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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    Microsoft Dynamics SL

    Score5.1 out of 10
    N/AMicrosoft Dynamics SL is one of the ERP products in the Dynamics family. This product was acquired from Solomon 2000. The product is typically used by SMBs, particularly in project-based businesses (e.g. construction). It has strong accounting and project management capabilities.N/A

    Sage 50

    Score7.6 out of 10
    Small Businesses (1-50 employees)
    Sage 50cloud Accounting (formerly Sage 50 Accounting) is accounting software designed for small businesses. Sage 50cloud Accounting (formerly Sage 50, and formerly Peachtree) lets businesses invoice customers, pay bills, manage inventory, control costs, and pay employees. The solution includes high-level dashboards and in-depth reports.

    $61.92

    per month per user

    Pricing
    Microsoft Dynamics SLSage 50
    Editions & Modules
    No answers on this topic
    Sage 50 Pro Accounting
    $61.92
    per month
    Sage 50 Premium Accounting
    $103.92
    per month per user
    Sage 50 Quantum Accounting 3 User
    $177.17
    per month per user
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    Microsoft Dynamics SLSage 50
    Free Trial
    NoYes
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoNo
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    NoYes
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
    Additional Details—Annual billing plans also available for all products.
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    Microsoft Dynamics SLSage 50
    Considered Both Products
    Microsoft
    Chose Microsoft Dynamics SL
    We started with QuickBooks Enterprise when our company was young. We quickly outgrew this program as it was not able to accommodate the financial reporting we needed to satisfy our investors. QuickBooks was also very limited in managing our revenue as we grew.
    We did try Great …
    Incentivized
    Sage
    No answer on this topic
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    No answers on this topic
    100%
    Would buy again
    15 Answers
    Delivers good value for the price
    No answers on this topic
    100%
    Delivers good value for the price
    10 Answers
    Happy with the feature set
    No answers on this topic
    100%
    Happy with the feature set
    15 Answers
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    No answers on this topic
    100%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    10 Answers
    Implementation went as expected
    No answers on this topic
    100%
    Implementation went as expected
    10 Answers
    Features
    Microsoft Dynamics SLSage 50
    Payroll Management
    Comparison of Payroll Management features of Microsoft Dynamics SL and Sage 50
    Feature
    Microsoft Dynamics SL
    8.5
    2 Ratings
    12% above category average
    Sage 50
    8.5
    19 Ratings
    12% above category average
    Pay calculation9.62 Ratings8.318 Ratings
    Direct deposit files9.01 Ratings10.014 Ratings
    Benefit plan administration00 Ratings8.013 Ratings
    Salary revision and increment management00 Ratings8.014 Ratings
    Reimbursement management00 Ratings8.014 Ratings
    Customization
    Comparison of Customization features of Microsoft Dynamics SL and Sage 50
    Feature
    Microsoft Dynamics SL
    6.0
    6 Ratings
    23% below category average
    Sage 50
    6.8
    14 Ratings
    11% below category average
    API for custom integration6.06 Ratings7.311 Ratings
    Plug-ins6.04 Ratings6.313 Ratings
    Security
    Comparison of Security features of Microsoft Dynamics SL and Sage 50
    Feature
    Microsoft Dynamics SL
    8.7
    10 Ratings
    3% above category average
    Sage 50
    7.8
    29 Ratings
    5% below category average
    Single sign-on capability7.49 Ratings6.924 Ratings
    Role-based user permissions10.09 Ratings8.626 Ratings
    Reporting & Analytics
    Comparison of Reporting & Analytics features of Microsoft Dynamics SL and Sage 50
    Feature
    Microsoft Dynamics SL
    8.0
    10 Ratings
    6% above category average
    Sage 50
    8.2
    32 Ratings
    5% above category average
    Dashboards8.06 Ratings8.430 Ratings
    Standard reports8.010 Ratings8.932 Ratings
    Custom reports8.010 Ratings7.231 Ratings
    General Ledger and Configurable Accounting
    Comparison of General Ledger and Configurable Accounting features of Microsoft Dynamics SL and Sage 50
    Feature
    Microsoft Dynamics SL
    7.1
    11 Ratings
    8% below category average
    Sage 50
    7.3
    35 Ratings
    4% below category average
    Accounts payable6.011 Ratings8.934 Ratings
