How Do I Export or Import My Machine Credential to Move It to Another Computer?

Lightning Payroll desktop includes built-in wizards to export your ATO machine credential keystore file and import it on another computer. This lets you use the same credential on a second PC without reapplying through RAM.

Exporting the Machine Credential

Run these steps on the computer that already has the machine credential:

1. Open Lightning Payroll desktop and click Tools >> Export Machine Credential in the menu bar.
2. The Export Machine Credential wizard opens. A file path is pre-filled - click the folder icon to change the save location (for example, a USB drive or a shared folder).
3. Click Export. A confirmation message appears once the credential has been saved successfully.

This copies the keystore XML file to your chosen location. It does not remove the credential from the current computer - both PCs can send STP after the import is complete.

Importing the Machine Credential

Run these steps on the second computer:

1. Open Lightning Payroll desktop and click Tools >> Import Machine Credential in the menu bar.
2. The Import Machine Credential wizard opens. Click the folder icon to browse to and select the XML keystore file you exported.
3. Click Import. If a keystore file already exists on this PC, you will be asked whether to overwrite it - click Yes to proceed. A confirmation message appears once the import is successful.

If you do not have a USB drive available, attach the exported XML file to an email and download it on the second PC before importing.

If Tools >> Export Machine Credential is greyed out or shows a No Machine Credential Found warning, the current computer does not yet have a machine credential. See How Do I Create a Machine Credential? to obtain one first.

If you need a completely separate credential for the second computer rather than a shared one, see How Do I Get a New Machine Credential On My Second Computer with Lightning Payroll Desktop? for the alternative approach using RAM.