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Solution ID:
240307135923887
Last Modified Date:
Tue May 05 09:37:07 UTC 2026
Taxonomy Path:
Case category//How do I...//download/install/activate/upgrade
Author:
[email protected]
General, Installation, Company Upgrade: Sage 200 Evolution install and upgrade procedure
Description

This article discussed the detailed steps of the standard Sage 200 Evolution install and upgrade procedure.

Cause
Resolution

Apply the following steps to achieve the above outcome:

Important Evolution version upgrade notice:

Under certain conditions, you may observe certain upgrade-related issues/errors that should then require implementing a phased upgrade approach. This means you should upgrade using one or more intermittent versions as part of the upgrade process.

Starting from your current, pre-upgrade version, apply the version upgrade path below to ultimately reach the highest (intended) Evolution version.  

Proposed Version Upgrade Path

  1. Evolution version 7.20.9
  2. Evolution version 9.20.1.003
  3. Evolution version 12

 

However, first consider a direct upgrade path

Therefore, you can first try to upgrade from version 7.20 directly to Version 12, thereby skipping the version 9.20 intermediate upgrade step.

 

Whether applying a phased version upgrade approach or not, always back up the company directly after each specific version upgrade, before moving on to the next, higher Evolution version.    

Phase 1: Preparation 

1. First, properly plan when the Evolution upgrade procedure should be performed.

Also, consider the required downtime duration that should affect all Evolution-related operations, processing, reporting, etc., if performed during office hours.  For obvious reasons, the upgrade should be planned for a date and time that ensures zero/minimum work interruptions

2. On the planned date and time, ensure all Evolution users are logged out of the company and remain logged out until all upgrade phases as discussed in this guide, have been completed.

3. Using MS SQL Management Studio, back up all Evolution companies and the SageCommon (previously called EvolutionCommon) database.

4. On the main Evolution Server PC, uninstall Evolution and all add-on modules by going to the Control Panel | Programs.

5. Restart the Server PC.

6. If using Offline Branch Accounting

    • Ensure all processing at all branches and the Head Office (HO) are stopped and all companies closed.
    • Ensure all syncing files are exported and imported across all branches' Sync Monitors so that no unimported sync files remain anywhere in the system.
    • Stop the Sync Monitors at the HO and all branches.

7. If you have any customised Sage Intelligence (BIC) report layouts, copy the BIC repository folder, for example, C:\EvoBICMetaData, and save it in a safe place. In addition, manually export all customised BIC report layouts from within the Report Manager and save these layouts in a safe place.

These report layouts are exported into a *._al file and can be imported again after the upgrade has been completed.

8. If any of your Evolution companies have either:

    • Integrate with a third-party application, and/or
    • That has any kind of foreign triggers, stored procedures, views, and or tables (foreign objects).

First, consult with the relevant 3rd-party developer/consultant who has developed the company integration / foreign objects, as part of planning your upgrade journey. 

The 3rd-party developer/consultant should assist you with the following:

    • Re-customising any foreign objects to be implemented after the upgrade, AS AND IF NEEDED
    • Dropping all foreign objects before the upgrade (COMPULSORY STEP).
    • Re-attaching the foreign objects after the upgrade.
    • Re-establishing / reconnecting the 3rd-party integration and then thoroughly testing the integration. 

We recommend running a test upgrade before running the actual upgrade on the live company.

Ultimately, always carefully plan and coordinate the testing and actual upgrading time frames.

 

Phase 2: Evolution Download and Installation 

      1. The installation procedure should first be completed on the Evolution Server PC.

      2. Open this link for an article on how to download Sage 200 Evolution from the Sage FTP site.

Also, note the following:

Always download the latest, current version/build when you plan your Evolution upgrade, and then go to the relevant new version/build folder on the Sage FTP site before downloading it.