    Accounts receivable6.08 Ratings8.633 Ratings
    Global Financial Support6.02 Ratings5.76 Ratings
    Primary and Secondary Ledgers6.63 Ratings6.89 Ratings
    Journals and Reconciliations3.04 Ratings8.822 Ratings
    Configurable Accounting8.03 Ratings8.111 Ratings
    Standardized Processes6.03 Ratings7.916 Ratings
    Cash management00 Ratings7.933 Ratings
    Bank reconciliation00 Ratings8.433 Ratings
    Expense management00 Ratings8.531 Ratings
    Time tracking00 Ratings7.115 Ratings
    Fixed asset management00 Ratings7.122 Ratings
    Multi-currency support00 Ratings4.012 Ratings
    Multi-division support00 Ratings5.816 Ratings
    Regulations compliance00 Ratings6.215 Ratings
    Electronic tax filing00 Ratings8.218 Ratings
    Self-service portal00 Ratings5.513 Ratings
    Intercompany Accounting00 Ratings7.610 Ratings
    Localizations00 Ratings7.58 Ratings
    Enterprise Accounting00 Ratings7.69 Ratings
    Centralized Rules Framework00 Ratings6.67 Ratings
    Inventory Management
    Comparison of Inventory Management features of Microsoft Dynamics SL and Sage 50
    Feature
    Microsoft Dynamics SL
    5.7
    6 Ratings
    33% below category average
    Sage 50
    8.4
    21 Ratings
    14% above category average
    Inventory tracking5.06 Ratings8.121 Ratings
    Location management6.03 Ratings8.010 Ratings
    Automatic reordering00 Ratings7.912 Ratings
    Manufacturing module00 Ratings9.09 Ratings
    Order Management
    Comparison of Order Management features of Microsoft Dynamics SL and Sage 50
    Feature
    Microsoft Dynamics SL
    6.2
    4 Ratings
    25% below category average
    Sage 50
    7.5
    25 Ratings
    2% above category average
    Pricing6.03 Ratings8.420 Ratings
    Order entry3.04 Ratings8.422 Ratings
    Credit card processing7.02 Ratings7.014 Ratings
    Cost of goods sold7.03 Ratings7.421 Ratings
    Order Orchestration00 Ratings7.58 Ratings
    End-to-end order visibility00 Ratings6.69 Ratings
    Order exception Resolution00 Ratings7.28 Ratings
    Subledger and Financial Process
    Comparison of Subledger and Financial Process features of Microsoft Dynamics SL and Sage 50
    Feature
    Microsoft Dynamics SL
    5.7
    4 Ratings
    28% below category average
    Sage 50
    -
    Ratings
    Billing Management6.02 Ratings00 Ratings
    Cash and Asset Management7.33 Ratings00 Ratings
    Travel & Expense Management5.01 Ratings00 Ratings
    Budgetary Control & Encumbrance Accounting6.32 Ratings00 Ratings
    Period Close6.04 Ratings00 Ratings
    Project Financial Management
    Comparison of Project Financial Management features of Microsoft Dynamics SL and Sage 50
    Feature
    Microsoft Dynamics SL
    4.7
    3 Ratings
    47% below category average
    Sage 50
    -
    Ratings
    Budgeting and Forecasting7.33 Ratings00 Ratings
    Project Costing6.33 Ratings00 Ratings
    Cost Capture2.12 Ratings00 Ratings
    Capital Project Management8.01 Ratings00 Ratings
    Project Revenue Recognition2.01 Ratings00 Ratings
    Grants Management
    Comparison of Grants Management features of Microsoft Dynamics SL and Sage 50
    Feature
    Microsoft Dynamics SL
    6.3
    1 Ratings
    17% below category average
    Sage 50
    -
    Ratings
    Award Lifecycle Management6.01 Ratings00 Ratings
    Manufacturing
    Comparison of Manufacturing features of Microsoft Dynamics SL and Sage 50
    Feature
    Microsoft Dynamics SL
    6.0
    1 Ratings
    22% below category average
    Sage 50
    -
    Ratings
    Production Management6.01 Ratings00 Ratings
    Supply Chain
    Comparison of Supply Chain features of Microsoft Dynamics SL and Sage 50
    Feature
    Microsoft Dynamics SL
    6.0
    1 Ratings
    20% below category average
    Sage 50
    -
    Ratings
    Inventory Planning6.01 Ratings00 Ratings
    Best Alternatives
    Microsoft Dynamics SLSage 50
    Small Businesses
    Zoho One
    Score9.2 out of 10
    QuickBooks Self-Employed (discontinued)
    Score4.2 out of 10
    Medium-sized Companies
    Zoho One
    Score9.2 out of 10
    MYOB
    Score8.3 out of 10
    Enterprises
    Microsoft Dynamics AX (discontinued)
    Score4.8 out of 10
    Microsoft Dynamics GP
    Score5.4 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    Microsoft Dynamics SLSage 50
    Likelihood to Recommend
    5.0
    (18 ratings)
    8.4
    (45 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    5.4
    (8 ratings)
    9.1
    (14 ratings)
    Usability
    3.0
    (7 ratings)
    8.6
    (15 ratings)
    Availability
    9.9
    (2 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Performance
    1.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Support Rating
    9.5
    (4 ratings)
    10.0
    (7 ratings)
