Summary: Service Pack 1 for Sage 100 2026 is now available, which means you can finally start planning your Sage 100 2026 update. This update is a little more involved than previous ones, so here’s a practical checklist that helps you understand what it takes.
You already know the big news for this update: Sage 100 2026 is 64-bit only, which means it comes with specific server and Windows requirements. It also means you’ll want to plan carefully.
In a previous blog, we advised waiting for the first service pack before updating to Sage 100 2026. And on July 21, 2026, Service Pack 1 was released. Now you can start planning anytime. Ready to begin? Use this in-depth checklist to get the great new features of Sage 100 2026 without undue disruption.
1. Confirm Your Current Tech Specs
32-bit and 64-bit Sage 100 can’t run side by side on the same server. Before you set a date, you’ll want to know exactly what tech you’re using now so you know what to take care of before beginning the official update process.
- Confirm whether you’re currently running 32-bit or 64-bit Sage 100. Sage began offering 64-bit Sage 100 with the 2021 release.
- Confirm your workstations are on Windows 11. Sage 100 2026 isn’t certified for Windows 10.
- Confirm your server is supported. We recommend Windows Server 2022 or 2025 (or cloud hosting if you want to skip buying new hardware).
2. Inventory Your Sage 100 Connections
You’ll need to confirm that every integration is compatible with 64-bit. We’ve talked about this before and mentioned that what counts as an “integration” may surprise you. Take a day to:
- List every single thing that’s connected to Sage 100. And I mean every one of them, including your third-party add-ons and all the little integrations. Start with sales tax software, CRM, payment processing solutions, EDI software, and bank feeds… then list everything else too.
- Confirm each vendor has certified that their software is compatible with the new 64-bit environment or at least has a viable update option. Some of them, like Sage Alerts & Workflow, haven’t created a 64-bit version but have a documented method to keep things working after the update.
3. Review Automated Processes
Now is a great time to revisit all those automated processes and scripts you haven’t reviewed in years. You’ll also want to take a good, hard look at any workarounds you use regularly. New Sage 100 features might cover them, or you may need a quick customization.
- Figure out what all your active and scheduled Visual Integrator jobs and scripts do. Figure out when each one runs and what happens if they don’t run.
- If you wish to take advantage of the increased lot/serial number character counts, run the Lot/Serial Number Conversion Utility during your testing. Your existing lot and serial numbers won’t convert automatically, but the conversion isn’t hard. (Tip: keep your system sandboxed while converting.)
4. Test Your Reports and Custom Forms
Report and form errors are a headache you don’t want to deal with, which means you need to do your due diligence. Test everything so you can hit the ground running with your Sage 100 2026 update.
- List and test all your critical reports for the month-end close. Then take a few minutes to compare your list with your current processes to make sure you didn’t miss anything.
- Test your custom Crystal Reports, since Sage 100 2026 also updated the bundled Crystal Reports designer.
- Test your invoices and check forms.
- Test your Excel connections, along with your Power BI sync and ODBC configurations.
5. Test Paperless Office and Emails
Confirming that your document delivery still works as expected after an update is a good habit to build. Since the 2026 release also adds consolidated email delivery, review how that looks in your system and whether you want to enable it.
- Confirm that your customer- and vendor-notification emails reach the right people.
- Confirm your PDFs look the way you expect in the new 64-bit environment.
6. Run Full Workflow Testing (in a Sandbox)
Testing all your reports, forms, documents, and emailing individually is critical, but as the English say, “there’s many a slip twixt the cup and the lip.” In other words: test it all together, not just piece by piece. Perform full workflow testing end-to-end, using an isolated version of your real-live data. (Tip: sandboxing is easier to do if you’re relying on cloud hosting.)
- Test every step of your month-end close and follow the process through all involved modules, such as AR, AP, and payroll. Make sure transactions post to the right accounts and appear on the reports they’re supposed to.
- Test your ordering process end-to-end. Go step by step through everything from sales orders to shipping and payment processing, and from purchase orders to inventory receipts.
7. Clean Up Security and User Access
Sage 100 2026 includes great new security and audit features that are turned on by default. Therefore, this update is the perfect time to clean up internal controls and make sure everything is set the way you want it. You may also want to review your Library Master preferences now. There’s more flexibility in there than you remember.
- Clear out inactive users and shared logins.
- Review which users have access to sensitive financial data, and confirm that everyone has only the access they need.
- Decide on inactivity timeout settings, since this version enables password validation by default.
- Get familiar with the new Role Audit and User Audit reports available in Sage 100 2026.
8. Prepare Your Team
Your Sage 100 2026 update isn’t just about your software; the most important factor is your team. Train them on new processes and features that affect their job, and have a plan to cover the inevitable questions Gary has. ‘Cause Gary always has more questions.
- Train employees on what changes in their workflows, or what looks different on their screens. You don’t have to go overboard on this and explain every new feature – this is still the same Sage 100 they’re used to.
- Figure out which of your department experts should answer routine questions (and Gary’s questions) during the first week.
- Keep support available through your first month-end close and your first payroll after your update. (A good partner is always there to help you with support through these processes and anything else you need.)
9. Get Ready for the Final Push
Yes, we know every week is the wrong week to schedule an update at a busy business, but some weeks are far worse than others, and only you know which ones for your company.
- To find the best weeks for your update, we recommend first ruling out your financial calendar (month-end, year-end, and audits), then crossing out your crunch times (shipping, inventory counts). Finally, cross out your staff’s typical vacation weeks such as summer and the holiday season. What’s left is fair game.
- Set up clear communication procedures, so no one is surprised. Discuss how you’ll share notifications about system downtime, with whom, and agree on who has final authority to confirm or delay your update.
- Set a data-entry deadline before your update, and make sure all batches are posted by then.
- Decide who will run and test your Sage 100 backups, and where you’ll store them.
- Figure out your recovery processes and rollback procedures, just in case.
You Don’t Have to Handle Your Sage 100 2026 Update Alone
A checklist this long can feel like a lot, but we don’t mean to scare you off. Quite the opposite, in fact. Sage 100 2026 brings useful improvements many people have been asking for, including an AI-powered Help Agent, Global Search across your entire system, expanded lot and serial tracking, a stronger audit trail, and Paperless Office enhancements that save your team time. It makes sense to move on this one.
But you do have to prepare. And we’re here to help you.
With us in your corner, you won’t have to do any of these items on your checklist alone. We’ll take care of most of them, and we’ll be with you every step of the way on the few that you have to manage. We just want to make sure you know what the process entails, so you can set aside the right amount of time to perform your Sage 100 2026 update when it’s most convenient for you.
Whether you’re ready to begin the update process next month or next quarter, we’ll take care of the details for you, so your update feels like a non-event instead of a scramble.
You’ve already made the right call waiting for Service Pack 1. When you’re ready for the next step, we’re ready too.