      3. Ensure you’re logged on with a Windows account that has full local PC Administrator rights.

      4. Close Evolution and all applications on the server PC.

To speed up the installation and prevent possible installation issues, also turn off the local PC’s antivirus and Windows Firewall. Don’t forget to turn them back on immediately after the upgrade has been completed.

      5. After downloading the new Evolution install version/build to the Evolution server, consider the following:

Sometimes, the Evolution install may be in the form of an *.ISO file and should be mounted before it can be installed.  The specific way to mount it depends on the local PC’s Operating System.

Therefore, please Google a reliable site/guide to assist you on how to do an ISO file mounting or obtain assistance from your local IT technician.

When the Evolution install has been properly mounted, open the install folder, find it, and then double-click the setup.exe file to start the installation.

      6. Click the Next button below.     

       7. Update, or accept as default the various fields below and click the Next button below to continue.  

      8. Notice the following three main installation options below:

    • Complete: Evolution and all Add-on modules will be installed. This is the option for installing on the main Evolution Server PC. Therefore, select this option for now.

You can assign more than 1 PC on the network to be an Evolution server if required.

 

For instance, install it on both the SQL server PC and the PC of e.g., the Chief Financial Officer, or the Evolution Network Administrator (person/s responsible for managing Evolution agents and other Evolution company administration functions).

       

    • Typical: This option should be selected for any Evolution Workstation
  •  
    • Custom: This option will allow the user to select/deselect any component/add-on module as required by the local PC’s requirements.               

     

      9. Unselect the option marker below and click the Next button at the bottom of the screen.

       

     10. Click the option marked below and click Yes to continue.

         

      11. Select the option below and click Next          

  

       12. Select the option below and click Next

            

       13. Finally, click the Install button below to start the actual installation and wait until the installation has been completed.

           

       14. When successful, the following screen should be displayed. Click Finish to close it.

            

       15. Also separately install Sage Evolution on the workstations and repeat steps 4 to 7 above.

       16. At step 8, select the Typical option and continue from there until Evolution is successfully installed. Don’t attempt to open any Evolution companies yet.

 

Phase 3: Company and SageCommon Database Upgrade 

  1. On the Evolution server PC, locate and open the new Evolution desktop icon.  

  1. Identify and select the first company to be upgraded.

Using the Admin agent, enter its password and click the OK button below.

           

 

  1. Click Yes on the message below.

This isn’t the actual Evolution company database and only refers to the linked SageCommon database.

In this database, the company’s registration profile and all layouts (standard and customised) for source documents and reports are hosted and maintained.

           

  1. Click Finish on the button below and wait until the upgrade has been completed.

         

      5. When done, notice this message displaying and that should be considered. Click OK below.

         

  1. Directly afterward, the message below should now be displayed.

Click the Yes button to continue.

          

  1. Click the Finish button below.

          

  1. Notice the upgrade procedure below and wait until completed.

          

  1. On this screen, click the OK button to start the various System Updates and Relinks to commence.

          

     10. When successful, the company should now be opened.

     11. Close the company.

     12. Reopen Evolution, identify the next company that should also be upgraded, and repeat the above steps.

            Notice that since the SageCommon database has already been upgraded, steps 3  to 5 shouldn’t be relevant here.  

      13. Only after all the companies have been upgraded on the Server PC can they be opened on the workstations

This is done by using the new Evolution icon on the desktop.

      14. The Evolution users can now continue working as normal.

 

Phase 4: After the Upgrade 

  1. Backup all upgraded companies and the SageCommon database, and save the backup files for safekeeping (preferably also in an online location).
  2. If using Offline Branch Accounting, restart all Sync Monitors.
  3. Arrange for a new registration code to be implemented as soon as possible.
  4. If needed (in case anything went wrong with upgrading the Sage Intelligence Repository (EvoBICMetadata folder)), manually import the BIC report layouts (*._al files) using the Report Manager.
  5. If integrating with an external, 3rd-party company, again carefully test the integration after having re-connected the integration setup.  
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