Sage Certification User Guide

Sage Certification

User Guide

© 2018 The Sage Group plc or its licensors. All rights reserved Page 1
Sage Certification User Guide

Sage (UK) Limited Copyright Statement

© 2018 The Sage Group plc or its licensors. All rights reserved

If this documentation includes advice or information relating to any matter other than using
Sage software, such advice or information is provided for information purposes only. While
Sage takes responsible steps to ensure the accuracy and completeness of such
information, it can only be general in nature. You should therefore take appropriate steps
to ensure it is correct and relevant to your circumstances.

No part of this documentation may be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated,

microfilmed, or otherwise duplicated on any medium without prior written consent of Sage
(UK) Limited, publisher of this work.

Use of the software described in this documentation is subject to Sage (UK) Limited’s
licence agreement enclosed with, or displayed by, that software.

Sage, Sage logos, and Sage product and service names mentioned herein are the
trademarks of The Sage Group plc or its licensors. All other trademarks are the property of
their respective owners.

Sage (UK) Limited

North Park
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE13 9AA
Tel: 0845 111 7733
Fax:0845 245 0294
www.sage.com

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Sage Certification User Guide

Contents

About Sage Certification 5

Benefits of Certification 5
Individuals 5
Businesses 5
Sage Certification exam syllabus
Sage 50cloud Accounts Essentials exam syllabus 6
Level 1 6
Level 2 6
Level 3 7
Sage 50cloud Accounts exam syllabus
Level 1 8
Level 2 8
Level 3 9
Level 4 9
Sage 50cloud Payroll exam syllabus
Level 1 10
Level 2 10
Level 3 11

Rules and regulations 12

System requirements 13
Internet connection 13
Hardware 13
Operating systems 13
Required web browser 14
Alternative web browser 14

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Sage Certification User Guide

Preparing to take your Sage Certification exam 15

Checking your PC settings 15
Screen resolution 15
Supported browsers 15
Sage Sample exam 16
Logging in 16
Question types 17
Multi choice 17
True or false 18
Multi response 18
Yes or No 19
Sage Certification exam 20
Introduction 20
The Sage Certification screens 20
Exam results 21
What to do if you experience problems 23

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Sage Certification User Guide

About Sage Certification

The Sage Certification program is the only comprehensive, performance-based certification program
approved by Sage to validate an individual’s skills using Sage software.

Successful candidates receive a Sage 50cloud Accounts Essentials, Sage 50cloud Accounts or Sage
50cloud Payroll certificate that sets them apart from their peers in the competitive job market. The certificate
will be a valuable credential, recognised as proof that an individual has the Sage 50cloud Accounts
Essentials, Sage 50cloud Accounts or Sage 50cloud Payroll skills needed to work productively and
efficiently.

By encouraging individuals to develop advanced skills with Sage 50cloud Accounts Essentials, Sage
50cloud Accounts or Sage 50cloud Payroll, Sage Certification is helping to fill the demand for qualified,
knowledgeable people in the workplace. Sage Certification also helps satisfy an organisation’s need for a
qualitative assessment of employee skills. Sage 50cloud Essentials, Sage 50cloud Accounts and Sage
50cloud Payroll exams offer different levels of certification, dependent on the areas of Sage 50cloud
Accounts Essentials, Sage 50cloud Accounts or Sage 50cloud Payroll used by the individual and/or the
company.

Benefits of Certification
Individuals
Earning Sage Certification acknowledges that you have the expertise to work with Sage software.

Generic industry research tells us that certified individuals report increased competence and productivity as
well as increased credibility with their employers, co-workers, and clients. Sage Certification will set you
apart in today’s competitive job market, bringing employment opportunities, greater earning potential and
career advancement, in addition to increased job satisfaction.

Businesses
Industry research demonstrates that employers who encourage certification and hire certified candidates
report increased employee competence and productivity. Sage Certification can simplify the employee
selection and hiring process by easily identifying individuals with the skills to be productive from day one.
Investing in the skills of existing employees brings improved employee morale, confidence, and productivity,
whilst increasing your bottom line.

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Sage Certification User Guide

Sage Certification exam syllabus

There are various levels of Sage 50cloud Accounts Essentials, Sage 50cloud Accounts and Sage 50cloud
Payroll Certification each level addresses different aspects of the Sage Accounts, or Sage Payroll software.
It is recommended that you begin and complete Level 1 before moving onto the advanced levels, although
this is not compulsory.

