4 THINGS TO Note Before Closing the Books
Here are four things to consider as you begin closing the books on 2025 and start fresh in the new year.
1. Backup Your Data
Executing a complete backup of your database is one of the most important things you can do before starting any closing process. You should also test the backup to ensure it was performed successfully, and the data is readable.
If you make a mistake, the only way to “reverse” year-end processing is to restore data from a backup.
2. Follow the Module Closing Order
A year end process in one module often writes data to another related module. Therefore, closing modules in the proper sequence is extremely important in order to avoid unexpected results or damage to your data.
For more detail and guidance, refer to the Module Closing article included in this blog below.
3. Follow the Module Closing Checklists
Step-by-step checklists are available for most modules. These checklists provide guidance on the sequence of detailed tasks and procedures that should be performed within each module.
Detailed checklists for each module can be accessed in-product directly from within the Sage 100 Help system.
4. Preview The Process
A video is posted on the Sage Customer Support and Training channel on YouTube that walks you through an overview of period and year-end processes. It provides a nice refresher before starting your live closing process.
Watch the Year-End Processing Video
Creating a Copy Company For Archive / Backup
At year end, it’s useful to create an archive company using the Copy Company feature. This provides a readily accessible copy (and backup) of the current year’s data even after you perform year end processing in your live company.
To make a copy company, go to:
Library Master > Main Menu > Company Maintenance
- Create a new company code and company name (description) that’s easy to identify and distinguish from the live/active company that you’re copying.
- Click the Copy button and enter the Company Code of your current year live (or “Source”) company.
- Select the modules from the source company you want copied over to your archive company. For a complete archive/backup, you’ll want to copy all modules. Click Proceed. Once the process is finished, click Accept.
Note: For good measure, you might run a trial balance in each module and do a quick spot check to make sure all the data that came over is balanced and accurate.
Video: How to Back Up Data
Head over to YouTube to watch a recorded demonstration of the Copy Company process in action.
Module Closing
A year end process in one module often writes data to another module. Therefore, the sequence in which you close your Sage 100 modules is important in order to avoid the risk of damaging your data.
Important: Remember to back up your data before starting module closing procedures.
1. B/M – Bill of Materials
2. B/C – Mobility for Bar Code
3. W/O – Work Order (retired in v2022)
4. R/A – Return Materials Authorization
5. P/O – Purchase Order Processing
6. S/O – Sales Order Processing
7. O/M – Operations Management (3rd party)
8. P/M – Production Management
9. I/M – Inventory Management
10. I/P – Inventory Requirements Planning
11. M/P – Material Requirements Planning (retired v2022)
12. P/R – Payroll (Quarter-end processing)
13. A/R – Accounts Receivable
14. A/P – Accounts Payable
15. J/C – Job Cost
16. B/R – Bank Reconciliation
17. G/L – General Ledger
Note: While there is no formal closing procedure in certain modules like B/M or W/O, all transactions in those modules should be posted before starting closing procedures in the modules that follow. Remember, this is just a general guide. If you have modules that aren’t listed above or you run any third-party add-on products, please contact us to discuss specific closing procedures for your company.
4 Tips for a Successful Year End
Here are just a few tips to keep in mind as you begin year end processing in Sage 100.
- General Ledger Closing – While it’s a good idea to close modules in a timely fashion, the General Ledger can remain open for as long as you need while awaiting final processing (or audit adjustments) in other modules. A GL that’s still open for 2025 will NOT prevent you from entering transactions for the new year.
- Payroll Planning – Even if your company is on a fiscal year, you may need to close out payroll at the end of the calendar year (particularly if you’re running an older version of Sage 100 Payroll).
NOTE: This does NOT apply to the newer Payroll 2.0 module which allows two calendar years to be open, so you don’t have to run year-end tax reports and W-2s before processing payroll for 2026 (as was required with the old/legacy payroll module).
Full Details: Year End Processing in Payroll 2.x and Higher
- Check Your Version Number – Closing procedures can vary depending on which version of Sage 100 you’re running. Here are steps to identify both your version number and service pack:
Select Help > About Sage 100
- Master Console – Once you’re ready to close, you need to make sure all users are out of the system. That’s where the Master Console comes in handy. This utility provides a snapshot of all users currently logged into Sage 100, the workstation being used, what programs/tasks they’re using, and more. You can also broadcast a message to all users or even shut them down remotely.
To launch the Master Console:
Select File > Master Console