This is step one of four to completing your payroll year end. If you'd like to view all four steps, visit the payroll year end 2025 hub.

Sage 50 Payroll v31 is available now. It includes the legislation for both the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 tax years, so you can install it straight away.

 NOTE: If you process an NHS pension scheme, there's a background update available now to help you process this. 

Check your version number

1. Click Help then About.
2. Check your Version Number under the Program Details heading.
3. Take note of the path under Program Directory.
4. If your version number is:
   • 31.00.236, your software is fully up to date with the latest background update 
   • [BCB:248:UKI 50 Payroll current version number:ECB] you've already installed the year end update, skip ahead to the what's new in v31 section to find out about the background update v31.00.236
   • 31.00.229, continue to the before you update your software section and install v31.00.231
   • 30.02.085 or lower, continue to the before you update your software section and install v31.00.231

Before you update your software

We recommend you follow our prepare to update your software article. This helps to ensure your software installation is smooth and simple.

To help ensure your update installs correctly, the update automatically checks that you have administrator rights when you install it. To find out more, visit the Windows administrator check during installation article.

Continue to the download and install the update section below to update your software.

Download and install the update 

The year end software update is v31.00.231. This update includes the legislation for the 2024/2025 tax year and is available in the steps below.

We've also released a background update to v31.00.236, which includes background improvements and new functionality for anyone processing NHS pensions.  

You can complete payroll year end with either of these versions, but we recommend you keep your software up to date with the latest background update.

If you prefer, you can download your update below and ▼ watch a video of the installation process.

1. Close Sage 50 Payroll, and any other Sage software you have open on your computer.
2. Click the link below to download your update:
• [BCB:324:UKI 50 Payroll current download link:ECB]
  • If a prompt asks you to select where to save the file, select your Downloads folder, then click Save
3. To begin the installation, browse to your Downloads folder and right-click [BCB:325:UKI 50 Payroll download filename:ECB]

    

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4. Click Run as administrator.
   NOTE: If a prompt asks you to enter a username and password, enter your Windows administrator credentials, not your payroll credentials.
5. To confirm you accept the licence conditions, click Accept Licence then click Next.
6. Check the path is the same as the program directory you noted in the check your version number section. If it is, click Yes.
   • If the path isn't the same, click No then Yes and browse to the correct program directory, click Payroll.exe, then click Open
7. Click OK when the installation completes, then click Close.
8. Save any work you have open in other applications, then restart your computer. 
9. To help keep your software up to date, we recommend you enable background updates.

If you have Sage 50 Payroll installed on more than one computer, repeat the steps above on each one.

When you log in to a company for the first time after you install v31.00, your software upgrades your company data into the new version.

After the data upgrade process, your software automatically optimises the database for your company. This helps to reduce the size of your backups and maintain error-free data.

What's new in v31

Your year end software update includes the new legislation for the 2025/2026 tax year, along with some improvements to make it even easier to use.

To find out more, visit our what's new in Sage 50 Payroll v31 article.

Background update

We've released a background update, v31.00.236, to accommodate new NHS Pensions legislation. This update also includes background improvements, and some new reports that give you a breakdown of statutory parental payments.

If you've enabled background updates, your software installs the background update automatically. If you'd like to install it right away, follow the download and install the Sage 50 Payroll v31.00.236 background update article.

 NOTE: If you process NHS pensions, ensure you install the background update as it allows you to enter the new NHS legislation when it's confirmed.