    Online Training
    1.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    9.0
    (4 ratings)
    9.1
    (5 ratings)
    CPA Rating
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.2
    (4 ratings)
    Product Scalability
    1.4
    (2 ratings)
    9.1
    (1 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    Microsoft Dynamics SLSage 50
    Likelihood to Recommend
    Microsoft
    For a small to mid-size business, MS Dynamics SL is effective. We are capable of managing our finances with a very low risk of error. We have worked with MS Dynamics for almost 15 years and have more than doubled the size of our business in that time with very few issues from the program. We have exponentially increased our revenue and reporting demands and have found SL to be very dependable and stable. The program does have the occasional glitch and those are sometimes outside of the realm of expertise of our IT department. SL support is excellent, but their timeliness is not as urgent as ours.
    Incentivized
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    Sage
    Sage 50 Accounts is well-suited for small to medium-sized enterprises, where there is a moderate number of expenses and invoices that need processing, typically by a company with a smaller finance team. Sage 50 is probably less suitable for a large organisation that needs to handle a higher volume of transactions and manage significant stock levels.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Pros
    Microsoft
    • Provides flexibility for complex project based cost accounting
    • Strong and flexible allocation processer for cost allocations, markups, and pricing
    • A "Flexible Billing" module under the project controller series that allows for multiple billing formats ranging from fixed price schedule of values, T&M or Cost Plus, and scheduled billing.
    • Flexible reporting with options using Crystal Reports, SSRS, a Quick Query tool, and ability to tie into MS Office tools such as MS Access and MS Excel
    • Tight integration with Financials, but also the ability to integrate with modules such as Sales Order, Inventory, and Field Service
    • Customization abilities ranging from a VBA (visual basic for application) foundation to allow customizing existing forms to the ability to use the SDK (Software Development Kit) to build more complex customizations that integrate with Dynamics SL.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Sage
    • We can build "templates" for recurrent charges/invoices. This saves some time and also ensures that we always use the right accounting rubric.
    • A lot of additional information can be filled out such as client information (name, address, ...) which makes the software a little more complete.
    • If you don't need an updated version every year (my case) then the software is not too expensive. The pro version that I'm using was just a little over $300.
    • I really like the banking statement consolidation which allows you to ensure you got the right information registered.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cons
    Microsoft
    • Reporting in the Project module is lacking functionality. I understand that most companies have specific needs when it comes to tracking project information but the standard reports are not good.
    • I would recommend a product like Management Reporter that is for Projects only. Project Reporter should allow users to pull in all Project related data into reports.
    • Fixing suspended batches. Obviously all of us users have experienced this mess. SL knows what needs to be corrected and there could be some step by step fixes in a separate repair module to do the steps we do in Query Analyzer.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Sage
    • Sage 50 could use some improvement in the Invoicing Module to allow for more flexibility in the design of the Invoice fields. The report customization tools could use some upgrading for easier use.
    • Fixed assets management module needs to be included with unlimited number of fixed assets.
    Read full review
    Likelihood to Renew
    Microsoft
    Unfortunately, Dynamics' lack of ability to smoothly integrate with our CRM system is causing us to look at other solutions. The efficiencies that we gain by using Dynamics for our day to day accounting are lost in the constant headaches of getting sales quotes to import properly into the system for invoicing. Another major issue for us has been budgeting and reporting. We currently do all of our budgeting and board reporting in Excel, which is too time consuming and inefficient, especially when a system as robust as Dynamics should easily be able to handle this relatively simple task.