Sage 50cloud Accounts Essentials exam syllabus

Certification will test your knowledge in the following areas:

Level 1: Getting started

• Navigate around your software

• Use shortcut keys
• Deal with company settings
• Set up access rights
• Configure the chart of accounts
• Set up customer details, defaults and terms
• Set up supplier details, defaults and terms
• Create and maintain nominal records
• Prepare, plan and post opening balances

Level 2: Entering transactions, creating products and invoices

• Post supplier invoices and credit notes

• Post payments, match credit notes and payment on accounts
• Create and update customer invoices and credit notes
• Record customer receipts
• Post journals
• Post bank, cash and credit card transactions
• Set up and process recurring transactions
• Set up product records and create product invoices
• Apply search criteria, multiple searches and wild cards.
• Check and correct transactions
• Back up, restore and check your data

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Sage Certification User Guide

Sage 50cloud Accounts Essentials exam

Level 3: Period end tasks, returns and reconciliations

• Review the ageing frequency on outstanding invoices

• Produce ageing reports
• Understand the different types of customer correspondence
• Write off customer or supplier transactions and adjust VAT
• Perform a bank reconciliation
• Produce a profit and loss, balance sheet and transfer basic information to Microsoft Excel
• Set up and post depreciation and dispose of an asset
• Deal with the VAT Return
• Run the year end

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Sage Certification User Guide

Sage 50cloud Accounts exam syllabus

Certification will test your knowledge in the following areas:

Level 1: Getting started

• Navigate around your software

• Use shortcut keys
• Deal with company settings
• Set up access rights
• Configure the chart of accounts
• Set up departments
• Set up customer details, defaults and terms
• Set up supplier details, defaults and terms
• Create and maintain nominal records
• Prepare, plan and post opening balances

Level 2: Entering day-to-day transactions

• Post supplier invoices and credit notes

• Post payments, match credit notes and payment on accounts
• Create and update customer invoices and credit notes
• Record customer receipts and refunds
• Process contra entries
• Post journals
• Post bank, cash and credit card transactions
• Set up and process recurring transactions
• Perform a bank reconciliation
• Apply search criteria, multiple searches and wild cards.
• Check and correct transactions
• Back up, restore and check your data

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Sage Certification User Guide

Sage 50cloud Accounts exam syllabus

Level 3: Period end tasks, returns and reconciliations

• Review the ageing frequency on outstanding invoices

• Produce ageing reports
• Understand the different types of customer correspondence
• Flag invoices in dispute, write off customer or supplier transactions and adjust VAT
• Review the cash flow forecast
• Produce profit and loss, balance sheet, budget reports, department reports and transfer basic
information to Microsoft Excel
• Understand and interpret the results from your management reports
• Set up and post depreciation and dispose of an asset
• Set up and process prepayments and accruals
• Deal with the VAT Return
• Run the year end

Level 4: Product, invoices, orders and stock control

• Plan a stock system

• Create product records
• Set up a product assembly
• Enter opening balances for stock levels
• Perform a stock take and make adjustments
• Perform a stock period end and a year end
• Set up and maintain pricing and discount structures
• Create and process sales and purchase orders
• Foreign trader
• Create multiple delivery addresses
• Create quotes and pro-forma documents
• Create product invoices and credit notes

• Set up recurring invoices and orders

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Sage Certification User Guide

Sage 50cloud Payroll exam syllabus

Certification will test your knowledge in the following areas:

Level 1: Setting up payroll

• Use shortcut keys and navigate around your software

• Set up e-submissions
• Deal with access rights
• Set up legislation and company details
• Create employee records and use global changes
• Enter year to date values
• Create pay elements

• Set up pension schemes

• Configure the nominal link settings

• Use task reminders in Sage 50 Payroll

Level 2: Processing payroll

• Process your payroll run

• Reset payments and use the timesheet entry
• Back up, rollback and restore your data
• Deal with new starters and leavers
• Process the nominal link to Sage Accounts

• Produce the P32

• Use e-Banking in Sage 50 Payroll to make BACS payments
• Advance holiday pay

• Process employee pensions

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Sage Certification User Guide

Sage 50cloud Payroll exam syllabus

Level 3: Statutory payments, holiday schemes and edit payslips

• Deal with attachment of earnings orders

• Set up and deal with student loans
• Process statutory sick pay
• Apply SMP, SAP, SPP and ShPP to your payroll
• Understand the pay review and variance settings
• Record holidays and absences
• Understand the Employer Payment Summary
• Understand the HMRC inspection report
• Produce historical reports
• Edit payslip layouts

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Sage Certification User Guide

Rules and regulations

1. You are responsible for ensuring that the PC or laptop you use to take the exam complies fully with the
Sage Certification minimum system requirements.

2. You should ensure that the place that you choose to sit your exam is suitable, and that it is quiet and free
from distraction.

3. Your exam will last for 60 minutes when taking the Sage 50cloud Accounts or Sage 50cloud Payroll and 30
minutes if taking the Sage 50cloud Accounts Essentials. If you have not completed your exam within the
timeframe the questions you have completed will be submitted automatically.

4. All Sage Certification exams are open book. This means that you can have notes and other study materials
open when sitting your exam.

5. Your exam should be all your own work. You are not permitted to seek assistance and from friends or
colleagues.

6. If it appears that a candidate has breached any of the above rules Sage will conduct an investigation. This
may result in no certificate being issued and exclusion from any future Sage Certification exams.

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Sage Certification User Guide

System requirements

Before taking your Sage Certification exam, you should check that your PC meets the following
specifications:

Internet connection
You must be using a broadband connection. We recommend that you have a minimum of 2MB connection.

Hardware
We recommend that you have the following computer hardware:

• 2 GB RAM (4 GB RAM if running a 64-bit operating system).

