Sage 500 ERP vs. Sage Accounting

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Sage 500
Score 6.7 out of 10
N/A
Sage 500 ERP includes accounting and finance, distribution and supply chain, and manufacturing operations support modules. The latest Sage 500 release includes accounts payable enhancements, credit card processing, and general updates, as well as updates to the solution's modules.N/A
Sage Accounting
Score 7.7 out of 10
N/A
Sage Accounting is online accounting software made to simplify life for small business owners, entrepreneurs, and freelancers by providing the functions needed to take care of daily business to-dos. Users can create and send professional quotes and invoices, track income and expenses and know where the business' financials stand. Every Sage Business Cloud Accounting subscription includes unlimited access to support as well as automatic backups and product updates.
$10
per month
Pricing
Sage 500 ERPSage Accounting
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Sage 500Sage Accounting
Free Trial
NoNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoYes
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional DetailsVersions and pricing listed are for US products. Versions available and pricing may vary by country.
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Sage 500 ERPSage Accounting
Top Pros
Top Cons
Features
Sage 500 ERPSage Accounting
Payroll Management
Comparison of Payroll Management features of Product A and Product B
Sage 500 ERP
7.4
1 Ratings
3% above category average
Sage Accounting
9.1
14 Ratings
20% above category average
Pay calculation9.01 Ratings9.212 Ratings
Benefit plan administration6.01 Ratings9.18 Ratings
Direct deposit files9.01 Ratings9.19 Ratings
Salary revision and increment management00 Ratings9.18 Ratings
Reimbursement management00 Ratings9.19 Ratings
Customization
Comparison of Customization features of Product A and Product B
Sage 500 ERP
4.5
2 Ratings
47% below category average
Sage Accounting
8.3
17 Ratings
16% above category average
API for custom integration7.02 Ratings9.814 Ratings
Plug-ins2.02 Ratings6.813 Ratings
Security
Comparison of Security features of Product A and Product B
Sage 500 ERP
5.0
2 Ratings
48% below category average
Sage Accounting
9.0
34 Ratings
12% above category average
Single sign-on capability2.02 Ratings8.624 Ratings
Role-based user permissions8.02 Ratings9.331 Ratings
Reporting & Analytics
Comparison of Reporting & Analytics features of Product A and Product B
Sage 500 ERP
8.3
2 Ratings
17% above category average
Sage Accounting
6.5
36 Ratings
15% below category average
Dashboards8.02 Ratings1.933 Ratings
Standard reports7.02 Ratings8.836 Ratings
Custom reports10.02 Ratings8.827 Ratings
General Ledger and Configurable Accounting
Comparison of General Ledger and Configurable Accounting features of Product A and Product B
Sage 500 ERP
6.6
2 Ratings
14% below category average
Sage Accounting
7.8
39 Ratings
5% above category average
Accounts payable7.02 Ratings9.435 Ratings
Accounts receivable7.02 Ratings9.437 Ratings
Global Financial Support2.01 Ratings8.27 Ratings
Journals and Reconciliations6.01 Ratings8.425 Ratings
Configurable Accounting8.01 Ratings8.013 Ratings
Standardized Processes6.01 Ratings8.113 Ratings
Cash management00 Ratings9.331 Ratings
Bank reconciliation00 Ratings9.336 Ratings
Expense management00 Ratings9.829 Ratings
Time tracking00 Ratings6.89 Ratings
Fixed asset management00 Ratings2.523 Ratings
Multi-currency support00 Ratings7.214 Ratings
Multi-division support00 Ratings4.013 Ratings
Regulations compliance00 Ratings8.422 Ratings
Electronic tax filing00 Ratings8.819 Ratings
Self-service portal00 Ratings8.622 Ratings
Primary and Secondary Ledgers00 Ratings8.110 Ratings
Intercompany Accounting00 Ratings6.98 Ratings
Localizations00 Ratings7.87 Ratings
Enterprise Accounting00 Ratings8.39 Ratings
Centralized Rules Framework00 Ratings7.66 Ratings
Inventory Management
Comparison of Inventory Management features of Product A and Product B
Sage 500 ERP
6.5
2 Ratings
19% below category average
Sage Accounting
8.1
14 Ratings
14% above category average
Inventory tracking9.02 Ratings6.214 Ratings
Automatic reordering3.02 Ratings9.15 Ratings
Location management8.02 Ratings8.26 Ratings
Manufacturing module00 Ratings9.04 Ratings
Order Management
Comparison of Order Management features of Product A and Product B
Sage 500 ERP
8.2
1 Ratings
5% above category average
Sage Accounting
6.7
22 Ratings
10% below category average
Pricing8.21 Ratings8.713 Ratings
Order entry8.21 Ratings7.710 Ratings
Credit card processing8.21 Ratings7.814 Ratings
Cost of goods sold8.21 Ratings6.817 Ratings
Order Orchestration00 Ratings4.14 Ratings
End-to-end order visibility00 Ratings7.05 Ratings
Order exception Resolution00 Ratings5.04 Ratings
Subledger and Financial Process
Comparison of Subledger and Financial Process features of Product A and Product B
Sage 500 ERP
5.4
1 Ratings
31% below category average
Sage Accounting
-
Ratings
Billing Management8.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Cash and Asset Management6.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Travel & Expense Management8.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Budgetary Control & Encumbrance Accounting2.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Period Close5.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Project Financial Management
Comparison of Project Financial Management features of Product A and Product B
Sage 500 ERP
6.9
1 Ratings
10% below category average
Sage Accounting
-
Ratings
Budgeting and Forecasting1.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Project Costing3.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Cost Capture8.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Capital Project Management9.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Customer Contract Compliance9.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Project Revenue Recognition9.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Project Execution Management
