Transfer Sage 50 Payroll to a new computer

Before you switch to a new computer

NOTE: If you're looking to relocate your Sage 50 Payroll data, please refer to our alternative guide.

Before transferring Sage 50 Payroll to a new computer, there are a few preparation steps you need to follow.

Check your Serial Number, Activation Key and Account Number. To find these click Help then click About, they're located in the Licence Information section.
Check that your computer meets the system requirements for Sage 50 Payroll.
Check where your data is located. To do this click Help then click About then, make a note of the data directory that appears in the Program Details section.

Taking back ups of data and other files

If you have more than one company in Sage 50 Payroll, repeat this for each one.

We recommend you backup all files to an external device such as a memory stick or a shared drive, so that you can transfer everything to your new computer.

If your data is stored on your C:\ drive or another local drive on your computer, you must take a backup of your company data.
If your data is stored on your network you need to have full Windows permissions to your data folder. You may need to contact your IT support for help with this.
If you've customised reports, layouts or templates and they aren't stored in the User Defined (Company) or User Defined (Central) folders in Reports or Pre-update Reports, you must back up your Report and Template Files.

Set up your software

Open Sage 50 Payroll option then enter your serial number and activation key.
Click Next then enter your Sage account number then click Next.
Click the relevant option below to add your company data in the new installation:

I want to restore a Sage Payroll backup >

Click Restore a backup then click Next.
Click Browse then locate and double-click the backup that you want to restore.
Click Next then click Finish.
Enter your User Name and Password then click OK.

I want to connect to data stored on my network >

You can either manually browse to the location of any companies you'd like to add to your new installation, or if you have access to the old computer you can copy the file that holds the path to your companies.

Manually browse to companies

Click Select an existing set of Windows data then click Next.
Click Browse then browse to your data then click Open.
Click Next then click Finish.
Enter your User Name and Password then click OK.
If applicable, to restore your customised reports, layouts and templates, continue to step six. Otherwise, please continue to the following section.
Click File then click Restore then click Next.
Select the Report Files and Template Files check boxes then click Next.
Click Browse then browse to then double-click the backup that you want to restore.
Click Next then click Finish.
Enter your User Name and Password then click OK.

Copy file from old computer

If you still have access to the old computer, you can copy the file that holds the path to all your companies. With this approach, you still need to browse one company in manually, but the rest appear on your company list automatically.

On the old computer with all required companies set up in payroll, browse to C:\ProgramData\Sage\Payroll.
Copy the Payroll.usr file into a shared location that you can access on the new computer.
TIP: Alternatively, you could copy this file to a memory stick, then transfer this to the new computer.
On the new computer, browse to C:\ProgramData\Sage\Payroll.
Paste the Payroll.usr file you copied into this location.
NOTE: If you're prompted, select the option to replace the existing file in this location.

You can now follow the steps to manually browse to companies for one company in the server location. When you complete this, all of your companies in the company list on your old computer are added to payroll on your new computer.

I want to change from another software provider >

Select I'm moving from another software provider then click Next.
Enter your company details then click Next then click Finish.
Enter your processing date then click OK.
The Moving from another software provider window appears and provides help with switching to Sage 50 Payroll.

1. Select I'm moving from another software provider then click Next.
2. Enter your company details then click Next then click Finish.
3. Enter your processing date then click OK.
  
  The Moving from another software provider window appears and provides help with switching to Sage 50 Payroll.

Next steps

If you use the nominal link to post your salary journals to Sage Accounts, after installing Sage 50 Payroll on a new computer, you'll need to ensure you're able to post the nominal link on your new computer. Read more >

If you use e-Banking, you need to install the relevant e-Banking component for your bank on your new computer. Read more >