Importing a File Formatted for Sage 50 Accounting

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Import a file formatted for Sage 50 Accounting

Export your records in a Sage 50 Accounting file format

Learn about importing records into Sage 50 Accounting

Learn about exporting records from Sage 50 Accounting

If you need to transfer information, such as the names and addresses of your customers, vendors, and employees, from another copy of Sage 50 Accounting, you can import the records directly into your copy of Sage 50 Accounting.

Use the Import Records Wizard to import the following records:

  • Accounts
  • Vendors
  • Customers
  • Employees
  • Inventory
  • Projects

Format of Import Files

The file you import must be in CSV (comma-separated values) format, and have the following file layout and format.

The first line of each file contains header information. Each file contains one header, which consists of the version number of Sage 50 Accounting, the country code, and the ledger name.

Header Information
This part of the header" Must contain:

VERNUM

The current Sage 50 Accounting version. For Sage 50 Accounting, it is 20001

CTYCODE

1=Canada, 2=USA, 3=French, 11=Spanish

LEDGER

Accounts, Vendors, Customers, Employees, Inventory, or Project

The detail lines contain all the information to be exported. The values are separated by commas. There is no need to use a double quote (") except when a comma is needed in the value of a particular column. The following tables illustrate the expected values in the detail lines of the various modules.

Account Detail Lines
Column Format Comments
1 - Account number Number  - 4 digits Required - unique. Can be more than 4 digits in Sage 50 Premium Accounting or higher.
2 - Account name Text - up to 35 characters Required - unique if not showing account numbers.
3 - Account type * Text - 1 character Required
4 - Account class ** Text Optional
5 - Currency Code Text - up to 3 characters Optional
6 - GIFI Code Number - 4 digits Optional (Canadian only)

* Account type can be:

H - Group Heading

A - Subgroup Account

G - Group Account

S - Subgroup Total

T - Group Total

** Account class can be asset , liability, equity, revenue or expense:

  • Asset account class can be:

    • Asset, Cash, Bank, Credit Card Receivable, Cash Equivalents, Marketable Securities, Accounts Receivable, Other Receivables, Allowance for Bad Debts, Inventory, Current Asset, Other Current Asset, Long Term Receivables, Other Long Term Investments, Capital Asset, Accum. Amort. & Depreciation, Other Non-Current Asset, Other Asset.

  • Liability account class can be:

    • Liability, Cash, Bank, Credit Card Payable, Accounts Payable, Other Payable, Sales Tax Payable, Payroll Tax Payable, Employee Deductions Payable, Income Tax Payable, Short Term Debt, Current Liability, Other Current Liability, Other Non-Current Liability, Debt, Deferred Revenue, Long Term Debt, Deferred Income Taxes, Long Term Liability, Other Liability.

  • Equity account class can be:

    • Equity, Cash, Bank, Credit Card Payable, Owner/Partner Contributions, Owner/Partner Withdrawals, Share Capital, Dividends, Retained Earnings, Current Earnings.

  • Revenue account class can be:

    • Revenue, Operating Revenue, Non-Operating Revenue, Farming Revenue, Gain, Extraordinary Gain.

  • Expense account class can be:

    • Expense, Cost of Goods Sold, Operating Expense, General & Admin. Expense, Amort./Depreciation Expense, Bad Debt Expense, Employee Benefits, Payroll Expense, Interest Expense, Income Tax Expense, Non-Operating Expense, Loss, Extraordinary Loss.

Vendor Details
Column Format Comments
1 - Vendor name Text - up to 52 characters Required - unique
2 - Contact name Text - up to 30 characters Optional
3 - Street 1 Text - up to 50 characters Optional
4 - Street 2 Text - up to 50 characters Optional
5 - City Text - up to 35 characters Optional

6 - Province

 Text - up to 20 characters Optional
7 - Country Text - up to 20 characters Optional
8 - Postal / Zip code Text - up to 9 characters Optional
9 - Phone 1 Text - up to 25 characters Optional
10 - Phone 2 Text - up to 25 characters Optional
11 - Fax Text - up to 25 characters Optional
12 - Email address Text - up to 50 characters Optional
13 - Web site Text - up to 50 characters Optional
14 - Currency Code * Text - up to 3 characters Optional
15 - Tax ID Text - up to 20 characters Optional

*  If no currency code, then use the home currency.

Customer Details
Column Format Comments
1 - Customer name Text - up to 52 characters Required - unique
2 - Contact name Text - up to 30 characters Optional
3 - Street 1 Text - up to 50 characters Optional
4 - Street 2 Text - up to 50 characters Optional
5 - City Text - up to 35 characters Optional

6 - Province

 Text - up to 20 characters Optional
7 - Country Text - up to 20 characters Optional
8 - Postal / Zip code Text - up to 9 characters Optional
9 - Phone 1 Text - up to 25 characters Optional
10 - Phone 2 Text - up to 25 characters Optional
11 - Fax Text - up to 25 characters Optional
12 - Email address Text - up to 50 characters Optional
13 - Web site Text - up to 50 characters Optional
14 - Currency Code* Text - up to 3 characters Optional
15 - Customer type ** Text Optional

*  If no currency code, then use the home currency.

**  Customer type can be Regular or Preferred.

Employee Details
Column Format Comments
1 - Employee name Text - up to 52 characters Required - unique
2 - Street 1 Text - up to 50 characters Optional
3 - Street 2 Text - up to 50 characters Optional
4 - City Text - up to 35 characters Optional

5 - Province

 Text - up to 20 characters Optional
6 - Postal / Zip code Text - up to 9 characters Optional
7 - Phone 1 Text - up to 25 characters Optional
8 - Phone 2 Text - up to 25 characters Optional
9 - SIN number Text - up to 9 characters Optional
10 - Date of birth Date Required
11 - Date of hire Date Optional
12 - Tax table * Text Required
13 - Pay period ** Number Required

* Tax table can be:

Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, N.W.T., Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, or Yukon.

**  Pay period can be:  1, 2, 10, 12, 13, 22, 24, 26, or 52.

Inventory Details
Column Format Comments
1 - Item number Text - up to 13 characters Required - unique, case sensitive
2 - Item name Text - up to 35 characters Optional
3 - Item type * Text Required
4 - Stocking unit Text - up to 15 characters Optional
5 - Regular selling price Number Optional
6 - Preferred selling price Number Optional
7 - Asset link account Number - 4 digits Required - inventory only
8 - Revenue link account Number - 4 digits Required -  activity only
9 - COGS / Expense  link account Number - 4 digits Required - inventory only
10 - Variance link account Number - 4 digits Optional - inventory only

*  Item type can be Inventory, or Service, (or Activity (Sage 50 Premium Accounting)).

Project Details
Column Format Comments
1 - Project name Text up to 52 characters Required - unique
2 - Start date Date Required