Sage Business Cloud Accounting is a subscription-based business accounting software.
There are numerous business accounting software solutions out there, and Sage Business Cloud Accounting may or may not be the best one for your business to use.
Because every business has different needs, it is important to evaluate the specific things that your company will do with its business accounting software. Sage Business Cloud Accounting has some great features, but it also lacks other tools that some businesses might find useful.
Like most of the business accounting software options in the market today, your company can subscribe to Sage Business Cloud Accounting, without having to make a long term commitment. Let’s have a look at all the things that Sage Business Cloud Accounting can do, and what kind of features other platforms offer as well.
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Basics
Sage Business Cloud Accounting is a platform that is made to help small businesses keep track of their books. It has a handy mobile app that will work with both iOS and Android, and it can also be used on a desktop computer.
The platform used to be known as Sage One, but today it has been renamed as Sage Business Cloud Accounting. It can be used once your company purchases a monthly subscription, and there are two plans to choose from.
Here are the two plans that Sage Business Cloud Accounting offers:
- Accounting Start–$10 USD/Month The Accounting Start plan from Sage Business Cloud Accounting will give your business access for a single user, and will offer a bank feed, expense management, invoicing, and reporting. You will be able to use the mobile app with this plan as well.
- Accounting–$25 USD/Month The Accounting plan gives your company everything that the Accounting Start plan includes, and adds access for multiple users, in addition to the ability to keep track of multiple companies. Your account will also support basic inventory management, and bill tracking. There is a tool that will allow your companies to forecast cash flow, which can be useful.
Using Sage Business Cloud Accounting
Getting set-up with Sage Business Cloud Accounting is a very straightforward process. Once you buy a subscription, you will be able to log in and go through the checklist which will help you add all the necessary information. It is worth mentioning that while the company has ‘cloud’ in its name, it is actually not a cloud-based platform.
You will be able to access information on Expenses, Sales, a Cash Flow Statement and Cash Flow Forecasts (depending on the plan you choose to buy) from tabs on the website. You will also be able to display the information in chart form, which can be a great way to visualize the health of your company.
Boost Efficiency
Sage Business Cloud Accounting has some great features that will help you save time. The platform has an Accounting plan feature that will help your business create estimates, and also convert them into invoices that can be paid online if you elect to connect a Stripe account to your age Business Cloud Accounting account.
The platform also allows you to connect all of your bank accounts, as well as credit card accounts. If you choose to do this, your business will be able to reconcile any bank charges with all of your other accounts, which will be done automatically. All of your transactions will be automatically downloaded, and the platform will be able to use the data in all the statistics it generates, as well as planning.
If you want to do your work from a mobile device, the app from Sage Business Cloud Accounting can do a lot to help you stay busy on the go. You will be able to record expenses, send invoices, photograph receipts, and view metrics from your mobile device.
More Features
Sage Business Cloud Accounting will also help your business to reorder anything that it needs and will keep track of inventory levels if you want the platform to do so.
The platform allows you to either automatically import the stock levels from another program, or manually set desired stock and reorder levels. Once you set it up, the platform will make sure that the right amounts are ordered when levels fall to the specified amounts.
There are more than 20 different kinds of reports that Sage Business Cloud Accounting will generate so that you can actively monitor the performance of your company whenever you like.
Metrics like a balance sheet, profit and loss, trial balance, aging reports, and a general ledger can be generated whenever you like and exported as a spreadsheet if need be.
Sage Business Cloud Accounting offers integration with more than 40 other platforms via the Sage marketplace and will allow your company to connect directly with many POS and CRM platforms.
If you are wondering if Sage Business Cloud Accounting will work with your current systems, have a look at its support section, or drop the company an email.
Additionally, Sage Business Cloud Accounting has an active community of users that offer their opinions on how to take full advantage of the platform. If you need help from the company directly, subscribers can use the online ticket-based support system.
Where is Sage Business Cloud Accounting in the Industry?
There are many accounting solutions for small business accounting in the marketplace today. It is a good idea to understand the kinds of features that exist, so your company gets the most for its money.
Sage Business Cloud Accounting is part of a growing trend that sells business accounting software on a subscription basis and offers a capable suite of accounting tools for around $300 USD per year.
Many of the features that are included with both of the plans from Sage Business Cloud Accounting can be found on other business accounting software platforms, and there are a few things that Sage Business Cloud Accounting can’t do.
If your company needs to create recurring invoices, there are no plans from this software company to help. This may or may not be an issue for your company, but it is better to know up-front, especially if you sell things on a subscription basis.