    Incentivized
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    Sage
    I use this rating simply because I have a thriving Sage 50 consulting practice and will continue to keep my expertise in the product. I have consulted on both Sage 50 and QuickBooks for over 25 years so I have to maintain expertise in the solution as well as accounting and verticals.
    Incentivized
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    Usability
    Microsoft
    I rate it a 10 because we have removed the fields we don't need so users can really crank the data into the system. The software was designed for the professional services firm in mind but does a tremendous job for construction firms and "blended" companies that are both distribution firms but project centric as well. Perhaps they drop ship inventory to a project where their employees or subs need to work on a project for example.
    Incentivized
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    Sage
    I think Sage 50 is a trusted product and is reliable from a product delivery and support perspective. They have deep domain expertise in the non-profit space and should be a consideration for new non-profit startups or existing non-profits looking to migrate from other platforms. Overall, I believe that Sage 50 does many things well with few limitations.
    Incentivized
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    Reliability and Availability
    Microsoft
    We have had only one unplanned outage for 2 hours in the last 30 months. We shut down for 30 min to 1 hour once a month, but that is for Microsoft OS updates to the servers. Being a 24/7 world wide operation, the reliability is really important. We do get an 8 hour window on the weekend that we can be down for a short period to install Microsoft Dynamics SL updates, but we do not have many of those. On our last version upgrade, we shut the users out at 9:30 am and were fully operational in less than 6 hours. The upgrade was New SQL server, New SL server and 2 new Citrix servers.
    Incentivized
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    Sage
    No answers on this topic
    Support Rating
    Microsoft
    Support is only used when needed, so unfortunately ,they get all the odd issues. It's a difficult business, but Microsoft and our firm do a great job of meeting customer needs. We get routine feedback that our support services are very good.
    Incentivized
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    Sage
    They were very knowledgeable of the product, understood my timeline was limited for a software issue and allowed me to get back to my day to day work. The dial into your computer is great so you can monitor what they are doing and learn some tricks yourself
    Read full review
    Implementation Rating
    Microsoft
    Just to let it take its course. The implementation for me once I became a part of my former organization was pretty seamless. Just get to know the basics and call the support team to ask questions if you need help on an issue, should they arise. They are ready, willing, and able to help!
    Incentivized
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    Sage
    We implemented Sage 50 Premium Accounting in house, not using any third party or professional service. It was a relatively trouble free process, but can be tricky. Just read all instructions carefully, especially if you need to load the program on a network with more than one user
    Incentivized
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    Alternatives Considered
    Microsoft
    Of the comparable mid-range ERP systems, Dynamics SL competes at the lower end based on price, but also above the high-end based on flexibility, data, and reporting. Being able to stay with the same core accounting from a $100 million dollar company to a $3 billion dollar company shows the range of capabilities.
    Incentivized
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    Sage
    As we did the conversion almost 10 years ago it is hard to answer this question. At the time it was the ease of being able to produce both cash and accrual financial statements and reporting that led us to pick Sage
    Incentivized
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    Scalability
    Microsoft
    Since the backbone of the database is MS SQLServer, the database can be easily scaled.
    Incentivized
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    Sage
    I define scalable from two perspectives; 1) the scalability to handle more bookkeepers/accountants using the product, and 2) the scalability to handle increasing customer/vendor/employee and transactional data. Sage 50 does a good job on both fronts. From the single users operating a micro-business accounting for customer invoices and bill payments only, to the multi-staff, multi-location, multi-departmental complex transactional operation. Although Sage 50 is quite expensive for that smallest user, it is quite inexpensive for the larger business entity. So, for the new enterprise expecting rapid growth, Sage 50 is the application of choice.
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    Return on Investment
    Microsoft
    • More time is spent on manipulating reports which can and should be automated.
    • Lack of electronic invoicing process and other green technology features creates more cost on printing and storage costs.
    • The lack of a user friendly interface requires more training and a bigger learning curve for staff.
    Incentivized
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    Sage
    • Sage definitely needs to do a better job with customer service. I have had to use them only a handful of times and it was not a great experience but not the worse I've seen. They didn't make us a priority and I felt that they didn't have a sense of urgency. They did address my lack of satisfaction and I can see that they are at least aware of the issues and they are trying to correct them.
    • Sage is exactly what we need in my current organization and I wouldn't change it for another system. I have used quite a few in my lifetime and I would say that it fits our needs.
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