Sage 50 Accounting Review: Features, Benefits, Pricing, and Cons

Sage
50,
earlier
known
as
Sage
50
Cloud,
is
an
accounting
software
solution
for
small
and
medium
businesses.
It
helps
them
perform
basic
admin
and
accounting
processes
like
invoicing
and
financial
management,
as
well
as
complex
business
accounting
and
payroll
tasks.

This
Sage
50
accounting
review
will
examine
its
features,
benefits,
limitations,
pricing,
and
other
crucial
aspects
so
users
can
decide
whether
to
use
it.

What
is
Sage
50?

Sage
50
is
accounting
software
for
small
businesses
that
automates
invoicing,
billing,
expense
tracking,
payroll,
and
other
accounting
processes.
Founded
in
1981,
Sage
is
trusted
by
over
2
million
businesses
worldwide.
Sage
50
is
Sage’s
accounting
product
suitable
for
small
businesses.

Sage
50
Features

Sage
50
key
features
are
cash
flow
and
invoicing,
inventory
management,
report
generation,
expense
management,
payment
and
banking,
and
more.

Cash
Flow
and
Invoicing

Sage
50
accounting
helps
manage
and
analyze
the
cash
flow
of
a
business.
Users
can
monitor
the
sources
of
revenue
and
expenses
and
use
software-generated
forecasts
to
anticipate
future
cash
flow.
The
Cash
Flow
Manager
offers
an
instant
view
of
cash
accounts
and
tells
companies
the
expected
inward
and
outward
cash
flow.

Companies
can
send
multiple
customers
at
once
and
enable
settings
to
send
recurring
sales
invoices.
Sage
50
offers
custom
views
by
date
range
or
transaction
type.
It
offers
the
online
“Pay
Now”
invoice
feature
for
instant
payments.

Payments
and
Banking

Sage
50
has
accounts
payable
and
banking
capabilities
that
automate
invoicing,
payments,
purchase
orders,
and
account
reconciliation.
Its
integrated
support
with
inventory
management
eliminates
the
need
for
manual
entry.
For
banking,
Sage
50
uses
the
Account
Reconciliation
module
to
integrate
feeds
from
bank
institutions
seamlessly.
During
reconciliation,
matched
transactions
get
automatically
cleared.

Advanced
Inventory
Management

Sage
50
comes
with
high-level
inventory
management
features.
It
calculates
and
tracks
quantities
daily
based
on
the
transaction
date
and
item
class.
As
a
result,
users
can
view
the
number
of
items
stored
in
inventory
and
monitor
purchase
orders. 

Sage
50
helps
companies
create
and
track
serialized
inventory
items
and
generate
multiple
reports.
Users
can
customize
units
of
measure
and
create
inventory
with
item
assembly.
It
supports
multiple
costing
methods,
such
as
FIFO,
average,
and
specific
units.

Job
and
Project
Costing

Sage
50
offers
greater
insight
into
job
and
project
costing,
letting
companies
know
what
they
are
spending
and
where.
It
enables
users
to
view
the
projected
duration
of
projects
and
tasks
and
estimate
revenue
for
each
job.
Businesses
can
set
up
job
records,
phases,
and
cost
codes
for
that. 

Sage
50
allows
them
to
track
job
costs
from
purchases,
inventory
adjustments,
payroll,
and
other
job-related
expenses.
Using
it,
companies
can
easily
identify
over-budget
jobs
and
control
their
costs
before
completion.

Reporting

Companies
can
use
Sage
50
cloud
accounting
tools
to
generate
more
than
150
types
of
reports,
including
specialized
ones
for
the
construction,
manufacturing,
and
distribution
sectors.
Users
are
just
a
click
away
from
creating
reports
on
expenses,
profits,
account
payables,
account
receivables,
sales
taxes,
inventory
tracking,
payroll,
and
jobs.
Sage
50
supports
batch
report
generation
and
report
grouping
using
report
groups.
It
also
allows
report
customization,
search
through
text,
detailed
transaction
view,
and
applying
filters
for
personalized
views.