Sage Business Cloud Accounting also lacks automated payment reminders, but a workaround is to send your clients invoices every month with the platform.
The platform can’t automatically track billable hours, nor can it add billable expenses to an invoice. This may be a deal-breaker for small businesses that need to bill for time or tack on expenses to an invoice.
There are numerous other business accounting software solutions out there, and many can also be subscribed to on a month-to-month basis. The platform is a very good solution for many businesses, but there are some others that could be a better fit.
Other Platforms to Consider
There are a lot of options when it comes to a subscription-based accounting platform for your small business. If you need to have features that Sage Business Cloud Accounting doesn’t offer, here are a few other accounting platforms that might work for your business needs.
Wave Financial
It might come as a surprise, but there are actually free business accounting software platforms out there. Wave Financial is one of the best ones there is and may be a good way to get going if you don’t want to pay a monthly fee.
Wave Financial offers a lot of features for free, and you can add online credit card processing, mobile apps, and payroll services for a fee. The only real drawback to the platform is that your company will have to pay if it needs to expand into more advanced services, which may be a problem if your company is already established.
Regardless, Wave Financial is a great business accounting package that is free to start using. If you find out that it isn’t the right accounting solution for your company, at least it didn’t cost you anything to try it out.
QuickBooks Online
QuickBooks Online is a multi-tiered business accounting platform that will work for just about any SME, from a single freelancer to a medium-sized company with numerous employees. One of the best parts about QuickBooks Online is the number of different plans it offers, so your company can buy the perfect plan for its needs.
Here are all the plans that QuickBooks Online Offers:
- Self-Employed Plan – $10 USD per Month QuickBooks Online built this plan for a freelancer that has basic accounting needs For $10 USD per month, you will be able to track mileage, income, and expenses, and also issue invoices. You will have access to some basic reporting features, but it is the only plan that can’t be upgraded later on. If your business outgrows this plan, you will have to start a new small business account to stay with QuickBooks Online.
- Simple Start Plan – $20 USD per Month The most basic small business plan fro QuickBooks Online is the Simple Start Plan. It is designed for a single user and allows a small business to start tracking sales tax, generate invoices and estimates, and create some basic reporting. The only thing it lacks from the Self-Employed Plan is the mileage tracker, as this plan is aimed at retail, or sales-based, business.
- Essentials Plan – $40 USD per Month If your business has grown past a single employee, the Essentials Plan allows it to add up to three people to the company. The account will also track time, as well as bills.
- Plus Plan – $70 USD per Month At $70 USD per month, the Plus Plan will let your company manage inventory, as well as create purchase orders, track projects, and pay independent contractors. The company can add up to five employees to this plan and is clearly aimed at larger SMEs.
- Advanced Plan – $150 USD per Month If you need to have advanced reporting abilities and up to 25 employees on the company’s account, the Advanced Plan from QuickBooks Online is the way to go. Your company will also receive dedicated customer support and free training on some of the more advanced features.
With the exception of the Advanced Plan, all of the plans from QuickBooks Online can be used on a 30-day free trial before committing to a subscription. The only real downside to QuickBooks Online is the price of some of the more advanced plans, while they pack a ton of features, they aren’t cheap.
Zoho Books
Zoho Books is one of the most popular small business accounting software platforms there is. It exists totally online and can be used from any browser, anywhere. The service levels are broken into three different categories, and many useful services can be added on a per-item basis for a small fee.
The Three Service Plans are:
- Basic Plan–$9 USD per Month
- Standard Plan–$19 USD per Month
- Professional Plan–$29 USD per Month
There are also add-ons like scanning and snail mail, all of which are billed to your company if you opt for them. Zoho Books is one of the best options for small businesses, and won’t eat up any space on your computers!
Will Sage Business Cloud Accounting Work for Your Business?
If your company is in need of a well-designed business accounting solution, Sage Business Cloud Accounting is worth a look.
The platform doesn’t have all the features that some businesses may require, so it is a good idea to layout the features your company needs before it takes the plunge into integrating a new accounting platform.
One of the nicest things about the platform is the price, and both of its plans are very competitive with other, similar offerings in the marketplace. It also has great mobile apps, which makes it a good choice for business people on the go!
Overall Sage Business Cloud Accounting is a solid business accounting platform for SMEs that don’t need to track billable hours or create recurring invoices. It does create amazing reports that are on par with any of the other business accounting platforms that are available.
If you want to learn more about how to sign up for Sage Business Cloud Accounting, check out its website by clicking right here!