There seems to be some confusion about what version is what.  There are three versions you can do data entry with.  There is the Pro, Premium and Quantum versions.  The features get more complex as you go from Pro (single user) to Premium (2-4 user) to Quantum (5-40 user).  The Accountant's Edition (AE) that your accountant has will open any of these versions and allow the person using it to do data entry at the level of the file eg. Pro and send it back to you so you can open it in Pro.

I am not sure from your post where in the list your copy is.  However, if you are going to start doing data entry instead of them, then if you have the same level of the program within the same year (eg. 2020), then you should be able to get the file from them and continue where they left off without creating a new file.

If you really want to get the export of the ledgers, there is no program reason why they can't provide you the files.  I can use my AE version to export ledgers for my clients.

I have Pro version. So if I understand correctly, I should be able to open the exported ledgers. the process to set up my company has been a bit of nightmare. 

SR Heavy Equip Repair said:

So if I understand correctly, I should be able to open the exported ledgers

Yes

Edit:

If my assumption that they are using Sage 50 Canadian Accountant's Edition is correct.

SR Heavy Equip Repair said:

So if I understand correctly, I should be able to open the exported ledgers

Yes

Edit:

If my assumption that they are using Sage 50 Canadian Accountant's Edition is correct.

Thank you I will ask them again

I’ve confirmed that they are using Sage 50 Canadian Accountants Edition. The exported the employee record but there is no history. Do they have a way of exporting the general ledger in a sage format that I could import?

No, the ledger export is just the names and addresses of either employees, customers, vendors or the chart of accounts depending on the export.

Have you confirmed if they are running the same year and if the file is at the Pro level that you are?  If so, they could just give you a backup of the entire file so you can have all the history.  Unfortunately I have seen some accounting offices run everything in Quantum and when they pass off the files to the client, the client then has to pay literally thousands of dollars a year to run their books.  But if they ran them in Pro, you likely could use that file if you and they are using the exact same version of Pro.