Financial software player Sage has revealed it has developed a mobile strategy that encompasses iPhone and BlackBerry apps which are available to download for Sage 50 business users.
Sage 50 is one of the most popular accountancy packages in the marketplace and it makes sense for mobile application versions to be made available for busy owner managers.
David O’Reilly, head of product marketing at Sage in Ireland, said that the company’s Irish operations worked closely with existing customers to ensure the apps were relevant to the market’s needs.
“We worked with our business partners and customers to bring the product to market. After introducing the BlackBerry app, it took us five weeks to perfect the Sage 50 version 2 app for the Irish market.”
Sage 50 support manager Paul Thompson explained that access to data and security were key considerations.
The apps can be downloaded directly through Sage’s homepage.
“The apps were developed as part of an internal product development steering group for the region and we worked with 600 customers to try it out,” O’Reilly explained, adding it was a joint project between the Dublin and Newcastle offices of Sage.
He said that an Android app will be coming next. “We see the Sage 50 mobile app as being perfect for the owner manager who likes to keep his finger on the pulse. We spent a lot of time working on the interface and ensuring security, which is based on Sage Passport, was working perfectly.
“Access rights are vital to the app because you can decide which users can access customer information and raise invoices.
“The apps are targeted at owner managers and sales people. They allow you to drill down into such information as who are your best customers, who are your overdue customers and in terms of access control, you can decide which sales people can access what information.
“The apps are 100pc secure via the Sage Secure Gateway. There is no synching involved because it’s all live so you see information in real time.”
Thompson said the apps have won an internal collaboration award at Sage and that an iPad app is in the works.
“For us, the challenge going forward is to make the apps as attractive and intuitive as possible,” said Thompson.
