Move Sage 50 to a new server: a UK checklist

• Your Sage 50 version. Sage UK's requirements page lists the versions it currently supports, from v26.3 up to v34, and says it cannot give technical support for older versions even with a valid support contract. Sage 50 Accounts v30.1 and later will not install on Windows Server 2012 or 2012 R2.
• Your licence details. Have your serial number, activation key and account number ready; Sage says you can find them in your My Sage account.
• Admin rights. Sage asks you to log on to each computer as an administrator for installation.
• The network. Sage asks for at least a 100Mbps connection to share data over a network.
• The date. Pick a day away from your VAT return, payroll run and month end, and tell everyone to close Sage before you start.

A new server that will run for several years should be on Windows Server 2022 or 2025. Moving onto 2016 now means a second move within months; our Windows Server 2016 guide explains the deadline.

This follows Sage UK's knowledge base article "How do I move my Sage 50 Accounts data?" (last modified 10 November 2025). Read the article itself for screenshots and the exact folder list for your version.

1. 01

   Back up every company

   Take a backup of each company, including all file types.

2. 02

   Take companies off Remote Data Access

   If you use Remote Data Access, remove the company from it before you move the data. You upload it again and reconnect remote devices afterwards.

3. 03

   Create and share a folder on the new server

   This is where the company data will live. Set the share and folder permissions for the people who use Sage.

4. 04

   Install the Data Service if needed

   If Sage 50 is not installed on the server that holds the data, install the Sage Data Service on it.

5. 05

   Copy the company folder

   Find your current data directory and copy the company folder that contains ACCDATA (for example Company.000) into the new shared folder. Repeat for each company.

6. 06

   Point every PC at the new location

   On each computer that runs Sage 50, open the COMPANY file in the Sage Accounts folder under C:\ProgramData for your version (the folder is named after a year, for example 2026 for v32), change the paths to the new UNC path (\\server\share\...), and save.

7. 07

   Check before you switch off the old server

   Open each company from two or three computers and compare a few balances and reports with the old copy. Keep the old server untouched until you are sure.

The procedure above assumes every computer that runs Sage is on the same network as the server. If people work from home, a shared folder over a VPN is usually the slow, fragile option. Sage's own recommended route for remote work is Remote Data Access; the other is to run Sage 50 on a server next to the data and connect with Remote Desktop. Our Sage 50 remote access guide compares the three.

If the reason you need a new server is that the old one is ageing or runs Windows Server 2016, ask whether you want to own a server at all. With Sage 50 hosting, Sage 50 and your company data sit on a managed Windows server in London that we patch, monitor and back up, and your team uses it over Remote Desktop. The move is included, follows the same Sage backup and restore steps, and starts with a trial on a copy of your data.