Add-ons accessible to client network installations.

How to run FactFlow and FactProSim on a client installation :

1. 1. Locate the FactSage8.4 folder on the network
   2. Copy the following files and entire folders from the FactSage Server folder :

ca_del_fs_e_x64.dll
/FactFlow/
/FactProSim/

1. 3. Paste the three items copied in step 2 into the FactSage 8.4 Client folder
   4. Run FactFlow by double-clicking on /FactFlow/factflow.exe and run FactProSim by double-clicking on /FactProSim/FactProSim.exe from the FactSage Client folderNOTE: the menu items from Equilib linking FactFlow and FactProSim will remained greyed out, meaning CST files required for the add-ons will need to be created by hand (using the option File > ChemSage File > Export to a transparent *.cst from the menu window of Equilib).

“Limitations of Add-ons – FactFlow and FactProSim” (reported October 3, 2025)

The limitations of Add-ons are posted here for clarity – most are already listed in FactSage 8.4.

Add-ons are only available for standalone installations – this includes the FactFlow and FactProSim Add-ons.  Access to the Add-ons is not available to client network installations. (Edit: we have now found a workaround, see Oct. 28 2025 report)

Add-ons are not part of the regular FactSage package and are not included in the license agreement. Add-ons are additional Apps that are currently offered for free to standalone users who have current Maintenance and Service, M&S.  Access to the Add-ons is only available while the M&S is valid. That is, access to the Add-ons will not be available when the M&S has expired, although a grace period of a few months may be added.

“FactSage throws a series of errors after certain Add-ons are run and then FactSage  enters setup mode”  (reported October 3, 2025)

This applies to the FactProSim Add-on in particular.

The remedy is to log in to the computer with an administrator account – this is a one time operation. Run FactSage from this account. The Add-ons should run normally. The next time you run as a regular user account the Add-on FactProSim will now run normally.

“Issues with Client installations in a Server/Network Environment” (reported August 4, 2025)

1. Client installations and Add-OnsClients installations do not have access to the Add-Ons e.g. FactFlow, FactProSim. This is not evident in the 8.4 documentation.
2. Client installation not updating (reported July 28, 2025)

This may occur when the network server is updated to FactSage 8.4. Although FactSage can run on the server it will not run on a client installation if the client is an old installation (8.3 or earlier) .

One solution is to completely reinstall the client as a new installation. But this takes time.

Alternatively the bug can be fixed by simply replacing in the client installation the file Factsage.exe as follows.

Locate the file Factsage.exe in the server installation: for example
2025-07-07     08:40 AM     3,561,880 FactSage.exe
Copy this file to the client installation and replace the old file factsage.exe.
With the client installation run Factsage and then quit when done.
Finally run the client installation Factsage again.

“Missing or invalid FactSage security key (dongle)” or dongle not working (reported July 27, 2025)

This often occurs for a new installation or even if the dongle was working in the previous installation.
In order to fix the bug:

• • unplug the dongle
  • reinstall the drivers – in FactSage click on Tools – Sentinel Security Key – Express driver installation
  • restart the computer
  • plug in the dongle again and start FactSage.

FactFlow document update

The documentation on the FactFlow Process Simulation Package has been updated in What’s New in FactSage 8.4.

Specifically a new online manual is now available – FactFlow User Manual – pdf 56 pages.