Sage 50 Slow/Error Prone to Record Update

Sage 50 uses flat-file data files designed in the 1980s. Data files which are not regularly compressed and re-indexed can become slow and error prone, especially when a lot of data is being changed in one process.

Compress and Re-index Data

When records are deleted in Sage 50 they are marked as deleted but not removed. Re-indexing removes the deleted data, which may explain why updates have become slow.

Optionally delete old Sage 50 data.

To re-index and compress your data:

1. Get everyone out of the Sage 50 company in question.
2. Take a backup.
3. Log in to Sage 50 and select File > Maintenance.
4. Press Compress Data to remove unused space.
5. Press the ReIndex button.

6. Press Select All, then OK.
7. When prompted, compress the data file to remove deleted records and improve efficiency.

Other Factors

If this fails to speed up data updates, network congestion or Wi-Fi can cause degraded performance. If possible, back up the network data, restore it to a local drive, perform major updates, then back up and restore it to the network installation.