finaldraft

Final Draft

Wellesley College has a 20-seat site license for Final Draft (version 12 for June 2021-2022).

This software is available for our faculty, staff and students to install on their own computers for work on behalf of the college, such as for an academic course.

The installers for Mac and Windows are available from our Software share on our Academicstore file server.

To install Final Draft:

  1. Verify that your computer can run FinalDraft.
    • Mac: OS 10.14 minimum (for version 12)
    • Windows: version 10 (for version 12)
  2. Connect to the campus network
    • On campus: connect to the Wellesley Secure wireless network (or use a computer with a wired connection)
    • Off campus: use the VPN
  3. Connect to the Software share on the Academicstore file server
    • Windows
      • Click on the windows menu icon Windows menu icon
      • Copy and paste the following: \\academicstore.wellesley.edu\software
      • Press Enter
    • Mac
      • Go to the Finder and click on the Go menu
      • Select Go to Server...
      • Copy and paste the following: smb://academicstore.wellesley.edu/software
  4. If prompted to log in, you may need to use wellesley\username with your Wellesley password
  5. (TIPS if you have trouble accessing the installer)
  6. Open the facstaffstudents folder, then the FinalDraft folder, then the 12 folder
  7. Drag the appropriate installer folder (mac or pc) to your desktop
  8. If prompted about whether you're sure you want to copy this to your computer, you are
  9. Wait for the installer to finish copying, then leave the connection open to academicstore
  10. Double-click on the folder you copied to your desktop, then double-click on the installer 
  11. Click through the installer as you would any other; if you'd like step-by-step instructions, skip to that part of the vendor's instructions (Mac) (Windows) - Note that the vendor's instructions include a download that may be more recent than the one on our academicstore server, which you are welcome to download and use instead of ours
  12. At the end of the install, launch FinalDraft and, when prompted, enter our Wellesley College customer number
    1. In the FinalDraft 12 folder on the academicstore server, double-click on the CustomerNumberFinalDraft12 text file
    2. Copy the customer number; be sure to leave out any spaces before or after it
    3. Paste this number into the field waiting for it
    4. Click Continue and then OK, then Register Later
    5. Continue into Final Draft
  13. Tidy up
    • Drag the installer folder on your desktop into the trash/recycling bin
    • Disconnect from the Academicstore server (or restart the computer)

If you need assistance with this installation, please contact the Wellesley College Computing Help Desk.

Done with Final Draft? Deactivate!

When you've completed your course and are done with Final Draft, please de-activate your copy.

  1. Open Final Draft
  2. Go to Help > Deactivate. If you have any unsaved work, you will be prompted to save it before deactivating.
  3. Choose Deactivate. The program will connect to the vendor and the activation will be removed from the computer and placed in the college's account for later use.

Please note: the VPN is not required to use this software off campus; the VPN is only required to install Final Draft.