How to Convert Sage 50 to QuickBooks Online

The process of conversion or migration from Sage 50 to other applications involves data transfer. Users who prefer to use QuickBooks online can use the Dataswitcher conversion wizard tool provided by Intuit to initiate the data transfer automatically. Through the help of this dataswitchers tool, important accounting data for the past two fiscal years is transferable automatically, including important components like Opening Balances, Chart of Accounts, Journal Entries, Invoices, transaction history, and matched payment.  Here, we have listed the whole process of how you can convert Sage 50 to QuickBooks Online in a detailed, stepwise manner. 

The information provided here can be beneficial to those who wish to switch from Sage 50. So, read the article further to get more insight into Sage 50 and QuickBooks online and how you can migrate your data from one application to another.

Note: Having trouble while switching From Sage 50 to QuickBooks! Connect with us through our Sage 50 US Customer Support Number.

Transfer Sage 50 Data to QuickBooks Online Free of Cost

The Dataswitcher offered by Intuit is an amazing tool through which any user can migrate their Data to QuickBooks Online from any other business software. The tool is available for free through which any company can switch from other business applications like Sage 50, Xero, and others to QuickBooks online and transfer their data for up to two fiscal years. The following data is transferable through Dataswitcher without involvement of any costs:

• Data related to customers and vendors.
• Journal Entries.
• Credits and Invoices of the company.
• Matched payments and transactional history.
• Opening Balances.

While the process to transfer these data can be free, additional cost may require while transferring other data for up to 3 fiscal years, which includes:

• Company information like contact details, phone numbers, email, and many other data.
• Details regarding various jobs and departments that might be crucial while using QuickBooks.

Basic Requirements to fulfill while Transferring Data from Sage 50 to QuickBooks Online

In order to utilize the Dataswitcher Wizard, users need to fulfill the following requirements:

• Product Version
• Accounting Method
• User Permission Level

Product Version of Sage 50 and Quickbooks Online

While you convert Sage 50 to QuickBooks Online, you need to have the minimum version for the application. For Sage 50, you need to have either the US edition of Sage 50 Cloud (2009-12) or Sage 50 Accounting (2013-17). Also, while transferring data to QuickBooks Online, you should be using the paid version of the application, or you can upgrade to one if you have the free trial.

Method of Accounting

The Dataswitcher only supports the Accrual Method of Accounting for the Data transfer while you convert from Sage 50 to QuickBooks online. It does not support cash-basis accounting methods.

Full Access/Permission Level

Without Admin access or permission, you cannot initiate the data transfer process. While using Sage 50, you need to have full access permission, and while using Quickbooks, admin permission is mandatory, without which you cannot convert Sage 50 to QuickBooks online.

While its important to fulfill the above requirement by the users, it is advisable that expert or particularly an accountant must supervise the process of Data Transfer from Sage 50 to QuickBooks. The process of converting Sage 50 to QuickBooks can be a lengthy process where data transfer can be as long as up to 48 hours, depending on the size of the files. While transfer can be hectic, users sometimes do not have any idea regarding what the crucial data that needs to be transferred is. Therefore, the expertise of an accountant is a must. In case you don’t have one then you can connect with QuickBooks Pro Advisors.

PreQuisites to be know before Conversion Process from Sage 50 to QuickBooks Online

Before you initiate the data transfer from Sage to QuickBooks, you need to complete a basic checklist of the following tasks, which might make you understand the conversion process easier:

• Make a list of the Sage 50 Data which cannot be converted.
• Although the process of Data migration from Sage 50 to QuickBooks online is easy and swift using Dataswitcher tools, it does have some limitations that you need to know.
• Prior to the conversion process, complete all the mandatory tasks related to your business in Sage 50. Only after that should you proceed to initiate the Dataswitcher Wizard.
• Make sure you complete all the mandatory tasks in QuickBooks online before you prepare it to receive files from Sage 50.
• To use the Dataswitcher, you need to fill out an online form and agree to provide Dataswitcher access to all your data.
• Provide the required details to the Dataswitcher wizard, such as how many years of Sage Data you wish to transfer and other details like inventory, invoices, and another type of data you would like to transfer.
• Another thing to authenticate while you convert from Sage 50 to QuickBooks Online is that you upload the Sage 50 data using a secure connection.