• 2GHz processor or higher.
• 5GB of free disk space.
• 1Gbps network (100mbps minimum).
• Screen resolution of 1024 x 768.

Operating systems
You must be using one of the following operating systems:

• Windows 10
• Windows 8.1
• Windows 8
• Windows 7
• Windows Server 2012
• Windows Server 2012 R2
• Windows Server 2008 - (not supported on Small Business Server/SBS 2008)
• Windows Server 2008 R2 - (not supported on Small Business Server/SBS 2008)

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Sage Certification User Guide

Required web browser

• Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 and greater.

Alternative web browsers

• Latest Mozilla Firefox.

• Latest Google Chrome.
• Microsoft Edge for Windows 10.
• Apple Safari 10 and greater

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Sage Certification User Guide

Preparing to take your Sage Certification exam

The following section outlines the preparation you should undertake prior to taking your Sage Certification
exam:

You will need to:

• Check your PC settings

• Take the Practice exam questions, optional.

Checking your PC settings

We strongly advise that you check your PC configuration prior to taking your Sage Certification exam.

Screen resolution

Please check your screen resolution is set to a minimum of 1024 x 768

You can check or change your screen resolution by:

1. Right-click on your desktop and select Screen Resolution.

2. From the Resolution drop-down menu, select 1024 x 768.

Supported browsers

As outlined within the system requirements Sage Certification has been tested using the following
internet browsers.

• Microsoft Internet Explorer v11 or greater

• Latest Mozilla Firefox.
• Latest Google Chrome.
• Microsoft Edge for Windows 10.
• Apple Safari 10 and greater

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Sage Certification User Guide

Sage Sample exam

In order to familiarise yourself with the Sage Certification exam environment we have created a “Sample
exam” designed to help you navigate your way through your Certification and assess your knowledge of
your Sage software.

Therefore, we recommend that you complete the Sage Certification sample exam as it provides you with
vital information prior to taking your actual Sage Certification. The sample exam guides you through the
question types you will be presented with, along with a sample of 20 exam questions.

To view the Sample exam via Sage University.

Sitting the sample exam enables you to rectify any technical issues you may encounter before you sit your
actual exam. Please note you can only sit the Sample exam once.

You can only take your actual certification exam ONCE.

Logging In

When you are ready to view the Sage Certification Sample exam, follow the steps below:

1. Save your work and close all open programs.

2. Open your browser and navigate to the Sage University site,

http://sageu.com/access/su/home.html and click Log On.

3. Enter your Sage University login and click Log on.

4. Under View learning and certification by stage section, click View training options.

5. Under the Prepare for certification column, click the Sample exam of your choice then click Request.

6. On your Transcript list, click Open Curriculum. You are presented with two options: a set of sample
questions styles and sample exam questions. We recommend you access the sample question styles first
then the sample exam questions.

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Sage Certification User Guide

Question types

During your exam you will be presented with various question types. It is essential that you
understand the different question types and answer accordingly. Listed below are the question
types you might expect to see.

Multi choice

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Sage Certification User Guide

True or false

Multi response

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Sage Certification User Guide

Yes or No

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Sage Certification User Guide

Sage Certification exam

Introduction
Once you have checked your browser settings and completed the Sage Certification Sample exam, you are
ready to take your actual exam. The next section ensures you fully understand the screen layout, how to
navigate and will assist you in reviewing the various question presented during the exam.

The Sage Certification screens

We hope you find the Sage Certification exam intuitive and easy to navigate. Prior to your exam, you should
make yourself familiar with the various exam elements and screen layouts. The following is an extract from
an exam:

Use the Next button to progress through the sections of the exams.

On the final page, click Summary:

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Sage Certification User Guide

The Assessment Review window appears. From here, you can view questions you've marked as follow up.
You can also check to see if you have answered all the questions.

If you need to revisit a question, use Go to Section.

When you are happy with your answers, to complete and submit your exam, click Submit Final Answers.

Exam results

When you click Submit Final Answers, the software notifies you immediately if you have passed or failed.

You have the option to view your question and answer feedback, next to Review Assessment, click Review.

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Sage Certification User Guide

This takes you to the 'Review Assessment Questions' window, where you can choose to view:

 All Questions
• Lists all the questions and advises if the answer was correct or incorrect.
 Correct Questions
• Lists all correctly answered questions.
 Incorrect Questions
• Lists all incorrectly answered questions.
 Show Details
• When you select one of the options above, you can also choose to show additional
information, such as the answer choices, your selection and the correct selection,
as well as an answer explanation, see extract below:

If you pass, you will receive notification via email within 2 working days detailing how you access
your certificate.

Please note: If you do not receive your certificate notification within ten working days, please report
this to training admin on: 0845 111 6666

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Sage Certification User Guide

What to do if you experience problems

If you are experiencing difficulties you should call our Customer Training team on 0845 111 6666
or email us at [email protected]

Sage’s policy is one of constant development and improvement.

We reserve the right to alter, modify, correct and upgrade our
software programs and publications without notice and without
incurring liability.

The Sage Group plc

North Park
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE13 9AA

Tel: +44 (191) 294 3000

Fax: +44 (191) 294 0002
Website www.sage.com

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