1. M:+44 (0) 7717 696053 E:cb@chrisblythe.co.uk
UPGRADING SAGE LINE 500/1000
CHRIS BLYTHE FCA
M:+44 (0)

2. IF YOU HAVE ONE OF THESE
PLEASE TURN IT OFF!

3. Copyright & Disclaimer © Copyright 2010 Chris Blythe Limited.
All product and service names mentioned are recognized as the trademarks of their respective companies.
These materials are provided by Chris Blythe Limited for informational purposes only, without representation or warranty of any kind, and Chris Blythe Limited shall not be liable for errors or omissions with respect to these materials.

4. UPGRADING v MIGRATING

5. UPGRADE = ON THE SAME SERVER
MIGRATE = ON A DIFFERENT SERVER
(BUT YOU COULD GO VIA AN INTERMEDIATE SERVER BACK TO THE ORIGINAL BOX)

6. MOST PEOPLE ARE ON A VM NOWADAYS SERVER CAPACITY IS NO LONGER A DECISION MAKER

7. UPGRADE ORDER
1. OPERATING SYSTEM
2. DATABASE PLATFORM
3. APPLICATION

8. UPGRADE POSSIBILITIES

9. SAGE 1000 V 3.0
UPGRADE YOUR SAGE APPLICATION
LINE 500 VERSION 7.1
ENT 2.1
L500 V5.0
L2/500 V5.5
L500 V6.0
ANYTHING OLDER
UPGRADE YOUR DATABASE PLATFORM
SQL SERVER 2005
SQL SERVER 2008
SQL SERVER 2000/7.0
UPGRADE YOUR OPERATING SYSTEM
WINDOWS 2003
WINDOWS 2008
WINDOWS SERVER 2000

10. THE OLDER YOUR PRODUCT, THE MORE EFFORT IS LIKELY TO BE REQUIRED

11. PRACTICALITIES – UPGRADE FROM 5.5/6.0
Bespoke C-BASE programs
TESTING
Archive Tables
Payroll – MUST be on current version
Database Triggers & non C-BASE bespoke BEWARE POSSIBLE CHANGES TO INCIDENCE OF LOCKING

12. PRACTICALITIES – ADDITIONAL FOR UPGRADE FROM 5.0
Disaster Recovery plans
Users/passwords cleanup?
Printers/Papers cleanup?
Security Groups replace multiple menu systems
TESTING
XML licence
Manual re-entering of stocktake card header data

13. SECURITY GROUPS
Required for DA0355 “User Access Permission views” – Sarbox requirement
Created when moving from 5.0/2.1 or older
Standard migration does one per user (!), DA0355 report goes off into orbit
Reorganise into logical user groups after migration and delete excess groups

14. PRACTICALITIES – ADDITIONAL FOR UPGRADE FROM PRE 5.0
TESTING
Processing cycles
Report writer reports
RWL (aka RSL) (Report Writer Language) reports
Forms – Print
Menus
Messages
Screen forms
Working Directory/Database Naming
RW Transfer files - Data dictionary
RW Transfer files – Data
“Union” (WIP/routing) files migration to database

15. PRINT FORMS Manual migration One module/formset at a time
Consider re-editing instead of migration?

16. MENUS/MESSAGES Manual migration One module/formset at a time
Consider re-editing instead of migration, bearing in mind effect of security groups?

17. SCREEN FORMS Manual migration One module/formset at a time
Consider re-editing instead of migration?
Why? – Because old forms may not support new functionality
Old screen edits may have outlived their time!

18. BESPOKE C-BASE WORK – UNDERLYING SYSTEMS CODE
Changed from Btrieve to Btrieve-removed systems
And again in Line 500 V5.0
And again in Line 500 V5.5
And again in Line 500 V6.0
Not in Line 500 V7.0, but Application code will require recompilation anyway!!!!
Recompilation under new source code is the minimum required, so check the cost/timescales with your reseller/developer BEFORE upgrading!

19. Processing cycles
All batches should be posted
All modules should be at period end
THIS IS TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF TESTING REQUIRED AND THEREFORE KEEP THE COST DOWN
This is not mandatory for V5.0+ upgrades but is very sensible!

20. FUNCTIONALITY CHANGES
MOSTLY SWITCHED ON BY ENABLING A “PROJECT”
BUT SOME (USUALLY MINOR) CHANGES ARE INTRODUCED ANYWAY
N.B. REDUNDANCY OF SOME SWITCHABLE PROJECTS IN LATER RELEASES E.G. DA0219
“100% BACKWARD COMPATABILITY” POLICY (USUALLY!)

21. TESTING - ADVICE How much is your reseller ACTUALLY going to do?
Demand to see DOCUMENTED test programme BEFORE agreeing deal!
Work out which gaps YOU are going to have to test
Demand to see SIGNED UP & DOCUMENTED RESULTS after migration
GET INVOLVED YOURSELF OR USE AN INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT!

22. TESTING - ADVICE
Check Archives have been migrated properly (or at all!)
Check spool queue items have been migrated

23. TESTING – EXAMPLES
Row counts of major tables (order lines, gl transactions etc)
Reprint invoices, statements etc and check layout
Run major reports (Trial Balance, Aged Debtors, FA YTD additions audit trail etc) before and after, check totals/transaction numbers agree
Check every menu option launches without error message/popup
Data item processing (“Destructive testing”) on copy system

27. OTHER ISSUES
Changed projects/system key settings – do this AFTER testing where possible
Copying old data to “spare” companies
BACKING UP!!!!!
Do a Trial migration – particularly if you have any bespoke/externally connected systems/triggers etc
MAKE SURE IT IS PATCHED UP TO DATE! (get list of program versions)

28. WHO SHOULD PERFORM THE UPGRADE?
RESELLER
Wants your money
INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT
See above!
END USER
Wants to keep the money
A COMBINATION OF THE ABOVE MAY BE THE BEST SOLUTION!

29. RESELLER UPGRADES NORMALLY DONE BY A “TECCHIE”, NOT A “CONSULTANT”
FUNCTIONALITY CHANGES NORMALLY DONE BY CONSULTANT
SHOULD WORK WITH AN INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT
MAY MAKE THAT ROUTE “DIFFICULT”
HAS A VESTED INTEREST IN DOING IT AS FAST AS POSSIBLE

30. INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT
WILL BE A SAGE CONSULTANT BY CHOICE
WILL HAVE IN DEPTH SAGE KNOWLEDGE, ALTHOUGH NOT NECESSARILY BREADTH
LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN THROUGH UPGRADES BEFORE
HAS THE “BIG PICTURE”
SHOULD WORK WITH THE RESELLER

31. INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT
MAY HAVE A MUCH BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF YOUR SYSTEM THAN THE RESELLER
HAS A VESTED INTEREST IN MAKING IT GO SMOOTHLY AND WORK FIRST TIME
WOULD BE IDEALLY SUITED AS YOUR PROJECT MANAGER

32. END USER May be capable of some or all of the work
May not have the time or inclination to do it!
SHOULD get involved with testing!

33. ADVICE PLAN WELL IN ADVANCE
Ask your reseller for a breakdown of the time quoted
Check they are doing adequate testing
Check the backup/DR arrangements are adequate
ALLOW ENOUGH OF YOUR OWN TIME FOR TESTING
Plan for changes to user visibility e.g. Paper/printers/menus/screens
DOCUMENT CHANGES AND TRAIN USERS!
Consider completing Upgrade and running for a period before introducing new functionality

34. UPGRADING SAGE LINE 500/1000
CHRIS BLYTHE FCA