Comparison of Project Execution Management features of Product A and Product B
Sage 500 ERP
4.5
1 Ratings
41% below category average
Sage Accounting
-
Ratings
Task Insight for Project Managers7.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Project Mobile Functionality5.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Grants Management
Comparison of Grants Management features of Product A and Product B
Sage 500 ERP
7.5
1 Ratings
1% below category average
Sage Accounting
-
Ratings
Award Lifecycle Management6.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Procurement
Comparison of Procurement features of Product A and Product B
Sage 500 ERP
6.0
1 Ratings
15% below category average
Sage Accounting
-
Ratings
Contract Authoring8.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Contract Repository10.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Requisitions-to-Purchase Orders Integrated8.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Supplier Management4.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Risk Management
Comparison of Risk Management features of Product A and Product B
Sage 500 ERP
4.3
1 Ratings
41% below category average
Sage Accounting
-
Ratings
Risk Repository3.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Control Management7.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Control Efficiency Assessments4.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Remediation and Certification3.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Supply Chain
Comparison of Supply Chain features of Product A and Product B
Sage 500 ERP
1.3
1 Ratings
139% below category average
Sage Accounting
-
Ratings
Forecasting1.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Inventory Planning2.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Performance Monitoring1.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Product Lifecycle Management
Comparison of Product Lifecycle Management features of Product A and Product B
Sage 500 ERP
5.3
1 Ratings
31% below category average
Sage Accounting
-
Ratings
Proposal Management7.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Product Master Data Management4.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Best Alternatives
Sage 500 ERPSage Accounting
Small Businesses
Acumatica
Acumatica
Score 8.7 out of 10
QuickBooks Self-Employed
QuickBooks Self-Employed
Score 9.1 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Infor VISUAL
Infor VISUAL
Score 7.2 out of 10
Accounting Seed
Accounting Seed
Score 8.3 out of 10
Enterprises
SAP Business ByDesign
SAP Business ByDesign
Score 7.4 out of 10
Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP
Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP
Score 8.1 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Sage 500 ERPSage Accounting
Likelihood to Recommend
2.0
(4 ratings)
9.6
(45 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
6.3
(2 ratings)
9.4
(4 ratings)
Usability
-
(0 ratings)
9.4
(16 ratings)
Availability
-
(0 ratings)
8.4
(2 ratings)
Performance
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(2 ratings)
Support Rating
-
(0 ratings)
9.4
(16 ratings)
In-Person Training
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Online Training
6.0
(1 ratings)
10.0
(2 ratings)
Implementation Rating
8.0
(1 ratings)
9.4
(3 ratings)
Configurability
-
(0 ratings)
9.2
(2 ratings)
Contract Terms and Pricing Model
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Ease of integration
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Product Scalability
-
(0 ratings)
7.2
(2 ratings)
Professional Services
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
-
(0 ratings)
9.6
(2 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
-
(0 ratings)
9.6
(2 ratings)
User Testimonials
Sage 500 ERPSage Accounting
Likelihood to Recommend
Sage
Sage 500 ERP is great for companies with core accounting needs, distributors, and discrete manufacturers. Some areas, such as process manufacturing, would require a companion product from an ISV for the software to be truly functional. Some areas, such as construction or retail apparel, may simply not be well-served.
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Sage
VAT returns are so simple to do. Just a click of a button and it produces a report for the period in concern. Submitting the return is then just a single click. The only thing I wish it would do is remind me when my VAT submissions are coming up so that I can avoid penalties.
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Pros
Sage
  • Sage is the one-stop-shop for all of our needs. We're able to control contracts, subcontracts, and field reports from the program.
  • Another strength is the ability to database all the information and export it to excel. This makes data-based investigations a breeze.
  • The ability for Timberscan to be imported to Sage is a huge help with invoice management. Prior to this it all had to be done manually and slowed the process to an essential halt as there are thousands of invoices per month.
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Sage
  • Traceability - where you are spending. I started with a spreadsheet which had a column for 'electronics & computing' this captured everything from monthly software subscriptions to hardware and from light bulbs to dash cams. Sage has helped me streamline the spending.
  • MTD - I am MTD compliant, although I do not need to be as my accountant is and they complete my HMRC submissions. It does mean that I have a contingency plan if I have to change this service.
  • Debtor's - It is easy to be a busy fool and not realise that accounts are overdue. For a small business, the restriction in cash flow due to late paying clients is a killer. The dashboard feature helps with this.
Read full review
Cons
Sage
  • The biggest concern/complaint of Sage 500 users is speed. Some of the screen take a while to load.
