What is Sage?

The Sage Group PLC is a listed company based in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK where it was formed in 1981 by David Goldman, Paul Muller and Graham Wylie. Sage is now a global company and the third largest supplier of ERP software and the largest provider of SME accounting software with 6.1 million users worldwide.

Sage is a flexible, comprehensive off-the-shelf accounting packaging. Affordable for most businesses, it ranges from the most basic Programme called Sage 50 Accounts Essentials which is perfect for the self-employed and small companies, to the wide-ranging Sage 100 which is module based and suitable for medium/large enterprises.

New to Sage?

If you are considering buying a Sage 50 Accounts Package or Sage 50 Accounts Essentials then there are a few things you should consider:

• Carefully research the features available for each of the different packages – think about what each programme can do in relation to your business. See our page Choosing the right Sage Programme for more help.
• Think of the Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) for your business and check if Sage will give you the metrics you need to measure your performance. If you would like more guidance then contact us.
• Don’t buy a programme so complicated that you are daunted by it – remember you can always upgrade at a later date as your business grows. Sage offer attractive rates for upgrades, so familiarise yourself first before investing in an advanced programme.
• Don’t buy a version too basic for your needs either – a Sage programme is good for about 3-4 years before it becomes obsolete and you would want it to be fit for purpose for that period. Do some future-proofing.
• It won’t save you loads of time, if any – but it will provide you with the essential Management Information you, your bank manager and stake-holders in your business need to make strategic and operational decisions.
• Get some training – like all computer programmes it is a powerful tool and packed full of features. To get the best from Sage 50 Accounts and Sage 50 Accounts Essentials we recommend you budget in training costs.

For more information on how we can train you on Sage visit our page: Classroom Training or Bespoke Training or call us on +44 (0)1909 512182.

Upgrading your Sage Package or changing from another computerised book-keeping system

You will be familiar with Sage and its layout but an upgrade means learning more of the features and then getting them to work for you. Some of the challenges you may face are:

• Staff training – understandably they will be fearful of making mistakes and unfamiliar with some of the features.
• Your systems and processes may need to catch up.
• Transferring data without losing the integrity of the information.
• Choosing the right package for you. See our page Choosing the right Sage Programme for more information.

If you would like more information on how as Sage Consultants we can train your team, install and configure Sage or provide business integration then contact us. You can also email info@realworldbusiness.co.uk or call +44 (0)1909 512182.