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How to move SAPA to a new computer or server

Created on  | Last modified on 

Summary

This guide explains how to move your Sage Accounts Production Advanced (SAPA) software and data to a new location.

Resolution

Check your version number

Before you start, please check your SAPA version number on your existing installation.

  1. Open SAPA.
  2. Click Help then select About.
  3. Make a note of the exact version number as this is the version you will need to download later.

Perform a complete system backup

NOTE: If you have a small number of clients you might prefer to take a backup of each client so they can be restored individually.

  1. Ask all users to log out of SAPA.

    TIP: You can check that all users are out by clicking Tools then Users Logged on

  2. In your software, click File, then click Backup.
  3. Choose Complete system (All above + system files).
  4. Choose a destination to store the backup, click Next, then click Finish.

TIP: The complete system backup will be called totalSageAPA.zip. 

Installing on new server/network

For information about how to download and install the software on a network, please follow this guide > 

You'll need to log in to Sage.co.uk to be able to access the download.

Workstations

If your new server is going to use the same drive letter as the old server, you may not need to reinstall the workstations.

If the new server drive letter differs to the old server drive letter the workstations will need to be reinstalled from the download, making sure that you select the correct new location for your data.

Installing on a new Standalone PC

For information about how to download and install on a standalone computer, please follow this guide >

You'll need to log in to Sage.co.uk to be able to access the download.

Licence the software

Once installed, you'll be asked to licence the software.

Please contact Sage support on 0191 479 5999 for your LOC code.

If you are installing the software out of office hours, you are able to use Run in Demo Mode for 360 minutes of software usage which will allow you to restore the backup, but you will require a licence number before using it fully. 

Restore the complete system backup
  1. Login to SAPA using the default username and password, which is root for both.
  2. Click File, then click Restore.
  3. Choose Complete system, then click Next.
  4. Choose the destination where the backup is stored, click Next, then click Finish.

Copying across usernames & passwords

Users are not included in the complete system backup. If you have different users setup in SAPA and you want to retain these, you can do this with the following steps:

You will need to copy four files from your old computer or server and paste them onto your new computer or server.

  1. On your old standalone computer or server, browse to *:\hc\hca.

  2. Copy the following files:
    ac2menu.dat
    ifsroles.dat
    rrights.dat
    system.dat
  3. On your new computer or server, paste these two files in the corresponding location, *:\hc\hca.

NOTE: * is the server base folder where all the SAPA files are held. If you do not know this location then, from SAPA, select Settings then System Setup, the base folder will be documented here.

 

If you don't have a backup

If you don't have a backup, but have the previous hc folder available on the same version, you can copy the following folders into the hc folder on the new server:

  • Data and database folders (this is your client data).
  • PDF and output folders (this is any PDFS/XBRL accounts produced in SAPA).
  • If available, the efiling folder in the hca folder. (this is your eFiling history for Companies House).

TIP: If you use customised formats, you can also copy the formats.huk/practice and \clients folders