First off I have almost zero experience with windows, I have always used a mac. I have Windows Server 2012 (standard version) installed on a fairly robust server and it's only function would be to run accounting/invoicing software that all the users (7) in various locations can log into and use as they all need to access the same datafile. To me this seems like an incredibly simple function but for the life of me I cannot get it to work. If I install RDS it says I need to be apart of a domain yet this is the only machine available, and it can't possible be that one would need another complete server running as a domain controller just so that users could log on the the RDS machine... can it? I have scoured the net looking for a simple solution yet I cannot seem to find one. Maybe it is my lack of experience with windows but the whole exercise has been baffling for me. I tried WS Essentials but it is limited to two users and if I try any more I get about needing to install RDS and then I am back to the same problem with the domain controller. As far as I can tell RDS doesn't work without being part of a domain yet you can't have the domain controller and RDS on the same machine. What are small businesses supposed to do in such a situation as two servers is complete overkill?
If anyone out there has any insights into this I would give my first born (I have no children) for a solution. I just don't understand what I am missing or why when my goals are so meagre that they cannot be accomplished.
Thank you in advance for any advice given.