Hi Pam Paquet, 

Thanks for reaching out. Did you ever find an answer for this issue? We have this article that advised how to upgrade a trial version of Sage to a full version of Sage you can view at https://support.na.sage.com/selfservice/viewdocument.do?externalID=41716

If you are still looking for guidance, please let us know and we can try to point you in the right direction or suggest some resources or next steps.

Warm Regards,

Mayla

Hi Pam

If you have a .CAB backup, you need restore file, follow KB  article 38081 and try to restore it.

Hope this helps

I am about to give up on all of this.  I am not a tech person and Sage support keeps saying upgrade.  No, no, no.  I would appreciate anyone who can do remote access and get my account into a usable form.  Aaauuuuggghhhhh!!!  I would be willing to receive a bill for someone to do this.  

And by the way, I did the subscription for the basic so it is not just a trial version anymore.

Hi Pam - it will depend on what version of Sage your .CAB file is from. You can upgrade your Sage to a higher version but you cannot downgrade another person's file down to your version.

For example - you say you have the basic so I'm guessing that may mean you bought the Sage 50 Pro. If the .CAB is a Sage 50 Premium then that means it is a higher version than yours so you will not be able to restore that. Same holds true if you bought the Sage 50 Pro without payroll and the .CAB file is Sage 50 Pro with Payroll. 

Hope this helps you understand why it may not be working. Contact the person you received the CAB file from and ask what version of Sage they have

Hi Pam Paquet, 

Thanks for reaching out!  Smith and Co is correct, the edition installed must be equal or higher than the format of the data that'll be opened using the software installed. Ex. a Pro edition can open a file formatted in Pro; a Premium / Quantum edition will upgrade the file formatted for Pro and change the data structure by adding tables to it. Files cannot be downgraded because this process can not be reversed. 

The only way to keep using the Pro edition is to either return to a backup of the database before the upgrade was done, or to re-create the database (however you lose all the transaction history which cannot be exported or imported).

Your main option is to export the trial balance (for your account opening balances) + other reports and lists of client, vendor, project, stock, chart of accounts and price list information. You'll require some intermediate MS Excel skills, see this link for instructions.

Alternatively, you could reach out to an existing Sage Accountant's Network member who could open the database and export the contents/ reports for you. Our sales team may be able to provide some contacts or you can do a google search for your area.

Will also add that depending on the version year that the original data came from: if the data is formatted in 2007 to 2015.3, you must install the 2015.3 version (installation of the trial version is sufficient *) to convert your data to the latest version 2023.1 directly. 

For additional steps, see this resource on how to convert data files from old versions of Sage 50 Canada (formerly known as Simply Accounting).

If you are still looking for guidance, please let us know and we can try to point you in the right direction or suggest some resources or next steps.

Warm Regards,

Erzsi

Oh my, this is getting worse instead of better.  It is also getting more confusing and sounding unlikely that Sage is going to meet my needs or make Sage useable for a non-tech person like me. 

If there is someone who can do remote access, complete the steps to get take the info on a CAB file (from a professional book keeper who uses the latest version with payroll) and move it to the basic accounting program that Sage offers . . . please, please, please contact me to do this work.  Otherwise I will look at other less confusing options. Thank you in advance.