When you create a new chart of accounts (COA), this creates a new file in the relevant company's ACCDATA folder.

When you create a new chart of accounts, the category.dta file updates too. This file holds details about the number of charts of accounts the company has and their names.

NOTE: Manually amend changes to profit and loss or balance sheet description names, as they don't copy over. Similarly, edit the nominal list independently if required.

The option to copy a chart of accounts isn't available in Sage 50 Accounts Essentials.

Copy a COA within the same company

1. On the navigation bar, click Nominal codes then click Chart of accounts.
2. Select the relevant chart of accounts, then click Copy.
3. To rename the copied chart, select the chart and click Edit.
4. Amend the title as required, then click Save.

Copy and replace all COAs from one company to another

If you need to change any files in the Accdata folder, ensure that you stop the Data Service and lock Remote Data Access if you use it.

1. Open the company that you want to copy the COA from.
   
2. Click Help, then click About.
3. Click the Data Directory link.
4. Double-click the ACCDATA folder.
5. Right-click and copy the following files:
   

   *.COA	Where * is the number of the chart of accounts. For example, if you have two chart of accounts, copy the files 1.COA and 2.COA The numbers may not be in sequence, therefore in the above example, the files could be 1.COA and 3.COA or similar.
   category.dta	This file contains information of how many chart of accounts are listed.

6. Open the company you want to have the new COA and take a backup.
7. Click Help, then click About.
8. Click the Data Directory link.
9. Right-click and paste the files copied in step 4.
10. If prompted to overwrite the file, click Yes.
11. Open each company and check the Chart of accounts.