If you NEVER have to do payroll, then you could buy the Pro version yourself without payroll and open their books and hand them back as long as you both stay on the same updates. They have changed the way the program downloads the updates over the last few years so I am not sure updates will download to someone not on a service plan, like the payroll subscription.

If you think you may take on another client or want to have the option to take on another client using Sage 50, then I would suggest you contact the partner program at Sage and talk with them about becoming a partner. You can sign up as a Premier Advisor which will come with the benefit of the Accountant's Edition and then, again, as long as you all stay on the same releases, you can open ANY client's file using the same version and send it back, whether it is Pro, Premium or Quantum. I find it advantageous to have it but I am working primarily with Sage 50 clients.

One point though. A few years ago they changed our program so that we are only renting the software. If you stop being part of the partner program (or fail to pay your renewal on time), you lose the ability to do data entry in your files. They revert to read-only.

Awesome, thanks for the response. Do you know if syncing using a client such as dropbox would work? I'm pretty sure I've done it in the past, where you would put the company file in the dropbox, then either I or my client can open it, edit, and save it, it then would sync to both our computers?

Yes it will work but only save backup files in the drop box. DO NOT EVER OPEN A LIVE FILE WHILE IN THE DROPBOX!

Yes, it's that important. You can experience corruption when both you and the client open a live file at the same time. So it is best to have them upload a backup, you download it to your computer. Restore it to your computer, do your voodoo on it. Backup to your regular backup device and then take a copy of that and put it back.

Where you put it is up to you and the client. Make sure you set up a simple procedure for both you and your client to follow. The biggest problem I have seen over the years with this kind of transfer is that you have the live file entering 30 or so entries, do a couple of bank recs, etc, then the client also makes about 50 entries in their copy of the file because they forgot you had it.

It might be worth creating a ToBookkeeper folder and FromBookkeeper folder. The dates on the files will tell you when they were last uploaded (I never overwrite backups). Or you can edit a text file with notes to let the other person know who has the live file. No matter the process, it has to be followed properly by both sides to do it all without overt communication.

if it's a single user company why not use Sage Drive. Have the client purchase the Sage Drive, copy the data there and then they give you access. Sage Drive only allows for single user access at a time. When the client is using the file then you can't access and anything they do is automatically updated in the data file so when you access its all there and vis versa when you are working in the data. Having the client do this means they have ownership of the files and can revoke or grant who can access the files and when the files get upgraded to a new version of Sage 50.

Thanks for all the help. I ended up going with the Accountants version and my client is setting up Sage Drive.