Sage
Security
Shield

Sage
50
offers
an
industry-first
security
suite
named
Security
Shield
to
small
and
medium-sized
businesses
for
cyber
threat
protection
and
internal
fraud
security.
It
provides
businesses
with
control
of
their
identity
protection
without
any
additional
cost.
Sage
Security
Shield
also
protects
companies’
financial
wellness
and
safeguards
sensitive
employee
and
business
data.

Expense
Management

With
Sage
50,
companies
get
real-time
expense
data
at
their
fingertips.
It
gives
them
instant
access
to
the
payment
information
and
updates
it
immediately
online.
Automated
expense
recording
makes
it
easy
to
keep
track
of
expenses
and
ensures
accurate
claim
processing
on
time.

Bank
Reconciliation

The
bank
reconciliation
feature
saves
time,
reducing
manual
data
entry
by
the
accounting
team.
It
also
offers
peace
of
mind
to
the
concerned
people
by
letting
them
stay
on
top
of
the
organization’s
cash
flow.
Sage’s
bank
reconciliation
functionality
supports
having
access
to
a
bank
feed,
allowing
the
automatic
flow
of
transactions
into
the
software
and
the
import
of
transactions
in
various
file
formats.
Sage
50
also
enables
bank
rules
for
the
automatic
reconciliation
and
processing
of
transactions
received
from
online
bank
accounts.

Workflow
Management

Sage
50
users
do
not
get
a
full-fledged
workflow
management
system
that
extends
to
broader,
cross-departmental
workflow.
Instead,
they
get
a
limited
approval
workflow
mainly
focusing
on
financial
transactions.
Companies
can
create
approval
levels
for
checks
or
journal
entries,
ensuring
proper
authorization
is
done
before
processing.
Sage
50’s
approval
workflow
is
primarily
for
internal
financial
processes
and
adds
a
layer
of
control
to
the
company’s
financial
data.

Role
Based
Permission

With
role-based
permission,
Sage
50
improves
the
security
of
business
data
by
assigning
specific
permission
to
users
based
on
their
company
roles.
Admins
can
create
different
roles
for
employees
like
accountants
or
managers
and
grant
each
role
specific
permissions
to
create,
edit,
or
view
data.
An
accountant
has
full
access
to
financial
data,
while
the
managers
can
only
view
the
employee
salary
data.
It
prevents
data
from
unauthorized
access
and
streamlines
user
experience
by
providing
only
necessary
information.

What
are
the
Benefits
of
Sage
50?

The
benefits
of
Sage
50
are
outlined
below.

Simplifies
Accounting
Tasks 

Sage
50
helps
businesses
manage
their
finances
by
automating
complex
accounting
tasks
like
invoicing,
billing,
expense
tracking,
employee
payroll,
and
bank
reconciliation.
Companies
do
not
have
to
focus
on
repetitive
bookkeeping
tasks
as
they
can
rely
on
Sage
50,
which
offers
automated
data
entry
and
customizable
templates.
It
provides
accounts
payable
and
accounts
receivable
management
tools
to
ensure
efficient
cash
flow.

Tracks
Cash
Flow

Sage
50
users
can
effectively
monitor
the
cash
inflows
and
outflows.
It
offers
real-time
insights
into
cash
balances,
allowing
businesses
to
decide
on
spending,
investments,
and
debt
management.
Companies
can
identify
potential
cash
flow
issues
for
taking
proactive
measures
to
maintain
financial
stability.

Manages
Inventory

Sage
50
enables
efficient
inventory
management
by
tracking
inventory
levels
and
stock
movement
so
that
companies
can
optimize
operations
and
profitability.
With
accurate
inventory
data
through
inventory
turnover
and
valuation
reports,
businesses
can
avoid
stockouts
or
overstocking.
It
helps
them
reduce
carrying
costs,
manage
purchase
orders,
track
suppliers,
and
improve
satisfaction
through
customer
management.

Tracks
Expenses

Expense
management
becomes
easy
with
Sage
50
tools
that
effectively
categorize
and
track
business
expenditures.
Companies
can
seamlessly
record
expenses,
attach
receipts,
and
reconcile
bank
statements.
Sage
50
lets
organizations
create
custom
expense
accounts
based
on
specific
needs,
maintain
accurate
financial
records
to
identify
cost-saving
opportunities,
and
streamline
tax
preparation.

