Small and medium-sized businesses using Sage 50 often ask us to explain the key differences between Sage 50 vs Sage 100.  Often times, they are experiencing growth or seeking ways to improve business efficiencies.

DWD has been a Sage Software Certified Partner since 2001 and has many years of expertise with both Sage 50 and Sage 100.

Sage 50 vs Sage 100 – Key Differences

Why do companies using Sage 50 switch to Sage 100?

  • Business has outgrown the solution (performance-related issues)
  • Need real-time control and visibility over all business activities to minimize operating costs.
  • Need Extended functionality (integrated barcoding, shipping, EDI, e-commerce, advanced inventory and warehouse management, etc.)
  • Provide easy access for remote users to connect to your system.
  • Looking for better manufacturing solution – Automate and streamline processes, Connect multiple systems and databases, Product Costing, Material Planning, Job Tracking, Work Order
  • Looking for better Distribution solution – Better visibility and tracking of inventory, lower overhead costs, increase sales with customer and item-specific pricing, e-commerce integration, better track, manage and reduce shipping costs
  • Integrated CRM solution automates sales, marketing & customer service activities

Sage 100 vs Sage 50 feature comparison graphic

Sage 50 vs Sage 100 Side by Side Comparison

SAGE 50 (QUANTUM) SAGE 100
Overall Strengths User-friendly, ability to invoice through mail or email, embedded payment link in emailed invoices, manage Fixed Assets, user- or role-based security. Integrations, customizable, strong manufacturing & distribution features, maintains performance up to dozens of users, integration between CRM, e-commerce and financials.  Data file sizes less restricted
Overall Weaknesses Decreased performance as soon as approximately 10 users concurrently access, product is specifically licensed by each computer where Sage 50 is installed,  high volumes of data can slow down the system and/or lead to data corruption, light audit controls/SOX compliance, inability to customize data entry screens, add new fields, or add customized functionality, limited integration and access to 3rd party functionality, limited ability to do substantial customizations to forms or reports, COGS is calculated, not posted to GL. Must use correcting transactions to fix errors, batch processing may lead to improper date postings.
Number of Users Up to 40 100s
Performance & Scalability Designed for a limited number of users and functions, simple business processes, few integrations to expand functionality. Supports larger file sizes, companies and user counts, supports SQL database, ability to modify software and workflow with scripting and screen customizations, many integrations available to enhance functionality.
Financial Management & Reporting Basic dashboard and limited financial report customization through Business Intelligence, export reports to Excel. Business Insights Dashboard, Reporter, and Explorer, integrates with Microsoft Power BI, create custom reports with Sage Intelligence Reporting and Crystal Reports.
Ability to Customize No customization ability except defining a limited number of UDFs (User Defined Fields). Extensive codeless customization, change and add screens, unlimited UDFs, ability to fully customize with programming if desired.
Best Fit Industries Financial, Distribution, Light Assembly Financials, Extensive Manufacturing, Multi-site Distribution
Best Fit Company Size Small to Medium Small to Large
Deployment Options On-Premise, Sage Drive Cloud On-Premise, Hosted Server, Private Cloud
Ease of Implementation Fairly easy to implement. Smaller software solutions tend to be easier to implement because there is much less flexibility to tailor the system to specific needs.
Avg Implementation Timeframe 1 to 3 months Core Accounting: General Ledger, Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable (2-4 weeks)
Payroll:  (2-4 weeks)
Distribution:  Inventory, Sales Order, Purchase Order (2-4 weeks)
Manufacturing:  Bills of Material, Work Order Processing (4-8 weeks)
Avg Implementation Cost $3,000 – $12,000 $5,000 – $30,000
Pricing Model License purchase with annual maintenance plan or subscription; named users Subscription; concurrent users
Annual Maintenance Cost $600 – $5,000 $600 – $30,000

 

Sage 50 vs Sage 100 Comparison FAQs

Both Sage 50 and Sage 100 offer core accounting capabilities including general ledger, accounts receivable, and accounts payable but functionality is one of the biggest differentiators between systems.  Sage 50 is best suited for smaller, entry-level businesses.  Sage 100 is a more robust system than Sage 50 and is best suited for those with manufacturing and advanced inventory needs.

Sage 50 (formerly Peachtree) systems are sold as small as a single user system all the way up to 40 user systems.

Sage 100 is able to support 100’s of users without effecting system performance.

While the product name has the word “cloud” in it, Sage 100 is not a cloud-native solution and is not hosted in the cloud.  With that said, there are a number of partners that offer hosting options for companies using Sage 100.

The premium edition of Sage 100 ERP runs on Microsoft SQL.  The Sage 100 ERP Standard and Advanced editions both run on Providex tables which is a proprietary database.

