Solution Properties
Solution ID:
200427112210372
Last Modified Date:
Tue Feb 10 10:59:58 UTC 2026
Taxonomy Path:
Case category//I have a problem with...//opening
Author:
[email protected]
Company name missing from the company selection window
Description

When you open Sage 50 Accounts, you see a Company name replaced with one of the following:

  • INVALID DIRECTORY PATH 
  • NO DATA FOUND 

Company Selection window with invalid directory path and no data found messages under company name.

This occurs when the software can't find the ACCDATA data folder in the path shown in the Select Company window.  This can also happen if the folder is empty. This path comes from the COMPANY file.

Reasons for not finding the ACCDATA folder include:

Cause
Resolution

Below are some known fixes for this issue. Complete each step until you resolve the issue.

[BCB:353:UKI - New DSM:ECB]

Restart Data Services

Restarting your data services can resolve this message if you hold your accounts data locally on the computer with the issue. 

Data stored on a mapped drive

  1. Hold down the Windows key  + E to open File Explorer.
  2. Locate your mapped drive and double-click it.

If the drive opens, close and reopen Sage 50 Accounts.

Use a UNC path instead of a mapped drive

Using a UNC path to connect the client computers to the data stored on the server can resolve this issue.  

Check if the data path is correct

▼If the Data path in the Company Selection window is correct

Ensure the software isn't running in compatibility mode:

  1. Right-click Sage 50 Accounts on your Desktop, then select Properties.
  2. Select the Compatibility tab and ensure the Run this program in compatibility mode checkbox is clear.
  3. Browse to the ACCDATA folder using the path specified in the Select Company window.

You can check if the folder was deleted, renamed, or moved. 

  1. Manually create the folder if missing then restore your data backup into Sage 50 Accounts.

TIP:

Check the permissions on the ACCDATA folder to prevent this issue occurring.

 

▼If the Data path in the Company Selection window is incorrect

If the path in the Company Selection window is wrong, you need to correct it. For help to find your Sage data on your network, see our network article.

NOTE:

When following the steps below, if the ProgramData or Application Data folders don't appear, you can show hidden files and folders.

  1. Browse to C:\ProgramData\Sage\Accounts\20XX, where XX is the year of your software. For example, V32 is 2026.
  2. Locate and double-click the COMPANY file then select Open with Notepad.
  3. Amend the relevant line in the COMPANY file accordingly, then select File, then Save.
  4. Select File then Exit.

 

Create the path manually

EXAMPLE:

The path specified in the Select Company window is C:\Program Files\Sage\Accounts\Company.003 but the Company.003 folder is missing.

  The path specified in the Select Company window is C:\Program Files\Sage\Accounts\Company.003 but the Company.003 folder is missing.

  1. Hold down the Windows key  + E to open File Explorer.
  2. Browse as far as you can, in this example you browse to C:\Program Files\Sage\Accounts.

    NOTE:

    When you manually browse the path, it can request a network password that you need to turn off.

     
  3. Select File, then New, then Folder.
  4. Enter the name of the missing folder, for example, Company.003.
  5. Create the ACCDATA folder next, by double-clicking the new folder, select File, then New, then Folder.
  6. Enter the name of the next missing folder, ACCDATA.

Once the ACCDATA folder exists, open Sage 50 Accounts and complete the ActiveSetup Wizard. You can then restore your latest backup.

Activate Microsoft .Net Framework 4

The Invalid directory path message has been seen after recent Windows updates disables Microsoft .Net Framework 4.

Follow our article to download and install Microsoft .NET Framework 4.

[BCB:19:UK - Sales message :ECB]
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