Sage 300 Construction and Real Estate Version 26.1 includes several updates designed to improve reporting, strengthen authentication, and provide more control over accounting workflows. For users, the most important changes affect Year-End Payroll, Crystal Reports, Accounts Payable, Job Cost, Security Administration, and system compatibility.
Here is what you should know before upgrading.
Version 26.1 now uses the 64-bit Crystal Reports Runtime SP38. This change was necessary because SAP ended support for the 32-bit runtime at the end of 2025.
If your organization uses custom Crystal Reports with 32-bit data source names (DSNs), you will need to convert those DSNs to 64-bit. The software now requires system DSNs for reporting. Custom or modified Service Management reports that use Native Btrieve must also be updated to use ODBC.
Non-Crystal integrations, including some Microsoft Office and third-party products, may still require 32-bit DSNs. Because older versions of the Crystal Reports runtime used by integrated products may conflict with SP38, confirm compatibility with each software vendor before upgrading.
A new Accounts Payable setting gives users more control over when future-period warnings appear on invoice and payment journals.
In AP Settings > GL Entry Settings, you can specify the number of future months that can pass before the warnings begin printing. Entering zero or leaving the field blank causes all future-period warnings to print. This setting affects printed journals only; future-period pop-up warnings will continue to appear during tasks.
Sage also corrected duplicate and inaccurate closed- and future-period messages. Journals no longer print the same warning multiple times, and descriptions now align with whether fiscal settings are configured at the data folder or prefix level.
The Job Cost Committed Cost Status with Invoice Detail report now provides a more accurate view of retainage and payments. Improvements include:
These changes make it easier to verify that invoice details balance with commitment totals.
The Copy Job process also provides more complete warning information. Warnings for inactive General Ledger accounts now display during the process and print on the journal.
Administrators can now enable Sage ID as an alternative authentication method. This allows users to sign in with their Sage account credentials instead of relying only on legacy credentials.
To enable the feature, go to Security Settings > Turn on application security > Enable Sage ID. Each user must have a valid, unique email address in User Setup. If the Sage ID service is unavailable because of an internet outage, users can still sign in with their legacy credentials.
Version 26.1 also resolves two workflow issues:
Beginning with Version 26.1, Windows 10 is no longer officially supported. The installer may still allow installation, but Sage no longer tests the software on Windows 10, and related issues may not receive technical support. Organizations should move users to a supported Windows operating system before upgrading.
Before installing Version 26.1, review your custom reports, system DSNs, operating systems, and third-party integrations. Sage does not support rolling the application back to an earlier version, making compatibility testing especially important. Organizations using SQL Replicator with Version 25.2 or later should use Replicator 2.0.460.0
Sage’s year-end Payroll release includes changes to the W-2 format. As a result, all Sage 300 CRE users must be on supported Version 26 to submit W-2s through Aatrix. If you are using Version 25 or earlier, plan your upgrade well before filing deadlines because the initial move to Version 26 requires File Doctor. Subsequent Version 26 updates are expected to be more limited and generally should not require File Doctor.
If your company uses Sage MyAssistant, contact us before upgrading, as Version 26.1 is not currently compatible with the latest version of MyAssistant. To review your current Sage 300 CRE version or schedule an upgrade, contact our support team.
Sage 300 Construction and Real Estate version 26.1 introduces several enhancements to improve the user experience and operational efficiency. For more detailed information, users should refer to the Sage 300 Construction and Real Estate User's Guide and related knowledgebase articles.