What type of software installation do I need?

When installing Sage 50 Accounts, there are a few ways you can set up your software in order to suit your business needs and your computer setup. Let's take a quick look at each option.  

Single installation

This is the simplest installation when you only want to set up your software on a single computer.

• First, download and install the software.
• On opening the software, either create a new company or restore a backup. Both your software and your data are held on the same computer.

To get started with this type of setup, refer to our guide to installing on a single computer >

Basic local network installation

When you want to use the software on multiple computers which are in the same location and are connected to each other on a local network, we recommended a basic network installation.

• First, decide which computer will store your data, then install the software on that computer.
• Next, create a company or restore a backup on that computer.
• Finally, install the software on the remaining computers and connect them to your data on the first computer.

To get started with this type of setup, refer to our basic network installation guide >

Advanced data-only server installation

We recommend using the basic local network installation where possible. However, if due to your business network setup you don't want to install the Sage 50 Accounts full program on your server, this is also possible.

• First, install the Sage Data Service on your server computer.
• Next, install the software on the computers where Sage 50 Accounts will be used.
• Create your company data on the server computer.
• Connect the remaining computers to the data on your server.

NOTE: If you're unsure if you have a data only server you should check with your IT administrator.

To get started with this type of setup, refer to our advanced network installation guide >

What about connecting from other locations?

So far we've talked about computers that are in the same location and connected on a local network. But what if you want your Sage 50 Accounts data to be accessible from other locations, such as from home, or another office?

In Sage 50 Accounts v27 and above, once you've finished installing your software using the relevant option above at your main location, you can then allow specified users to access your data using Remote Data Access. This means they can install Sage 50 Accounts in other locations, such as at home, and connect to your live data over the Internet. 

To get started with this type of setup, install at your main location, then refer to our Remote Data Access Help Centre >