Summary
How to activate and update licenses, or change to different versions with a new serial number. This is only for updating licenses or flavors with a new serial number, not upgrading to a new year version.
Resolution
Updating the serial number

- Verify that Sage 50 is closed on all workstations.
- On the Server, right-click Sage icon that is on the desktop, and then select Run as administrator.
- Click Help, Sage 50 Activation, Licensing, and Subscription Options.
- Select Change your current version and Click OK.
- Enter the new version's Serial Number and Click OK.
- Click Help About Sage 50 Accounting - Verify that you see your new serial number noted.
- If the new serial number is noted, go to step 9.
- If it says "" for the Serial Number, follow Step 3 above, and then select Activate Online (recommended)
- Close Sage on the server, and verify the update has taken place at each workstation by checking Help, About Sage 50 Accounting.
- The serial number should match the one on the server.
NOTE: You made need to close and reopen Sage 50 on the server after changing the serial to make the update take effect. If needed, a data conversion prompt will appear when the company is selected to open.
If the update didn’t happen automatically at the workstations
- Close Sage and open File Explorer.
- Browse to C:\Program Files\Common Files\Peach (32-bit) or C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Peach (64-bit).
- Open the pchans file for that version(for example, Version 2022 is "pchans290.ini").
- Change the line beginning Version=to the correct version abbreviation:
- Pro Accounting = PRO
- Premium = PPA
- Quantum Accounting = PTX
- Quantum - Accountants Edition = PTXA
- Change the line beginning with SERIALNO= so the new serial number is listed (capitalize all letters and include all hyphens).
- Select File, and then click Save. Close Notepad.
- Browse to C:\ProgramData\Sage\Peachtree.
- Open Peachtree [Version].ini (for example, version 2021 is "Peachtree280.ini").
- Change the lines beginning SERIAL= to the new serial number.
NOTE: There will be two instances of this line in the file. Be sure to change both.
- Select File and then click Save.
- Open Sage 50.
- Verify the changes by selecting Help, About Sage 50 Accounting.
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