ION is a Sage Intacct partner, delivering incredible cloud-accounting to the mid-market and high-growth businesses. To talk to us about upgrading from Sage 50 you can call 0191 466 1231 or visit www.ionhq.co.uk/sage-intacct.
Through the constant evolution in the digital world, organisations are required to be strategic and keep pace with the changing expectations and opportunities arising by embracing true-cloud-based technologies. ION is a trusted Sage partner with extensive knowledge of the different products and expertise within the mid-market space.
Why is Sage 50 not a true cloud-based product?
Due to the ever-changing market, the demand for cloud-based solutions is increasing, whilst the frustration with on-premise solutions continues to grow. Cloud technologies by definition, store data in the cloud and do not require companies to own the servers and infrastructure to run the applications. Despite the Sage 50 Cloud name, this product does not store all the data in the cloud and does require businesses to run centralised systems to store the data.
With remote accessibility and real-time information a requirement for all businesses, the Sage 50 solution is fast becoming outdated, with many customers frustrated and potentially misinformed due to the Sage 50 cloud name.
Features of a cloud based product
It lacks in the ability of true cloud-based features such as:
· Real-time data which is accessible anywhere
· Multi-dimensional reporting giving the team greater insights.
· Secure cloud platform which removes the need for servers and maintenance
· Automated consolidation of payments and invoicing
· Enhanced transaction matching
limiting features of sage 50
Remote Accessibility with Sage Drive
Sage 50 users will be aware of the Sage Drive feature incorporated with the software, especially due to the ongoing climate it has become a focal point for many businesses using 50 Accounts.
A true cloud-based system will allow businesses to access their data in real-time from any device without requiring high-maintenance servers. Data can be accessed securely from any location, therefore, providing a flexible solution for the business.
Sage Drive does not meet this functionality as it still requires there being a main PC/server set up for colleagues to connect to the data remotely. Additionally, Sage 50 Accounts is still a desktop program, which creates further issues around license keys and how many PC’s the program can be installed on.
Switching to a cloud accounting system requires minimal maintenance. Eliminating the need for expensive and high-maintenance servers, whilst remaining fully connected to the data. Benefiting smaller businesses through the cloud ensuring regular and secure updates are easily conducted.
Licence Server
Another pain point that current Sage 50 users will be aware of is the validity licence checks that the Sage program conducts regularly. The checks cause a known error, ‘invalid licence server’, which despite being well-known, is a challenging problem which doesn't have a straightforward resolution.
Often, the resolution requires disabling anti-virus and firewalls or in the worst-case scenario doing a complete removal of Sage 50 Accounts from the PC. Not only is this highly frustrating for everyone involved, but it also leads to lengthy delays and increasing the potential of the data being compromised.
Whilst this particular error is unique to Sage 50, this type of problem is known to occur with other on-premise solutions which do not run automated back ups or have real-time data updates. Switching to a true cloud-based product would eliminate the risk of this occurring, preventing the need for a backup plan. A secure and compliant method, cloud technologies are scalable solutions which can make upgrades or add-ons instant.
Reporting
Reporting is a key requirement for any finance team, but compiling reports with Sage 50 can be time-consuming and frustrating, especially when data needs to be exported in and out of your finance system - or even worse, into Excel.
For businesses to truly understand their data, they will need to use multi-dimensional reporting, which enables teams to gain strategic insights from their dataset.
With true-cloud based products, multi-dimensional reporting comes as standard. This enables teams to create reports quickly and in real-time without needing to extract or consolidate different datasets. This multi-dimensional reporting can also be used across dashboards to enable decision makers to get quick assessments of the data to inform strategic decision making.
transform your business with cloud accounting
Switching to a true cloud-based system can deliver transformational change for businesses by increasing success, whilst reducing risk. Highlighting factors such as improved efficiency, flexibility with peace of mind whilst allowing resources to be allocated elsewhere through its ease of use functionality.
Adoption of a cloud-based product into your business will allow you to access data in real-time from any device without requiring high-maintenance servers. Data can be accessed securely from any location, therefore, providing a flexible solution for the business that requires minimal maintenance.
ION delivers business and financial transformation through the application of the world’s leading software solutions. We work with businesses to guide them through the transformation process, adopting cloud solutions which will provide a faster, more responsive, and versatile solution which will enable the company to grow quickly and effectively.
Verified partners of AccountsIQ, Chargebee, FinancialForce, Sage Intacct, and Salesforce Silver Partners, ION is a team of independent Cloud Technology Specialists that will create the right solution for your business.
The ION approach aligns the entire business operations to allow for full visibility from lead to ledger, boosting overall productivity and supercharging business growth. Working with ION will unlock the power of automation in your business, streamlining your processes and empowering decision-making across the business.
Contact our team today to book a demo or to book a consultation with our Cloud Accounting Specialists.
AccountsIQ
AccountsIQ is the perfect true cloud-based solution, through its east of use, powerful consolidation tools and multi-dimensional reporting. Many businesses are switching over from Sage 50 to this solution and seeing the benefits from improved productivity, streamlined processes and greater business insights to allow them to make smarter decisions as a business.
See how it works and watch our coffee break demo now with our AccountsIQ Specialist, David.
What is included in the demo?
- Dashboards and custom views
- Transactions
- Reports
- General ledger
- Multi-dimensional reporting
- Multi-company consolidation
- Invoicing