How do I export a trial balance from Sage 50 Accounts?
In Sage 50 Accounts, click Nominal codes, then Trial balance, then Preview. Click Run, select the period that ends on your financial year end and click OK. From the preview, use Data to Excel to put the figures in columns, or Export to save a file. Check that debits equal credits, and run last year's period too.
Key facts
| Where | Nominal codes > Trial balance > Preview |
|---|---|
| Period | Run, then select the required period, then OK |
| What it shows | Every nominal code with a value in the selected period, as debits and credits |
| To Excel | Report to Excel (preview layout) or Data to Excel (figures in columns) |
| To a file | Export, then choose the folder, file name and file type |
As at 28 October 2026.
Export the trial balance
- Open the report. Click Nominal codes, then Trial balance, then Preview.
- Choose the period. Click Run and select the period that ends on the last day of the financial year, then click OK.
- Check the totals. Confirm that total debits equal total credits.
- Send it out. From the preview, click Data to Excel for columns ready to import, or Export to save the report as a file of the type you choose.
- Repeat for last year. Run the report for last year's final period for the comparatives.
Check before you upload
| Check | Why |
|---|---|
| The report date is the last day of the financial year | The accounts are made up to the accounting reference date, or a date up to 7 days either side of it |
| Year-end journals are posted | Depreciation, accruals, prepayments, stock and the tax charge belong in the trial balance you export |
| Debits equal credits | If the totals differ, something is wrong in the books; the accounts cannot balance |
| Last year's closing balances are the opening balances | The comparatives must agree with last year's accounts |
| The director's loan account is right | An amount a director owes the company is disclosed in the notes and may lead to s455 tax |
| VAT and PAYE accounts agree to the returns | They are creditors for taxation and social security, which the balance sheet formats show separately |
| Suspense and clearing accounts are empty | A balance there is an unexplained item that has to be cleared before the accounts are prepared |
Sage's article says the report lists the nominal codes with a value in the period you select, so a code with no balance does not appear; that is expected. If you have already run the software's year end, confirm that the report for the closed year still shows the profit and loss balances you expect before exporting.
Work out any s455 tax on a director's loan with the s455 calculator, and the filing date with the filing deadline calculator.
Sage 50 specifics
- Data to Excel or Report to Excel. Report to Excel copies the layout of the preview; Data to Excel puts the information in columns ready for analysis, which is the better input for accounts software.
- Missing headings in Excel. If the exported report lacks its header lines, Sage's help explains how to switch on the header export options for the report in Report Designer and save it under a new name.
- Criteria. If a Criteria window appears when you send the report, enter the criteria and confirm.
- Several companies. Run the report in each company's data separately; each set of statutory accounts needs its own trial balance.
Using the export with StatutoryAccounts.io
StatutoryAccounts.io is built to read a trial balance export as Excel, CSV or PDF, suggest the Companies Act line item for each nominal account with AI and let you confirm the mapping. The best file is the Data to Excel output or an exported file with one row per nominal code. Keep last year's trial balance as well, unless the comparatives come from the accounts filed at Companies House.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the trial balance in Sage 50 Accounts?
Click Nominal codes, then Trial balance, then Preview, and run it for the period you need.
Why are some nominal codes missing from my Sage 50 trial balance?
The report lists only nominal codes with a value in the period you select, so codes with no balance are left out.
How do I get the Sage 50 trial balance into Excel?
From the report preview, click Data to Excel to place the figures in columns, or Report to Excel to keep the preview layout.
Sources
- Sage (UK): The trial balance report (Sage 50 Accounts)
- Sage (UK): Send accounts data to Microsoft Excel (Sage 50 Accounts)
- The Small Companies and Groups (Accounts and Directors' Report) Regulations 2008 (SI 2008/409), Schedule 1
- Companies Act 2006, section 390
- Companies Act 2006, section 413
- Corporation Tax Act 2010, section 455
Prepare your statutory accounts
Create an account and set up your company from the Companies House register; your first set of accounts is free. The trial balance import and the CT600 are in preparation.
Join the waitlistGeneral information about UK company law and tax, not legal or tax advice. The directors remain responsible for the accounts and returns they approve and file.