Get started with Sage Instant Accounts

When you open Sage Instant Accounts for the first time, once you enter the serial number and activation key, the Active Setup wizard appears. This takes you through creating the data files for your company, and entering some basic information about your business, including:

• Company name, address and contact details.
• The type of business, for example a sole trader or a partnership.
• The date your financial year starts.
• VAT registration details if required, and the current standard VAT rate.
• The main currency for your accounts.

On each window, simply fill in the details then click Next. If you're unsure about any of your company details, you should speak to your accountant.

Note: When you complete the Active Setup wizard, if a login window appears, enter manager as the logon name, leave the password blank > OK.

When you first open Sage Instant Accounts, after you complete the Active Setup wizard and log in, a Customise your company window appears. Here you can enter default information which saves you time later when you enter records and transactions. It covers:

• Customer and supplier defaults, such as the default nominal codes.
• Bank defaults that are common to all of your bank accounts.
• Product defaults, such as the default tax code.
• Financial defaults such as VAT settings.
• Administrative defaults, such as access rights and email defaults.

We recommend you follow through Customise your company at this point. However, you can go back to it at any time in Help > Customise your company.

To keep your accounts information secure and control who can access information, you can set up usernames and passwords.

A username called manager is set up by default, with no password assigned to it. We recommend you add a manager password now in:

• Settings > Change Password.

Once you do this, whenever you open Sage Instant Accounts you must enter your password to access your data.

Tip: Ensure you use a memorable password. If you forget it you'll need to contact us to arrange a password decode.

Extra users

If more than one person will access your Sage Instant Accounts, you should set up a username for each person. You can then define which areas of the software they can access.

To switch on the access rights option:

• Settings > Company Preferences > Parameters > select the Access Rights check box > OK.

To create a new username and define the access rights:

• Settings > Access Rights > New > complete the details as required.

Read more >>

Watch the video >>

To analyse sales and purchases and track debts, you can set up customer and supplier records. If you sell either products or services, to track these sales, you can also create product records.

Tip: You can find out more about the best ways to process sales and purchases in Sage Accounts, in the Dealing with sales and Dealing with purchases areas.

To create a new record

1. Open Customers, Suppliers or Products and services.
2. New/edit drop-down > New > enter the details for the record.

Tip: In here you can add an opening balance for the individual customer or supplier. However, we recommend that you enter your customer and supplier opening balances later using the Opening Balances wizard.

3. Instant Accounts Plus only - If required, to enter a product opening balance > In Stock > click OB > Yes > enter the opening balance details > Save.
4. Save > Close.

Watch the video: Customer records | Supplier records | Product records

To check the integrity of the data you back up, we recommend you check your data regularly, particularly before you take a backup and after you restore data. The Check Data option scans your data files for corruption, and where possible, gives you the relevant tools to fix any issues by following the steps in our My Data area.

Note: If Check Data shows errors, you must resolve these straight away. Warnings and comments are more minor issues that you don't need to look at immediately, but which you should investigate when you get time.

We recommend that you take a backup at least once a day. You should also back up before you run any major processes such as the VAT Return, year end or clear audit trail.

To back up your data at any time:

• File > Back up. Read more >>

Backup Manager

So you don't need to worry about remembering to back up, you can schedule backups to run automatically. You can also continue to process in Sage Accounts while your scheduled backup runs. Your data is automatically checked before each backup, and you can manage all backups and view check data results in one place.

To access the Sage Accounts Backup Manager:

• Log into Sage Instant Accounts using the manager logon name and password > File > Schedule back up. Read more >>

Watch the video >>

If you customise any of the Sage Instant Accounts reports or layouts, it's important to take a backup of just your reports and layouts. By doing this, you have a copy of your customised documents which you can restore at any time without affecting your data. For example, if someone accidentally deletes a report you created.

We recommend that you back up your reports and layouts each time you amend a document using Report Designer.

To back up your reports and layouts:

1. File > Back up > enter a file name and location for the backup.
2. Advanced options > clear the following check boxes:
   
   • Select all file types to be included in back up
   • Data Files
3. Select the following check boxes:
   
   • Report Files
   • Layout Templates
4. OK > Yes > OK.

Read more >>

Sage Drive gives you the freedom to work with your Sage Accounts data whenever and wherever you want; at home, in another office or even on the go via your smartphone or tablet. You, your colleagues and even your accountant can work with the same live data from different locations.

Watch the video >>

Sage Drive is available with Sage Instant Accounts v21. This provides access for one desktop software user, one accountant and 25 mobile users. If required, you can purchase a licence for an additional user in the UK or Ireland Sage Store.

For more information and for help with setting up and using Sage Drive, visit the Sage Drive area.

You can use Sage e-Banking to download statements from your Internet or computer banking software into Sage Instant Accounts for reconciliation. You can also pass payment details to your bank software electronically, avoiding duplicate data entry.

To check if your bank software is compatible with Sage e-Banking, visit sage.co.uk/ebanking

To get started with e-Banking, visit the Using the bank and online banking area.

Sage Pay

Sage Pay is a simple, secure and efficient way to accept payments from customers online, over the phone or in person. You can integrate your Sage Pay account with your Sage Instant Accounts to import payments you receive directly into your accounts.

Watch the video >>

For more information about Sage Pay, visit the UK or Ireland Sage Store.

Once you switch on your Sage Pay account, to integrate it with Sage Instant Accounts, you must enter your details in:

• Settings > Company Preferences > Sage Pay. Read more >>

Sage Payments

Sage Payments is a new, easy way for you to pay your suppliers and HMRC directly from Sage Instant Accounts. Simply process your payments as normal and submit them through your Sage Payments account. With Sage Payments you can be confident that your suppliers are paid accurately, securely and on time.

Watch the video >>

The Sage Payments service integrates with Sage Instant Accounts v21. To find out more, visit www.sagepayments.co.uk

To get started with Sage Payments, visit the Sage Payments area.

Foreign Trader makes trading with your overseas customers and suppliers straightforward. You can create invoices and post transactions in foreign currencies.

To purchase Foreign Trader visit the UK or Ireland Sage Store.

To activate Foreign Trader, take a backup of your data then go to:

• Tools > Activation > Enable Foreign Trader. Read more >>

For help with using your software, you can find everything you need in the Sage Accounts Help Centre area. In particular, the following areas are useful when you're getting started:

Tip: To see the questions people are currently asking us about Sage Accounts, visit sage.co.uk/frequentquestions

It can be useful to see exactly what a feature does before you use it in your live company. That's why Sage Instant Accounts has two areas where you can try out features and practice tasks without affecting your data.

Watch the video >>

Practice Data

This is a blank company which you can use to practice routines and tasks without affecting your live company data. It's the ideal place to test how a feature works or analyse the effect of posting different transaction types. You can save and reopen it as needed, and you can discard your practice work at any time and start again. Read more >>

Demonstration Data

Demonstration Data is an example company complete with records and transactions, that you can use to explore the capabilities of your software. As with Practice Data, you can post transactions and try out features without affecting your live data. Read more >>

You can find lots of help with Sage Instant Accounts in the Sage Help Centre and also by pressing F1 within your software. In addition, for extra peace of mind we also offer a range of support contracts. These give you access to expert advice from Sage Accounts technicians by email, web chat and telephone.

There are different levels of cover to suit every business. To find out more, visit the UK or Ireland Sage Store.