FAQs: Perpetual license to subscription migration

Effective January 1, 2023, only subscription licenses for Sage 50 will be available going forward. If you own a perpetual license, the current plan can be renewed one last time with the support period for such renewal ending no later than September 30, 2023. (Please note, if you renewed between October 1, 2022 to now, then you are already on your last renewal.) You can also move to a Sage 50 cloud connected subscription¹ starting January 10, 2023.

If you decide not to migrate to a subscription plan after the last renewal, we will still honor the remainder of the support plan. We highly recommend that you move to a subscription plan in order to receive the most recent security enhancements, product updates, and support. Outlined below are frequently asked questions:

1. Why is Sage no longer offering perpetual licenses?
   • We are no longer offering perpetual licenses of Sage 50 so we can continue to focus our efforts on developing a more robust solution that is competitive with external offerings and matches our internal Sage product portfolio. To be clear, our desktop solution is not going away. We will continue to focus on our cloud connected benefits that exist within a subscription plan.
2. ​​​​​What are my options (entitled to)?
   • One last renewal
   • Last update download: 2024.0 release
   • Support until you fall off-plan after your last renewal
     • Please note, if you renew between October 1, 2022, and November 15, 2022, then you will already be on your last renewal
3. Why should I switch to a cloud connected subscription?
   • Bank feeds: Automatically matches your bank transactions to your accounting transactions to reduce the need of manual entries to simplify bank reconciliation
   • Cloud data backup ²: Set up scheduled backups of your company data and store it within the cloud to always have a master copy of your work safe in an accessible area
   • Comprehensive apps and services: Customize your Sage 50 accounting needs with an extensive library of integrated add-ons to help grow your business
   • Newest updates when made available: Get access to the latest releases
   • Remote data access ³: Collaborate with your colleagues even from a distance with the ability to upload files to the cloud and download to access it in another space
   • Unlimited support: Get technical support or phone support whenever you need it
4. How do I know if this affects me?
   • If you are on a perpetual license, this new change will affect you

5. Can I downgrade my Quantum/Premium to a Pro subscription?
   • No, you will not be able to. There is no 1-1 match on the feature datasets as Quantum/Premium have more features available that will not transfer to Pro
6. Will it cost me to move my perpetual license to a cloud connected subscription?
   • There is no cost associated to migrate now while you are still on-plan. After your support plan expires, your subscription will have recurring fees
   • We recommend migrating as early as possible to avoid losing access to support and utilizing an unsupported version of Sage 50
7. What difference should I expect when moving to a perpetual license to cloud connected license?
   • You will not see a difference in how you utilize your Sage 50. However, you will now be able to enjoy cloud connected capabilities including:
     • Remote Data Access (# dependent on plan, 1 user included)
     • Backup your data and store it within the cloud
     • Connect your bank transactions with bank feeds
     • More connections with apps and services to integrate
8. What are the steps to move from a perpetual license to a cloud connected subscription?
   • Step 1: Contact your Account Manager at 866-747-3888 select option 3 and let them know you would like to migrate your plan
   • Step 2: Your Account Manager will migrate your plan from a perpetual to subscription license
   • Step 3: Congratulations, you have completed all the steps
9. How long do I have to decide?
   • Starting January 10, 2023, you will be able to start migrating your plan to a subscription license
10. Is it ALL subscription moving forward?
    • Yes, moving forward, Sage will only be selling subscription plans starting January 1, 2023
    • Although older versions may still be functional, it is best to move to a supported Sage 50 product to remain compliant and secure, and to receive support and the latest updates
11. When does your support plan end?
    • It will end when:
      • Your plan ends. We will honor the rest of your plan’s support coverage
      • Cancellation of your plan
12. What does falling off-plan mean to support services?
    • You will no longer be able to contact or speak to a representative who offers support
13. What if I want to talk to someone?
    • We are always happy to speak to you
      • Customers: Reach out to your Account Manager at 866-747-3888, select option 3
      • Partners: Reach out to your Partner Account Manager or an Account Manager at 866-747-3888, select option 3

¹ Minimum one-year commitment required. Valid credit card and Internet access required to activate and maintain support and services. To ensure continuous service, your Sage 50 Accounting is an automatically renewing subscription, and you will be charged up to a week prior to your renewal date. The subscription plan is an annual subscription with a lease to the software license; therefore, you can only use the software while you are on the plan. You may terminate your plan with at least thirty (30) days' notice prior to your renewal date and not be charged for the renewal; however, if you terminate your subscription plan or if your subscription payment is not received, you will have read-only access to your data, and full program functionality will not be restored until you have brought your account current. The subscription plan requires that you be on the most current version of the software to continue your subscription.

²Requires a license to Microsoft 365 Business Premium.

³Additional fees may apply when purchasing a multi-user license. Multiple users accessing Remote Data Access at once may affect the software’s performance.