Creates
Reports

Sage
50
users
do
not
have
to
depend
on
any
other
software
to
generate
comprehensive
financial
reports
on
valuable
insights
into
the
company’s
performance.
It
saves
their
time,
eliminates
the
risk
of
data
error
or
discrepancy
during
data
transfer,
and
spares
them
the
hassle
of
switching
between
multiple
applications.
Using
its
customization
option,
users
can
create
reports
on
income,
expenses,
profit
margins,
and
cash
flow.
Sage
50
also
provides
standard
financial
statements
on
balance
sheets,
income,
and
cash
flow.
All
these
reports
allow
businesses
to
make
informed
decisions,
monitor
financial
health,
and
identify
business
trends.

Provides
Insights
into
Job
Costing
and
Profitability

Businesses
that
manage
projects
benefit
from
Sage
50’s
job
costing
feature.
It
helps
them
track
labor,
materials,
and
overhead
costs
to
determine
each
project’s
profitability
accurately.
Sage
50
analyzes
job
performance
in
detail
to
distinguish
between
profitable
and
unprofitable
projects.
Using
such
insights,
companies
can
make
data-driven
decisions
regarding
pricing,
resource
allocation,
and
project
management.

Integrates
with
Other
Business
Software

Companies
can
extend
Sage
50’s
capabilities
by
integrating
it
with
third-party
software.
This
allows
them
to
streamline
operations
with
Sage
AP
Automation,
Avalara,
Microsoft
365,
inventory
management,
etc.
The
list
of
compatible
partners
is
available
in
the
Sage
marketplace.
Users
can
easily
filter
the
applications
based
on
software,
category,
industry,
etc.

Payroll
Processing

Sage
50
automates
accurate
and
faster
payroll
management
with
its
comprehensive
features.
It
automates
all
the
major
tasks,
reducing
the
chances
of
errors
and
duplicate
entries.
Sage
50
processes
a
company’s
payroll
at
any
predetermined
interval,
such
as
monthly,
weekly,
biweekly,
etc.
Employees
can
get
their
payslips
through
their
employee
app,
email,
or
hard
copy.
Moreover,
it
lets
companies
comply
with
the
latest
standard
regulations
and
laws.

Provides
Security
Features

Sage
50
prioritizes
data
security
and,
hence,
offers
robust
security
measures
to
protect
businesses’
sensitive
financial
information.
These
features
include
data
encryption
and
regular
software
updates
to
prevent
potential
vulnerabilities.
Sage
50
supports
data
backup
and
disaster
recovery
to
ensure
business
continuity
in
unforeseen
events.
It
enables
companies
to
perform
user
access
controls
to
stop
unauthorized
access.
With
all
these
measures
to
protect
financial
data,
Sage
50
helps
maintain
compliance
with
industry
regulations.

Sage
50
Pricing

The
Sage
50
offers
3
different
plans
specialized
for
solopreneurs
and
small
and
industry-specific
businesses.

Plan	Pricing (monthly)	Ideal for
Pro Accounting	$60.08	Solopreneurs, entrepreneurs, and small businesses
Premium Accounting	$103.92	Small businesses that need advanced accounting features
Quantum Accounting	$177.17	Companies that need industry-specific functionality

How
to
Try
Sage
50
for
Free?

Users
can
take
a
test
drive
to
try
Sage
for
free.
They
can
fill
out
a
form
and
register
for
a
test
drive.
They
will
get
a
link
through
a
registered
email,
clicking
on
which
will
take
them
to
the
trial
of
the
Sage
50
software.
The
test
drive
link
is
valid
for
30
days.
This
trial
provides
sample
data
and
does
not
allow
users
to
include
their
own
data.

Who
Should
Use
Sage
50?

Small
businesses
and
medium-sized
businesses
should
use
Sage
50
for
financial
management.
It
is
also
ideal
for
accountants
and
bookkeepers
to
help
them
with
invoicing,
expense
tracking,
payroll,
and
financial
reporting.
Sage
50
is
also
suitable
for
retail,
manufacturing,
construction,
SaaS,
hospitality,
healthcare,
distribution,
and
professional
services. 

Who
Shouldn’t
Use
Sage
50?

