Sage 50: Today's Smartest Accounting Software Solution
Updated March 16, 2016

Sage 50: Today's Smartest Accounting Software Solution

Reno M. Borgognoni, CPA, CIA, CGMA | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User

Software Version

Sage 50 Complete Accounting

Overall Satisfaction with Sage 50 Accounting

I use Sage 50 for the accounting and finance departments in the companies I support. Sage works very well on a terminal server style hosted setup, the way most company's IT is structured these days. With several user access and a good security system to control who can see and edit which modules, it works well with a company with various departments. Sage 50, like many other accounting software, is necessary to properly and accurately document business activity. Sage 50 has a reporting program and business intelligence module that can handle every flavor or report needed for business activities from the small, mid-sized to even a fairly large entity.
  • Sage 50 is superior in the basic reporting suite. From the point and click general ledger and other accounting reports, transaction research and error correction and reviews a very easy.
  • Sage 50 allows for customization on most reports, including Invoices, Customer Statements and Report Forms. The less expensive programs won't let you do much more than just add your logo.
  • Detailed Inventory. You have to be a major enterprise to not be well suited by Sage50's inventory intelligence.
  • Job Tracking. Super easy as adding a job code when desired, brings to like a full suite of job costing reports and analysis.
  • Chart of Accounts segment masking. Multiple division, multiple departments, and so forth are built right in.
  • 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.
  • Sage 50 was able to support the reporting requirements for a seven location company with eight departments in each - saving the customer bundles from having to treat each as a separate company file and merge them with the consolidations figure. It was estimated to save accountants in each location a full day's work per month.
  • I have actually won several clients due to the ability to support their unique financial reporting style desires, and I couldn't have done that with any other accounting software that I know of. Sage 50 let's you pretty much build a report from scratch.
  • Microsoft Dynamics GP,Sage 100 ERP,QuickBooks Online,QuickBooks Pro,Sage One
Sage One and QuickBooks Online can only support a micro-business. Microsoft Dynamics is too hard to use. Sage 50 is just right. Sage 100 is the big brother for the larger business needing more depth in the modules.

Will this be a single user application? For a single user, micro-business, Sage 50 is priced out of their reach.

If multi-user, will remote access be necessary? Sage 50 is superior than most of its competitors on client server/hosted networks.

Do you do you own payroll? For companies that DO perform their own payroll, Sage 50 bubbles to the top of the list for in-house payroll programs.

Do your financial statements need material customizations? Sage 50 is well suited for modified report formats.

Sage 50cloud Accounting Feature Ratings

Accounts payable
10
Accounts receivable
10
Cash management
10
Bank reconciliation
10
Expense management
10
Time tracking
8
Fixed asset management
8
Multi-currency support
8
Multi-division support
10
Regulations compliance
5
Inventory tracking
10
Automatic reordering
5
Location management
9
Manufacturing module
7
Pricing
9
Order entry
10
Credit card processing
9
Cost of goods sold
10
Pay calculation
10
Benefit plan administration
8
Direct deposit files
9
Salary revision and increment management
9
Reimbursement management
8
Dashboards
10
Standard reports
10
Custom reports
10
API for custom integration
10
Plug-ins
5
Role-based user permissions
10
Single sign-on capability
10

Using Sage 50 Accounting

4 - Accoutants, accounts payable clerks
1 - Accountant with a couple of years experience with the product
  • Billing and Receivables
  • Vendor management and accounts payable
  • Financial Reporting
  • Multi-locations with Multi-departments, all entry in one installation installed in the cloud

Evaluating Sage 50 Accounting and Competitors

Yes - Quickbooks
  • Product Features
  • Product Usability
  • Prior Experience with the Product
  • Vendor Reputation
  • Existing Relationship with the Vendor
  • Analyst Reports
Product Usability

Sage 50 Accounting Reliability

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.