What should I clean up in my Sage 50 file before converting to QuickBooks?
Back the file up first, then trim unused accounts and stale records, reconcile what you can, and fix known errors before the data is extracted.
Clean the file in this order: back it up, trim unused accounts and stale records, reconcile what you can, and fix known errors before anything is extracted. A conversion moves the data as it stands. Whatever is wrong in Sage tends to arrive in QuickBooks wrong, so the cleanup is worth doing while the file is still yours to shape.
Back up before you touch anything
Take a full backup of the company before any cleanup, and store it somewhere other than the working machine. Then work on a copy. Cleanup means deleting and merging, and every one of those steps is easier to undo on a copy than on the only file you have.
Trim what you no longer use
Go through the chart of accounts and mark unused accounts inactive, or remove them where the software allows it. Do the same with customers and vendors you have not billed in years, and with obsolete items. Old, unused names inflate the lists that move across, and they make the new file harder to navigate. If an account looks risky to remove, leave it and flag it for review during the conversion instead.
Reconcile the accounts you can
Reconcile bank and credit card accounts through your most recent statement, and make sure the balances at your conversion date are solid. Reconciled accounts give the new books a trustworthy starting point. If some accounts are months behind, you can either catch them up or carry the balances as they are and reconcile going forward. Both are workable. The right choice depends on the file and on how much history you need to be airtight.
Fix known errors while the file is still in Sage
Errors are cheaper to fix in the system that still holds the context. Out-of-balance accounts, misdated transactions, duplicate names spelled two ways, and stale uncleared items are the usual suspects. Resolve what you can now, and note what you cannot. Which errors actually block a conversion varies from file to file, so our engineers evaluate each one rather than guess.
Everything else depends on the file
Exactly what survives the trip, and how much history comes with it, depends on your data and on the conversion route you choose. We can tell you that before you commit to anything. If you are still weighing the route, see our Sage 50 to QuickBooks conversion service for how we handle the extraction and what we check along the way.
Once the file is backed up, trimmed, and reconciled as far as you can take it, send it over for a free evaluation. We will tell you what converts cleanly, what needs repair first, and what your cleanup has already solved, with a quote before any work begins.