Pre-Conversion Tasks Before Switching from Sage 50 to QuickBooks Online

Complete the given checklist before you upload Sage Data Files to QuickBooks Online. 

1. Conversion or migration of Data from Sage 50 should be done at the end of the tax period only after the business has filed taxes through Sage 50. Through this, you can have a fresh start on QuickBooks online.
2. You need to run an integrity check on Sage 50 Data Files, as poor-quality data might create various issues on the QuickBooks.
3. Another mandatory task is that users should review whether account numbers are in the ranges of the Chart of Accounts. By this, the Dataswitcher can easily determine to which account type a particular account number belongs. Also, the profit and loss account should be as it is by default; otherwise, there will be duplicate entries in QuickBooks, creating issues in account balancing.
4. Account IDs or Account numbers that might have no use in the future should need to be cleaned up.
5. Match up all the outstanding payments with their respective invoices.
6. Rule out various discrepancies in Sage 50 before you start the uploading process. The following measures can be taken:
7. Run Account Payable and Receivable reports and match these balances with the General Ledger.
8. Reconcile your Bank and Tax Accounts.
9. You need to run the following reports and download a copy of them before uploading them in Dataswitcher Wizard:
   • Balance Sheets and Bank Account Report.
   • Aged Account Payable and Receivable
   • Trial Balance and Income Statement
   • Exempt Sales

Inventory Items and Journal Entry

It is mandatory to take back up of your Sage 50 Data Files before you upload them for conversion. Backup for the following files is mandatory:

• Account Transactions.
• Sales Tax
• Purchase Tax

You can name the backup files as PRE_CONVERSION.PTB. Also, you need to create another backup file which you need to upload to Dataswitcher and will be named as DS_CONVERSION.001. 

Checklist for QuickBooks Online Prior to the conversion

• Delete your QuickBooks Online Data. Also, keep in mind that deleting QuickBooks Online data will reset the settings.
• Check whether Sales Tax has been disabled.
• Connect your Bank and Credit Card account with QuickBooks Online.
• Turn on Multi Currency if you are making transactions in Multiple Currency.
• Enable class tracking in QuickBooks if the users are using Department and Projects.

Convert Sage 50 to QuickBooks Online

The file you need to upload to Dataswitcher Wizard should be named DS_CONVERSION.001. Afterward, open the Dataswitcher Wizard and then follow the given steps:

1. First of all, you need to complete the given checklist mentioned on Dataswitcher Wizard only, after which it is advised to proceed further.
2. Reset QuickBooks Online and restrict using it until the conversion is complete.
3. Make sure you have completed all the task mentioned in the above checklist.
4. Fulfill the above-mentioned requirements and then proceed further by clicking on the option “Let’s Do It.”
5. Provide your company contact details and other required information like Company Name, Email Address, Registered number, and others.
6. Two options will be available, which are “Next” or “Sign in with your Intuit ID.” If you sign in to Intuit, then you need to have a paid subscription or select the plan that matches your needs.
7. Review the data for the conversion process, where you can also add some extra data.
8. Mark the checkbox for all the options that will be asking for various pre-conversion tasks that we have listed above. The following tasks will be asked to be completed or not:
   • Account Reconcilaltion
   • Tax Reporting
   • Extract Open Invoices and required reports from Sage 50.
   • Reset QuickBooks Online.
9. Mark the checkboxes one by one, after which you hit “Confirm” and then proceed to upload your files.
10. Before it starts to convert from Sage 50 to QuickBooks Online, the Dataswitcher will access your QuickBooks Online account settings to make sure it is ready to receive the converted data.
11. A URL will be provided to the URL to check the status of Data Conversion.

