There are several reasons why you may receive these error messages:

• The file is incorrectly flagged as read-only, not existing, corrupt or open on the server
• Incorrect Windows permissions to open or edit the file
• Incorrect Sage 50 Accounts licence or data from an earlier version
• Anti-virus software

TIP: If you have an issue with file locking in Sage 50 Accounts, read our guide on File locking and exclusive program areas in Sage 50 Accounts. 

The most common way to resolve these issues is to restart the Sage 50 Accounts Data Service on the computer that holds your data. Use our Where is my data kept? guide to locate this computer, then:

1. Close Sage 50 Accounts.
2. Hold down the Windows Key and press R then enter Services.msc then click OK.
3. Right-click on the following relevant service and click Restart:
   • Sage 50 Accounts v29 - Sage 50 Accounts Service v29
   • Sage 50 Accounts v28 - Sage 50 Accounts Service v28
   • Sage 50 Accounts v27 - Sage 50 Accounts Service v27
   • Sage 50 Accounts v26 - Sage 50 Accounts Service v26
   • Sage 50 Accounts v25 - Sage 50 Accounts Service v25
   • Sage 50 Accounts v24 - Sage 50 Accounts Service v24

TIP: If the service hangs in a starting or stopping state, Stop and restart the Sage Data Service and Control Service manually.

If the issue persists

Restart the computer that holds your data. 

 NOTE: You may need to contact your local IT for assistance with this. 

Still having an issue?

Don't worry, we've some further troubleshooting steps that can help.

First, identify the file extension in the error message, which is three letters that appear after the full stop.

TIP: For example, if the error message shows an issue with the ACCESS.DTA file, the file extension is DTA.

You can now find the file extension in the table below and click the related resolution.