Large
enterprises
or
accounting
firms
shouldn’t
use
Sage
50.
Since
Sage
50
is
suitable
for
small
to
medium-sized
businesses,
it
does
not
offer
features
that
can
handle
complex
financial
structures
or
a
high
volume
of
transactions.
Accounting
firms
need
specialized
features,
integration
capabilities,
and
scalability
that
are
not
available
in
Sage
50.

Sage
50
Customer
Support

Sage
50
offers
live
chat
support
to
its
users.
Customers
can
also
submit
their
cases,
and
the
Sage
technical
support
team
will
reply
to
them
via
email.
Sage
50
also
offers
a
Knowledge
Base
where
users
can
find
support
articles
on
any
topic.
It
has
a
community
forum
where
users
can
get
assistance
from
fellow
users.

Sage
50
Integrations

Sage
Marketplace
offers
a
rich
collection
of
supported
third-party
applications,
allowing
companies
to
extend
Sage’s
functionality.
Nineteen
of
these
apps
are
compatible
with
Sage
50.
Popular
integrations
include
BizOps,
CartSpan,
Fortis,
Paya,
Sage
AP
Automation,
Stripe,
SYNC,
Zynk,
etc.

What
is
the
Difference
Between
Sage
50,
Sage
100,
and
Sage
300?

The
difference
between
Sage
50,
Sage
100,
and
Sage
300
is
outlined
below.

Plans	Starting Pricing (monthly)	Core Features	Suitable for
Sage 50	$60.08	Entry-level accounting, cash flow management, payroll	Small and medium businesses
Sage 100	Custom pricing	Accounting and finance, CRM, sales, reporting	Growing businesses that need scalability
Sage 300	Custom pricing	Multi-entity and multi-currency support, project management, business intelligence analytics	Global enterprises with complex financials

Is
Sage
Accounting
App
Available
on
Mobile?

Yes,
the
Sage
accounting
mobile
app
is
available
on
Android
and
iOS
devices.
It
is
suitable
for
sole
traders
and
small
business
owners
who
work
on-site
or
on
the
go.
The
app
lets
users
perform
tasks
like
invoicing,
banking,
and
managing
cash
flow.

Does
Sage
Offer
AI
Features?

Yes,
Sage
offers
AI
features
with
Sage
AI.
It
offers
a
real-time
view
of
performance
and
makes
proactive
suggestions
based
on
the
data.
It
instantly
detects
and
fixes
erroneous
transactions
and
automates
time
tracking
and
invoice
chasing. 

Is
Sage
Difficult
to
Learn?

Yes,
Sage
is
difficult
to
learn.
Users
need
to
have
basic
accounting
experience
and
knowledge
to
run
Sage
properly.
However,
Sage
offers
various
learning
materials,
such
as
tutorials
and
online
videos,
to
help
you
master
the
software.

Sage
50
Alternatives

Different

accounting
software
can
be
Sage
50
alternatives
based
on
different
business
needs.

FreshBooks

Small
businesses
and
freelancers
who
do
not
need
complicated
accounting
management
functionalities
can
use

FreshBooks
instead
of
Sage
50.
It
is
a
user-friendly
software
for
easy
invoicing
and
expense
tracking. 

QuickBooks
Online

QuickBooks
Online
is
the
suitable
Sage
50
alternative
for
businesses
that
do
not
need
complex
inventory
management
and
need
their
employees
to
start
using
the
accounting
software
without
a
steep
learning
curve.
Companies
focusing
on
accounting,
payroll,
and
inventory
management
can
choose
QuickBooks
Online. 

Xero

Xero
is
an
ideal
choice
for
businesses
tha
emphasize
real-time
collaboration
and
bank
reconciliation.
Companies
that
do
not
want
to
spend
time
on
software
learning
and
have
a
limited
budget
must
choose
Xero
over
Sage
50.

Sage
50
Verdict

Sage
50
is
accounting
software
for
small
and
medium
businesses.
It
is
an
excellent
product
for
businesses
without
complex
accounting
requirements
or
budget
constraints.
Sage
50
receives
the

Geekflare
Amazing
Value
Award.

However,
large
enterprises
or
businesses
with
limited
budgets
should
avoid
Sage
50
and
choose
any
of
its
alternatives.

Explore
more
on
Accounting
Software