Sage 50 Accounts

• Supported Versions
• To download the Desktop Connector
• To add the data file to the Desktop Connector
• To import the data
• Checking your account mapping
• Updating the desktop connector
• Troubleshooting

Supported Versions

You can import data into Spotlight from Sage 50 Accounts UK versions 2014 and above.

If you use an unsupported version, you can still import your data into Spotlight using the Excel import.

To download the Desktop Connector

Note: To be able to use the Spotlight Desktop Connector, you must be using Windows 8 or above, or Windows Server 2012 or above. This is because the connectivity features required by the Desktop Connector are only available within these versions.

When working with Sage 50 Accounts data, the connection to the data is handled by the Spotlight Desktop Connector. Before the first import, you will need to install the Desktop Connector, or connect to a Desktop Connector installation which is already set up.

Download the Spotlight Desktop Connector setup file

Once you've downloaded this file, navigate to your downloads folder and double-click the Setup.exe file to install the Desktop Connector.

The Spotlight Desktop Connector automatically installs, and the icon appears in your Windows system tray.

Please refer to our Desktop Connector article for full details of how to set up and connect to the Desktop Connector, and how to make your data available for import into Spotlight.

Please note minimum operating system requirements of at least Windows 8 / Windows Server 2012 or greater.  

To add the data file to the Desktop Connector

If you've previously added the file to the Desktop Connector, continue to the next section. If another user set up the Desktop Connector, or if you're accessing the data remotely, please contact the person who set up the Desktop Connector to request the Desktop Connector ID. Please note that they will also need to authorise your connection to the Desktop Connector as outlined in this article.

1. From the Windows system tray, double-click the Desktop Connector icon
2. Within the Desktop Connector window, open the Files tab.
3. To add your file, click the Add Company File button.
4. Click the Sage 50 Accounts data source.
5. From the Company File drop-down list, choose the company you want to add.
6. Enter the username and password for the company, then click Next.
7. Select the Sage chart of accounts you want to use, then click Next.
   
   The company file is now added and appears on the list. You can now connect to this data from within Spotlight.

To import the data

Before you can import, you will need the Desktop Connector ID. You can obtain this from within the Desktop Connector. To access this, in the Windows system tray click the Desktop Connector icon

The ID appears at the bottom right-hand corner of the Desktop Connector window. To copy the ID, click the copy button alongside it.

If another user has set up the Desktop Connector, or if you're accessing the organisation remotely, please contact the person who set up the Desktop Connector to request the Desktop Connector ID.

1. From the Import tab, click the Sage 50 Desktop data source.
2. Enter the Desktop Connector ID, then click Submit.
   
   If this is the first time this organisation has been imported, open the Desktop Connector and in the Connections tab, click the Accept button alongside the name of the Spotlight user, to approve the connection.
   
   If another user set up the Desktop Connector, or if you're accessing the organisation remotely, please request that the person who set up the Desktop Connector authorise this connection as above.
   
   
3. Select the check boxes for the actual and budget data as needed.
4. If you need to import department data, select the 'Include Tracking Actuals' check box.
5. For each item, enter the date range you want to import.
   ‍Note: The first time you import, this should include any history you want to bring into Spotlight. You can import the current financial year, and up to three previous years. After the first import, you need only import the date range which has been updated in Sage Accounts.
6. To continue, click Import.

The first time you import, the process may take a few minutes. In subsequent imports, you can bring in only the updated data to speed up the process. If you reimport the data for a range you’ve previously imported, the new data replaces the old information.

Checking your account mapping

As Sage Accounts uses some account classifications and numbers which aren't available in Spotlight, the first time that you import your data we recommend that you check that your accounts appear in the correct section.

Note: You only need to do this after your first import. For subsequent imports, Spotlight recognises the report codes you've already set.

1. Open the Customise Data tab, then click the required tab, for example, Assets.
2. In the Report Code column, check that the report code shown matches the type of account.
3. If required, to change a report code click the existing code, browse to and select the new area, then click Save.
   
   

Updating the Desktop Connector

From time to time, we may update the Desktop Connector to roll out new features and improvements. Updates are automatically downloaded and installed, however, you will need to restart the Desktop Connector application to use the latest version.

1. In the Windows system tray, locate the Spotlight Desktop Connector icon
2. Right-click the icon, then choose Exit.
3. Open the Spotlight Desktop Connector application from the Windows Start menu.
   
   

Troubleshooting

If you encounter any difficulties importing your data from Sage 50 Accounts, please refer to our separate troubleshooting article.

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