Post Conversion Task in QuickBooks Online

Complete the given tasks once you have received the converted data from Sage 50 to QuickBooks Online. After the conversion has been completed, the users will receive the email titled “Conversion is ready to Review.”

Starting from this, you need to complete the given tasks one by one:

• First and foremost, as already mentioned above, you have to approve the converted data, for which you will have a 72-hour window. After that, it will be automatically assumed that you have approved the converted data. Log in through your QuickBooks online account. Afterward, open the email you have received from where you can find the option “Review Conversion.” Mark the given checkbox one-by-one to complete the approval process.
• The DataSwitcher can be selected to convert the company information. In that case, you need to review the converted information for accuracy.
• Run a Bank reconciliation in QuickBooks Online before connecting your Bank Account and Credit Card.
• Set your fiscal Start Month in QuickBooks Online. For this, select “Advanced,” followed by “Accounting,” then set the first month of your fiscal year.

Other Tasks to complete after you Convert Sage 50 to QuickBooks Online

• Compare various data reports in QuickBooks to their counterparts in Sage 50. Mandatory data includes:
• Balance Sheet
• Trial Balance
• Accounts Payable/Receivable Aging Summary (Aged Payable/Receivable in Sage 50)
• Profit and Loss (Income Statement in Sage 50)
• Review Sales Tax Balances where you need to compare the Sales Tax Liability Report with the Taxable/Exempt Sales Report in Sage 50.
• Transactions that have been reconciled in Sage 50 need to be marked up as the same so that QuickBooks will consider the future transaction for the reconciliation process.
• The manual journal entries of the Account Payable/Receivable will be displayed under the suspense customer or vendor account after the conversion. Therefore, you need to link these journal entries to their respective invoice and bills.

Once you have done the following post-conversion tasks, you can proceed to use QuickBooks Online. 

Data Which you cannot convert/Transfer from Sage 50 to QuickBooks Online

While QuickBooks online can convert all the required data but  the following are some crucial accounting components that you cannot convert. These include:

1. Invoice templates and other attachments.
2. Deleted Transactions and Projects.
3. Budget and Non-posting entries.
4. Reversed Journal Entry and Reconcilation entry.
5. Fixed Assets, work tickets, Sales Orders, and Memorized Transactions.
6. Payroll Data which includes:
   • Employee Year-to-Date Pay information.
   • Setup information for employee payroll like direct deposit, pay taxes, sick pay, and vacation)

Must Know the Limitations to Convert Sage 50 to QuickBooks Online

QuickBooks and Dataswitcher Wizard do not support the following components related to accounting:

1. The converted transaction details will not be displayed by the QuickBooks Online Audit Trail.
2. QuickBooks Datawitcher Wizard will not support Cash Basis Accounting Method.
3. Its crucial to convert cash refund payments to regular journals.
4. Datawitcher will not support conversion of any account number having more than eight characters or digits.
5. You have to limit the number of linked Account IDs in Sage 50.
6. Multiple Accounts Payable and Receivable will merged into a single account.
7. It will also not support check refunds along with cash refunds.
8. Conversion of Jobs requires additional costs in QuickBooks online, where they will be renamed as Classes.
9. It will carry conversions of any foreign currency transactions to QuickBooks Home Currency.
10. The items threshold to convert Sage 50 to QuickBooks Online is only 1000.
11. So, its important to create and import items manually.
12. The Data conversion in inventory items may includes:
    • Sales Price
    • Cost
    • Quantity in Hand
    • Description
13. While you convert Sage 50 Data for QuickBooks online, you cannot convert Reversed Journals Entries.

Summing It Up

Users who wish to switch from Sage 50 to QuickBooks Online can utilize the DataSwitcher Wizard Tool. While conversion and de-conversion of all the mandatory data is crucial, so its important to import them manually. Along with that, you need to convert to QuickBooks Online under the supervision of an accountant. In case you don’t have one, then you can either connect with QuickBooks Pro Expert or with us through the Sage 50 Support Phone Number below. We will assist you and guide you throughout the conversion process to make it easy and swift without any drawbacks.