  • The user interface needs some refreshing. Screens need to be updated to take advantage of shortcuts and to be more intuitive.
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Sage
  • I find it difficult to record journals in cloud accounting. Maybe I just don’t have the knowledge.
  • It’s important to export all unrecorded sync bank transactions to Excel to send to clients to explain the payment receipts before being posted. This function is not available on the cloud and makes life harder, having to call out the transactions to clients over the phone.
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Likelihood to Renew
Sage
It's too pricey for our size of company.
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Sage
I could not live without Sage Accounting, it has become an integral part of my everyday. The more I have used Sage Accounting the more I have fallen in love with it. I am excited to be part of this ever-evolving accounting system that has grown from strength to strength, making life easier is something Sage does so well.
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Usability
Sage
No answers on this topic
Sage
Sage Accounting is built for the business owner/user and not the accountant, it therefore guides the user and thus detailed accounting knowledge and experience is not a necessarily a prerequisite . It offers a monthly price and therefore no significant up front spend and it tailorable to your business with useful dashboards that again you can tailor to instantly see what's important to you.
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Reliability and Availability
Sage
No answers on this topic
Sage
Sage Accounting availability is generally very good. They post messages which appear on users screen time to time, highlighting where functionality in a particular area is undergoing maintenance. More often than not, maintenance is completed in a timescale quicker than initially estimated by Sage. Where significant maintenance is required, Sage usually perform it overnight.
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Performance
Sage
No answers on this topic
Sage
Sage Accounting work quickly and performs well, I have never had an issue with it running slow. It integrates with other software swiftly, so no waiting for the screen to load. Error messages are only something I have had when I have done something wrong.
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Support Rating
Sage
No answers on this topic
Sage
The support is world class - never ever during 30 plus years in business I have received such helpful, knowledgeable and genuine support as I have from Sage. At Sage people matter and i can chat to someone safe in the knowledge that they will actually listen and assist. This also backed up by huge online portfolio of help and resources
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In-Person Training
Sage
No answers on this topic
Sage
Staff are always friendly, and patient, always work at a speed that suits you. You are never rushed, and In only a short time they seem to be able to help you make great strides. It has been a pleasure not a chore, learning how SAGE Accounting works and benefits me and the company.
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Online Training
Sage
The online training courses are not up to date. We experienced technical issues with two of the classes.
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Sage
I find the online training was very informative and they answered all my questions. I am also certified in Sage One and provided online training in the program which I have set up several people on and they love how it keeps them organized.
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Implementation Rating
Sage
Keep your database and application in different servers.
Install Microsoft Office on your application server so you can use some of the data analysis tools in Sage.
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Sage
The clients' business owner worked with Sage on implementation before I began working for them. After consultation with them it is clear the process was quickly performed and without complication. The key takeaway was that Sage is seen as a partner to the business. That said, it was always necessary to engage with an accountant such as myself to extract the best out of the software.
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Alternatives Considered
Sage
500 seems much smoother at handling some of the basic accounting tasks, for example both issuing and later reconciling checks in Dynamics AX seems a little tedious.
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Sage
Sage Accounting is a simpler, more streamlined version of the more complex Sage 50cloud Accounting. For a small, simpler company Sage Accounting is a much more cost-effective option. There are a few features that Sage 50cloud Accounting has that Sage Accounting does not have (such as making e-payments and a few reports are unavailable) but it is still a very good product.
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Contract Terms and Pricing Model
Sage
No answers on this topic
Sage
The pricing structure is fair and offers good value for money. The billing is done through their online system and you can access your bills at any time. Most contacts only require 30 days' notice, so no need to feel tied in, although I can't imagine why you would want to leave Sage.
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Scalability
Sage
No answers on this topic
Sage
I do not consider Sage Accounting to be Sage's best product for scaling up business as its functionality for doing so is limited. Sage 50 Accounts or Sage Intaact are far more suited for this. I would evaluate very carefully the possible need in the future for scalability in the first instance before selecting software.
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Professional Services
Sage
No answers on this topic
Sage
Sage has always been extremely professional, and they continue to be professional in their dealings with me.
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Return on Investment
Sage
  • Positive: The program allows for a lot of data entry and splitting of information. It has the capability of replacing multiple programs and therefore saving cost.
  • Negative: The modules are cumbersome and not user friendly at all. As a result not many user are comfortable using it. This means that the program is not being used to its capacity.
  • Negative: Although the program has the capacity to be great, the user interface destroys that potential. Sage needs to seriously work on their program to simplify it. It's as if it still uses Command-line entries from 1995. Needs to be updated ASAP.
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Sage
  • Sage One has allowed us to provided better customer service to all our clients. It has allowed us to provide a reasonable price accounting product to our customer who typically just have handwritten invoices, or Excel spreadsheets.
  • Sage One has reduced the manual data entry that my team does on a monthly basis, which in turn allows us to have more time for our customers.
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ScreenShots

Sage Accounting Screenshots

Screenshot of The financial dashboard, with business insightsScreenshot of View of paid and unpaid invoicesScreenshot of Invoice designer, to add a logo, company info, and terms