 

Growing Business with More Sophisticated Needs

As a Sage 50 user, you rely on the features of your accounting system.  If your company requires more advanced accounting, manufacturing or other specialized features, we can help.

If your business has grown, you’re seeking new ways to improve business efficiencies or you feel limited with a software solution that is not keeping up with the latest technological advances, now is the time to start planning for a successful transition.

Sage 100: Modern ERP

Moving to a modern ERP solution like Sage 100 will provide you with a more powerful, scalable ERP system to support your ongoing business needs.

Improve Critical Business Processes – receive regular product enhancements and take advantage of technology advances including mobility, business intelligence, cloud, and more.

Upgraded Technology – Sage 100 is built using industry-standard programming languages, incorporating the latest advances in technology.

Additional Functionality – Sage 100 offers add-on solutions and modules for bill of materials, supply chain management, advanced inventory, payroll, human resources, CRM, and more.  In addition, a variety of endorsed solutions provide industry-specific applications that seamlessly connect to Sage 100.

No matter your industry or business type, DWD can work with you to determine the best path to take with your Sage 50 software.

Manufacturing, Distribution, Wholesale, Service, Retail or Related Industries

Sage 100 has been a natural upgrade path for Sage 50 users for many years.

If you’re starting to look for new ERP, Business or Nonprofit software, we offer a free Software Needs Assessment to help you find the best software for your unique needs.

Contact us today!

 

More Sage Comparison Resources

FAQs About Key Differences Between Sage 50 vs Sage 100

The primary difference is that Sage 50 is an entry-level solution for small businesses whereas Sage 100 is a robust ERP system designed for small to large companies that require advanced manufacturing and distribution features. Sage 100 provides much stronger performance for larger data files and supports hundreds of users without the data corruption risks often found in Sage 50.

Sage 50 is limited to 40 named users and often sees performance drops when more than 10 people are logged in at once because the software is designed for smaller data sets. This can lead to system slow-downs as your team grows and more people try to access the financials simultaneously which often makes a transition to a more powerful system necessary.

Sage 100 can support hundreds of concurrent users and is built to maintain speed even as your team and transaction volume grow significantly. This makes it an ideal choice for businesses that have moved beyond a single office location and need a system that supports a much larger workforce across multiple departments.

Sage 100 offers flexible deployment options including on-premise and hosted servers or a private cloud environment. While it is not a native cloud SaaS product like Sage Intacct, it allows for easy remote access and provides the upgraded technology needed for a modern mobile workforce through partner-hosted solutions that keep your data secure.

The premium edition of Sage 100 runs on a Microsoft SQL database which allows it to handle much larger file sizes and more complex data handling than the file-based system in Sage 50. This infrastructure provides a more stable environment for businesses that need to connect multiple systems and databases while maintaining real-time control over all business activities.

No because Sage 50 is a legacy desktop-based product while Sage Intacct is a modern and native cloud financial management platform. While both are part of the Sage family, Intacct offers significantly more horsepower for multi-entity consolidations and automated workflows that Sage 50 cannot perform without manual intervention.

Sage Intacct is used for advanced financial management including multi-dimensional reporting and automated intercompany accounting as well as project costing and revenue recognition. It is the preferred solution for finance leaders who need real-time visibility into their business performance across multiple locations or departments from a single web-based login.

Unlike Sage 100 which uses Microsoft SQL, Sage Intacct is built on an Oracle database infrastructure that is optimized for cloud performance and high-speed data processing. This allows the system to handle millions of requests and provide instant reporting without requiring you to manage or maintain any local database servers.

Yes because Sage 100 includes specialized modules for job tracking and material planning as well as work order processing and bill of materials. It also offers advanced distribution tools such as integrated barcoding and shipping which provide much better visibility and tracking than the basic inventory tools found in Sage 50.

Sage 50 allows for very little customization beyond a few user-defined fields, but Sage 100 offers extensive codeless customization that lets you change or add screens and unlimited fields. You can also fully customize the system with programming if your unique business needs require a more tailored solution that fits your specific industry workflows.

DWD has been a Sage Software Certified Partner since 2001 and offers a free Software Needs Assessment to help you determine if Sage 100 or Sage Intacct is the right path for your growing business. Our experts have years of experience with both software solutions and can ensure that you receive regular product enhancements and a successful transition to a modern ERP that positions your business for success.

About the Author: Mary Hildinger

Mary Hildinger has been with DWD Technology Group since 1996. Mary is a Sage 100 Certified Consultant with over 29 years of experience. She has extensive experience with new software implementations (with a focus on core accounting, distribution and payroll), upgrades, training, and custom Crystal Report writing.

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