How does ml-connector handle Sage 50's exclusive-access constraint?

Sage 50 requires that no user is logged in interactively to the company data files while the SDK session is open. ml-connector is typically deployed on a dedicated Windows machine or scheduled to run during a narrow maintenance window (e.g. after 6pm) so interactive users are not locked out. The constraint is a function of Sage 50's design, not ml-connector, but scheduling and coordination are essential to avoid conflicts.

What GL account mapping is required?

Each invoice line in Stampli must be mapped to a Sage 50 GL account. This mapping is configured once at setup time; the most common approach is to match Stampli GL account codes or dimensions to Sage 50 account numbers. If Stampli invoice lines do not already carry GL account codes, a manual mapping table is configured in the integration so invoices for a given vendor or expense category post to the correct ledger account.

How often do invoices sync from Stampli to Sage 50?

ml-connector polls the Stampli SFTP directory on a regular schedule, typically every 15 to 30 minutes. Stampli itself exports invoice updates approximately every 5 minutes, so end-to-end latency from Stampli approval to Sage 50 posting is usually 20 to 40 minutes. The poll interval is configurable based on your close timeline and tolerance for batch processing.

Sage 50Stampli

Sage 50 and Stampli integration

Sage 50 runs your on-premise accounting; Stampli automates your accounts payable. Without a bridge, approved invoices sit in Stampli and must be re-entered into Sage 50 by hand during period close. With Sage 50 and Stampli connected, approved invoices flow automatically from Stampli into Sage 50's general journal and vendor master, keyed to your GL accounts and vendor records, so your accounts payable and your ledger stay synchronized.

How Sage 50 works

Sage 50 (US and UK editions) is a desktop accounting application with no native REST API. The US edition exposes vendors, purchase invoices, accounts, and general journal entries through the .NET SDK or legacy COM/ODBC layer, requiring an ApplicationID, CompanyPath, and Windows username and password. The UK edition uses Sage Data Objects (SDO) COM ActiveX DLLs with a DataPath and Windows credentials. Both editions support polling by LastModifiedDate or TransactionDate, with a recommended minimum interval of 5 to 15 minutes. Sage 50 requires exclusive access to the company data files, so the integration user must not be logged in interactively while the SDK session is open.

How Stampli works

Stampli provides no public REST API. File-based integration via SFTP is the only path available without a formal partnership agreement. Stampli exposes invoices, vendors, purchase orders, GL accounts, and payment records as CSV or XML files placed in an SFTP directory. The integration authenticates with SFTP credentials (hostname, port, username, password). Stampli polls its outbound directory on a regular interval (e.g. every 15 minutes) to export new invoices and vendor updates; invoice processing refreshes approximately every 5 minutes internally.

What moves between them

Approved invoices and vendor records flow from Stampli into Sage 50 once per poll cycle (typically 15 to 30 minutes). The invoice export from Stampli is placed as a CSV or XML file in the SFTP outbound directory; ml-connector polls that directory, reads the invoice records, and writes them into Sage 50's general journal and vendor master using the local SDK. Vendor master records are synchronized so Stampli vendors exist in Sage 50 before any invoice is posted. GL account mapping is configured per customer so each invoice line allocates to the correct ledger account. No data flows back from Sage 50 to Stampli.

How ml-connector handles it

ml-connector runs on a Windows machine with Sage 50 installed, using the local SDK to authenticate with the ApplicationID (US) or DataPath (UK) and Windows username and password. It polls the Stampli SFTP directory on a regular schedule, retrieves the latest invoice and vendor files, and writes them into Sage 50 using the SDK transaction APIs. Because Sage 50 requires exclusive access to the data files, ml-connector must coordinate with the Sage 50 user to ensure no interactive session is open during the sync window; most deployments run the sync as a scheduled task on a dedicated machine or configure a narrow maintenance window. GL accounts are mapped at configuration time, so each invoice line references a Sage 50 GL account and vendor that already exist. The SFTP connection itself is configured with the Stampli credentials provided by the customer. Every invoice and vendor record carries a full audit trail so reconciliation is straightforward and replays are possible if a write fails.

A real-world example

A mid-sized manufacturing company uses Sage 50 for on-premise accounting and has recently adopted Stampli to streamline accounts payable and gain visibility into spend. The finance team currently exports approved invoices from Stampli each week and manually enters them into Sage 50's general journal, a process that takes several hours and introduces re-keying errors that surface during month-end close. With Sage 50 and Stampli connected, approved invoices post automatically into Sage 50's journal each night, allocated to the correct GL accounts and vendors. The finance team shifts from data entry to exception handling and month-end close time shrinks dramatically because the AP is already reconciled.

What you can do

Post approved invoices from Stampli into Sage 50's general journal, mapped to the correct GL accounts.
Synchronize vendor master records from Stampli into Sage 50 so every invoice references a valid vendor.
Validate invoice totals against Sage 50 GL accounts before posting to catch mapping errors early.
Coordinate with Sage 50's exclusive-access constraint so invoices post during off-hours or maintenance windows.
Track every invoice and vendor record in an audit log so reconciliation and replay are always possible.

Questions

How does ml-connector handle Sage 50's exclusive-access constraint?: Sage 50 requires that no user is logged in interactively to the company data files while the SDK session is open. ml-connector is typically deployed on a dedicated Windows machine or scheduled to run during a narrow maintenance window (e.g. after 6pm) so interactive users are not locked out. The constraint is a function of Sage 50's design, not ml-connector, but scheduling and coordination are essential to avoid conflicts.
What GL account mapping is required?: Each invoice line in Stampli must be mapped to a Sage 50 GL account. This mapping is configured once at setup time; the most common approach is to match Stampli GL account codes or dimensions to Sage 50 account numbers. If Stampli invoice lines do not already carry GL account codes, a manual mapping table is configured in the integration so invoices for a given vendor or expense category post to the correct ledger account.
How often do invoices sync from Stampli to Sage 50?: ml-connector polls the Stampli SFTP directory on a regular schedule, typically every 15 to 30 minutes. Stampli itself exports invoice updates approximately every 5 minutes, so end-to-end latency from Stampli approval to Sage 50 posting is usually 20 to 40 minutes. The poll interval is configurable based on your close timeline and tolerance for batch processing.

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