Changing the VAT rates from 21% to 23% is a relatively easy thing to do in Sage.

The only complication is that you will be recording January transactions @ 23% but you will still need to process some December transactions at 21%.

Will you consider the following please.

When you are happy with its implications will you follow the instructions?

1. Take a Backup of your Sage company data. Use this opportunity to check for errors.          If you have errors these need to be eliminated. If you can’t do this yourself then please come back to us for advice.
2.  Log into your Sage Accounts, go to Settings and Configuration
3. Click on the Tab for Tax Codes
4. Highlight the tax code you are currently using for 21% and click on Edit
5. Change the Vat Rate and Description from 21% to 23%
6. Click on OK to close
7. Scroll down to T6, or something similar
8. Change the Vat Rate and Description from 20% (or whatever it is) to 21% and in description say Old 21% Rate. Make sure there is a tick to include in VAT return.
9. Click OK to close
10. Click on Apply and Close when you have finished editing the Tax Codes.

Then, from the first of January you will be using T1 for the 23% rate for sales and purchases.

Where you are entering 2011 transactions and need the 21% rate then you use the T6 or appropriate label.

If you have any problems come back to us at mike@compuland.ie

Sage Line 50 Release 2012 (VER 18) has now been given its second update. At this stage most if not all of the bugs have been addressed. We would be happy to recommend that all Sage users upgrade to the latest version at this stage. After using Version 2012 for a few weeks we find that the best feature is the simple printing of Invoices. You can now select a preferred layout and save this. Then when you want to print you just hit this short cut and out it comes! No more scrolling through different layouts to get your preferred option.

We were also reminded of another printing option. At month end you might have to print off a few reports – Stock Value, P&L Account, Trial Balance, Debtors list, Suppliers list etc. Rather than printing all of these individually….are you aware that you can create a “Batch Report”. Basically group all these reports into a folder and each time you want to print all of the above just go TOOLS, BATCH REPORTING, PRINT. This must save you time and also the embarrassment of missing reports!! Check out the Sage 50 product suite…

We have installed Sage Version 2012 on our own system now with the first Update. We are expecting some more updates so we would advise our clients to not install Version 18 yet.

However, some of the features sound as if it is well worth the wait for version 18. Nearly all new clients request the option of been able to close monthly accounts. We have always said this was not possible. At last this is now available in Version 2012. Now that it is available I am sure we will not get any customers looking for this feature!!!

I have to admit that we are disappointed in the Option to submit the VAT details on line. We were lead to believe that you would be able to press a button and everything would be uploaded….like the excellent Micropay Payroll System. What it actually is that a report can be printed that contains all the info in one place that allows you to easily submit the data to the ROS website.

Now in hindsight…I suppose this might be considered as a safety feature!!!! Print out the report which gives you a chance to make sure al is 100% correct before you manually upload the data.

Microsoft Office 365 has at last been released in Ireland. For the last 18 months we have been using and selling the original product called BPOS. We were a little nervous of the upgraded product but delighted to say that it is a far better product…..Especially the Web Access part. Whether you are accessing Outlook from your Desk or Via the Web…it looks exactly the same product.

We just installed Office 365 for a client over a weekend. We never told the staff of the change….on Monday morning not one call from the users! Fantastic…they were not aware of the change yet all backoffice roles are now secure with far less traffic on the Server which will save the company money! Job Well Done!!