Accountancy software giant Sage has launched a new online subscription-based version of its software aimed at start-ups, micro businesses and sole traders. It plans to launch cloud versions for larger firms in the not-too-distant future.
The new cloud service, Sage One, will come in three principle flavours: a Cashbook cloud offering for €6 a month (plus VAT); an Accounts cloud offering with invoicing capability for €12 a month (plus VAT); and a Accountant Edition.
Sage Ireland CEO Liam Mullaney says the move into the cloud is a natural progression for Sage.
“But instead of doing what a lot of people do – recreate an existing on-premise solution – we conceptualised this from the ground up to work smoothly on any internet browser.”
His colleague Brian McIntyre, head of R&D at Sage Ireland, added: “We wanted to offer a solution that was easy to use for owner managers with the right terminology, feature sets, etc. We spent a huge amount of time with customers identifying what works and what didn’t work.”
The service will be supported by a free, 24-hour support service via the phone, email or on the web.
“At Sage, we believe service and support are just as important as software. We understand that the type of business that needs Sage One doesn’t necessarily work 9-5, which is why Sage One comes with 24/7 telephone support,” said McIntyre.
“We will be there at any time to provide our customers with the advice, reassurance and guidance they need. We believe our commitment to peace of mind will be of significant appeal to Sage One customers and their accountants.”
Development of Sage One
Sage One was developed using Ruby on Rails. It is the first software release by Sage Ireland that is designed to support both Mac and PC, and features highly customisable options, including invoice layout to help users present a professional, organised image to customers.
It was designed specifically for business users who want to take control of their finances without needing any accounting knowledge or IT skills, settings are automatically tailored to customer requirements to ensure users get the view that’s right for them.
In terms of security, the software was built from the ground up, including rigorous vulnerability testing throughout development, and 128-bit encryption to safeguard the integrity of data in transit.
Sage One is the latest addition to Sage Ireland’s cloud portfolio of solutions developed in Ireland, which includes Sage CRM, Sage Pay, Sage Coretime and Sage PeopleLink.
Erin McCann, commercial product manager at Sage Ireland, explained that the new cloud software works impressively on tablet computer devices, like the iPad, and the data can be easily exported to Excel spreadsheets, PDFs and other software clients.
