When you open Sage VIP from a desktop shortcut, you may see this warning:

“You are licensed for the Sage Self Service Module. The data was last synced from a different location. Please indicate the companies to be synced by activating the Always Sync for this Company flag on the Self Service Company Setup screen.”

This occurs because the synchronisation database must link to the live payroll. If you launch the system from a different location, it will disable synchronisation to prevent incorrect updates.

This message means the system location has changed. Someone may have copied it, moved to another computer or server, or the network drive mapping changed.

Resolve the issue

1. Confirm you’re accessing the correct live system that should sync with Sage Self Service. Don’t use a copy or tax year-end system.
2. If the system is on a network:
   • Ensure all mapped drives use the same drive letter on every workstation (for example, v:\SageVIP).
   • Check each shortcut target. If any differ, synchronisation will stop.
3. Caution: If you access the system directly on the server, sync will turn off. Re-access from the mapped drive and reselect Sync this Company.
4. In RegEdit, confirm the EssDataPath under Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Connected Services matches the shortcut target path.