NOTE: If you just need to close a year to advance to a new year, see How to run the Year-End Wizard. 

• Once a company has been created, you CANNOT change the Fiscal Year or Accounting Method without following the steps below
• If changing your Accounting Method, you can’t transfer journal data (transaction history). Only maintenance records can be imported (vendors, customers, chart of accounts, inventory items, etc.)
• We highly recommend that you select Include Headings on the Options tab when you export, then select First Row Contains Headings when you import
• We highly recommended to make a unique backup after each successful import
• If using Direct Deposit, the information for Direct Deposit will have to be re-entered manually

 CAUTION: If your data is damaged it isn’t recommended to rebuild your company using this method, as the damaged data can be transferred. 

1. Create a new company

1. Select File, and then New Company.
2. Select Next.
3. Choose the Sage 50 product (if available) that matches your current company.
4. Select Next.
5. Enter the company information. For now, add New to the company name so you can distinguish it from the original company (this can be changed back later, once the rebuild is complete).
6. Select Next.
7. Select Copy settings from an existing Sage 50 Company.
8. Select Next.
   • Choosing this option doesn’t copy any actual data from the company selected into the new company.
     
9. Choose the company you want to copy.
10. Select Next.
11. Select any settings you wish to copy, and unselect any you don’t wish to copy.
    • If changing accounting period structure (fiscal year start and end month), be sure to uncheck the Accounting Periods
    • Employee Defaults isn’t checked by default; make sure to check this
12. Select Next.
13. Select an accounting method. This should be the same as in the original company, unless you’re rebuilding to change accounting methods.
14. Select Next.
15. Select a posting method.
16. Select Next.
17. If you chose not to copy Accounting Periods, you’ll need to choose an accounting period structure. Once finished, click Next.
18. Choose the month of Period 1, and then select Next.
    • The open fiscal years will be determined by the month and year selected. For example, selecting Jan 2025 will create open fiscal years 2025 and 2026 with a calendar fiscal year structure
19. Select Finish.

2. Export and import maintenance records

1. Find the directory for the original and new companies by going to Maintain, and then Company Information.
2. Close Sage 50.
3. Open Computer or My Computer and browse to the original company's directory.
4. Copy the following files (select multiple files by holding down CTRL on the keyboard and clicking each; copy by right-clicking one and selecting Copy or pressing CTRL + C).
   • Recurex.dat
   • Report.dat
   • Rptdata.dat
   • Taxauth.dat
   • Taxcode.dat
   • Taxtable.dat
   • Template.dat
   • Qtydisc.dat (Quantum version only)
5. Paste the files into the new company's directory (right-click and choose Paste or press CTRL + V).
   • If prompted, overwrite the existing files in the destination
6. Reopen Sage 50 and the original company.
7. Select File, and then Select Import/Export and export each of the following items.
   • Chart of Accounts List (General Ledger)
   • Employee List (Payroll)
   • Vendor List (Accounts Payable)
   • Customer List (Accounts Receivable)
   • Contact List (Accounts Receivable)
   • Unit/Measure List (Inventory)*
   • Inventory Item List (Inventory)
   • Bill of Materials List (Inventory)
   • Phase List (Jobs)*
   • Cost Code List (Jobs)*
   • Job List (Jobs)
     *Premium and Quantum Accounting only
8. Close the original company and open the new company.
9. Select File, and then Select Import/Export.
10. Import each of the following items in the exact order listed.
    • Chart of Accounts List (General Ledger)
    • Employee List (Payroll)
    • Vendor List (Accounts Payable)
    • Customer List (Accounts Receivable)
    • Contact List (Accounts Receivable)
    • Unit/Measure List (Inventory)**
    • Inventory Item List (Inventory)
    • Bill of Materials List (Inventory)
    • Phase List (Jobs)*
    • Cost Code List (Jobs)*
    • Job List (Jobs)
      *Complete, Premium, Quantum Accounting only
      **Quantum Accounting only
11. Manually enter inventory item beginning balances and/or job beginning balances if needed.
    • If you use Paya, click Services, Credit Card Processing and enter your merchant ID and merchant key
12. Select File, then Backup and back up the company.

 NOTE: If you’re rebuilding to change accounting methods, stop here. You’ll need to enter beginning balances for your customers, vendors, and employees. 

3. Export and import journals

1. Open the original company.
2. Select File, and then Select Import/Export.
3. Export the following items.
   
    NOTE: When exporting, set the date range on the Filter tab to All; then manually enter the date range you wish to copy. For example, if the company data goes back several years, enter a beginning date that goes back that far so you’re guaranteed to get all the data, you must get all of your data for the import to be successful. If you aren’t sure of the date, over-estimate by entering a date older than you think the data goes back. 
   
   • • General Journal (General Ledger)
     • Purchase Order Journal (Accounts Payable)
     • Purchases Journal (Accounts Payable)
     • Inventory Assemblies Journal (Inventory)
     • Work Ticket Journal (Inventory)**
     • Inventory Adjustments Journal (Inventory)
     • Sales Order Journal (Accounts Receivable)
     • Sales Journal (Accounts Receivable)
     • Time Ticket Register (Time/Expense)*
     • Expense Ticket Register (Time/Expense)*
     • Payments (Cash Disbursements) Journal (Accounts Payable)
     • Cash Receipts Journal (Accounts Receivable)
     • Payroll Journal (Payroll)
       *Premium and Quantum Accounting only
       **Quantum Accounting only
       
       
4. Close the original company and open the new company.
5. Select File, and then Import/Export.
6. Import the following items in the exact order listed.
   
   • General Journal (General Ledger)
   • Purchase Order Journal (Accounts Payable)
   • Purchases Journal (Accounts Payable)
   • Inventory Assemblies Journal (Inventory)
   • Work Ticket Journal (Inventory)**
   • Inventory Adjustments Journal (Inventory)
   • Sales Order Journal (Accounts Receivable)
   • Sales Journal (Accounts Receivable)
   • Time Ticket Register (Time/Expense)*
   • Expense Ticket Register (Time/Expense)*
   • Payments (Cash Disbursements) Journal (Accounts Payable)
   • Cash Receipts Journal (Accounts Receivable)
   • Payroll Journal (Payroll)
     *Premium and Quantum Accounting only
     **Quantum Accounting only
7. After importing the journal data in the new company, post all journals, print all necessary reports, and compare the two companies. If there are any discrepancies, make necessary adjusting entries.
   • You can’t transfer memorized transactions between two Sage 50 companies. Set up memorized transactions manually in the new company
8. At this point, you may wish to rename the original company, and rename the new company to the proper company name To do so, go to Maintain > Company Information in each company.
9. In the new company, go to File > Backup and make a backup of the company.

I cannot see my company in the list when attempting to copy settings from an existing Sage 50 company using the new company setup wizard

How to enter employee beginning balances

How to enter account beginning balances

How to enter inventory beginning balances

How to enter customer and vendor beginning balances

Is there someone that can rebuild my company for me?