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Sage 50c Decommissioning Versions Older Than 26.2
Your Sage 50 Accounts may stop working soon – take action now
On 30th September 2022 all versions of Sage 50 Accounts and Sage 50cloud Accounts v26.2 and below (i.e. older than Sage 2020) will stop working and anyone using these older versions of Sage will be unable to access their data.
Why are older versions of Sage 50 being stopped?
To comply with the latest data security industry standards, Sage will turn off their TLS (Transport Layer Security) v1.0 and 1.1. Older versions of Sage (v26.2 and older) rely on this to operate. See more from Sage here.
What does this mean?
Versions of Sage v26.2 and older will stop working after 30th September 2022. This will still affect machines that are disconnected from the internet. We have also contacted Sage Support and asked about the recovery of data from older versions. Unless there is a saved backup, they will not be a way to recover the data.
How do I find out what version of Sage I have?
To find out what version of Sage you have you need to:
- Open Sage 50
- Select Help, About Sage 50 Accounting
- Release will show the version number
What do I need to do if I use Sage 50?
If your Sage is older than v26.2 there are two options:
1.Upgrade Sage to a newer version
If you would like to continue using Sage, then you will need to upgrade your version. To do this, you can contact Sage on 0191 479 5955. You will be asked for your account number which you can find on your most recent Sage invoice. You can also call up and verify your name, email address and post code.
Upgrading Sage involves paying a monthly subscription for the newer version, which can come as a shock to those businesses who bought Sage for a one-off fee many years ago. We recommend calling Sage to negotiate a discount or a promotional code to help lower the cost.
| Product | Monthly Cost |
| Sage 50cloud Standard | £72 |
| Sage 50cloud Professional | £145 |
2. Move to Xero
An alternative to upgrading is moving to a different accounting software provider such as Xero.
Xero is a cloud-based accounting system meaning you can access your data anytime from any device, without having to install a desktop application. It allows real-time access to your data with an extensive app marketplace full of extra add-ons to help improve efficiencies in your business. Xero is also cheaper than Sage 50 with the highest priced plan being £49 per month.
| Product | Monthly Cost at 15th September 2022 |
| Xero Starter | £14 |
| Xero Standard | £28 |
| Xero Premium | £36 |
| Xero Ultimate | £49 |
However, before moving to any other software, please get in touch with us to find out whether that software is suitable. There can be limitations to each software which we have extensive knowledge on, so to avoid any headaches and wasted time, please get in touch by contacting [email protected] or call George Skinner on: 0117 403 9800.
How else can I save on the cost of living?
Many of us are currently feeling the impact from the rise in the cost of living. To help with this, we work with Reducer who can review your utility bills and identify cost savings for you. They compare electricity, gas, water and sewerage, waste and recycling, payment processing, broadband and telecoms, and mobiles for businesses. Even better, Reducer deal with the entire switching process for you, and it won’t cost you a penny.
Reducer typically integrate with Xero and QuickBooks to retrieve all your bill data to do their comparisons, however Sage 50 customers can upload a copy of their recent bills to Reducer’s dashboard instead or sign a Letter of Authorisation for Reducer to speak to your current providers on your behalf. The latter surprisingly involves very little of your time!
To use Reducer, please contact [email protected] to get setup and begin your cost savings report.
Who can I go to for Sage support?
If you have any concerns around your Sage data or you would like more information on upgrading your Sage version or moving to a new software, please either contact your Account Manager or if you are not currently a client of PKF Francis Clark – please feel free to contact [email protected] or call 0117 403 9800
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