Partners regularly ask how to help customers move safely from older Sage CRM and Microsoft SQL Server versions to the latest supported platforms. To support consistent advice and reduce upgrade risk, an updated Sage CRM and SQL Server Upgrade Planning guide has now been published on Sage Partner Central.
The guide is available to partners with access to Partner Central here:
https://partnercentral.sage.com/prm/English/s/assets?id=906017&renderMode=Collection
This article summarises the key steps from the guide and explains how a customer can move from Sage CRM 2020 R2 running on Microsoft SQL Server 2019 to Sage CRM 2026 R1 running on Microsoft SQL Server 2025.
Why upgrade planning matters
Sage CRM and Microsoft SQL Server evolve independently. New versions are introduced, older versions are retired, and not every CRM release supports every SQL Server version. Attempting to shortcut this process often leads to unsupported combinations, increased risk, and avoidable downtime.
The key principle is simple:
upgrade Sage CRM and SQL Server in stages, changing one major component at a time.
The supported upgrade path from 2020 R2 to 2026 R1
A direct upgrade from Sage CRM 2020 R2 on SQL Server 2019 to SQL Server 2025 is not supported. The journey needs to be sequenced.
Step 1. Prepare the existing system
Start on the current environment:
• Ensure Sage CRM 2020 R2 is fully patched
• Review customisations, integrations, and third party components
• Take full SQL Server and Sage CRM backups
• Document IIS, authentication, and email configuration
This preparation reduces risk later in the process.
Step 2. Upgrade Sage CRM while staying on SQL Server 2019
Sage CRM 2020 R2 supports SQL Server 2019. Sage CRM 2023 and 2024 releases also support SQL Server 2019.
Upgrade the application first:
• Sage CRM 2020 R2 to Sage CRM 2023 R1 or a later 2023 or 2024 release
• Keep SQL Server at 2019 during this step
This brings the CRM application forward without changing the database platform.
Step 3. Upgrade SQL Server 2019 to SQL Server 2022
Once Sage CRM is running on a version that supports SQL Server 2022:
• Upgrade SQL Server 2019 to SQL Server 2022
• Validate database compatibility and core CRM functionality
At this point the system is on a fully supported combination and already significantly modernised.
Step 4. Upgrade Sage CRM to 2025 R1
Next, upgrade the application again:
• Sage CRM 2023 or 2024 to Sage CRM 2025 R1
• Remain on SQL Server 2022
Sage CRM 2025 R1 does not support SQL Server 2025, so SQL Server 2022 remains the correct platform.
Step 5. Final move to Sage CRM 2026 R1 and SQL Server 2025
Sage CRM 2026 R1 is scheduled for release at the end of March 2026 and introduces official support for Microsoft SQL Server 2025.
The final step is:
• Upgrade Sage CRM 2025 R1 to Sage CRM 2026 R1
• Upgrade SQL Server 2022 to SQL Server 2025
This completes the journey on a fully supported, modern platform.
Why SQL Server 2025 is exciting from an AI perspective
SQL Server 2025 is more than a routine platform upgrade. It introduces database level capabilities that directly support modern AI driven applications.
For Sage CRM, this matters because:
• SQL Server 2025 includes built in AI assisted query optimisation and performance improvements
• It provides richer metadata and schema awareness that AI engines can reason over more effectively
• It improves support for semantic understanding of business data, not just raw tables and columns
• It lays the groundwork for natural language querying, forecasting, and AI assisted insights closer to the data
When combined with Sage CRM’s ongoing work around enriched semantic schema and AI enablement, SQL Server 2025 becomes a key foundation for future intelligent CRM features.
In short, SQL Server 2025 helps shift Sage CRM from being a system that stores data to one that actively supports understanding, prediction, and decision making.
Final thoughts
The new Sage CRM and SQL Server Upgrade Planning guide gives partners a clear, repeatable framework for advising customers. It explains why staged upgrades are necessary, documents supported paths, and helps avoid unsupported configurations.
Partners are encouraged to use the guide as a reference point when planning upgrades and discussing long term platform strategy with customers, especially as we move toward Sage CRM 2026 R1 and the next phase of AI enabled CRM.