Latest Version Offers Easier Access to Key Business Information, New Business Productivity Tools, Sage Payment Solutions Integration, and Improved Manufacturing Modules.

Sage Software announced today the launch of Sage Pro ERP 7.5, the latest version of the company’s award-winning business management solution for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) that demand a high degree of customization and flexibility in their enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. Version 7.5 includes many user-requested features, providing new tools to improve business productivity and provide easier access to critical business information. Expanded drilldowns in reports are now available, with more customer and vendor maintenance access added to an updated dashboard. Integration with Sage Payment Solutions is also now offered for easy, more efficient handling of customers’ credit card payments. The manufacturing modules in Sage Pro ERP 7.5 have been simplified to make them more user-friendly, with new time-saving features that can further help increase productivity.

“Sage Pro ERP 7.5 continues this product’s heritage of serving the needs of SMBs who have unique requirements that demand a customizable ERP system,” said Sam Hunter, Sage Software senior vice president and general manager. “This new version offers additional tools and enhancements to help these businesses operate even more efficiently and further maximize their productivity — it’s a very flexible and customizable system available at a very attractive price point.”

Sage Pro ERP is a powerful, highly customizable business management solution that features modifiable source code (200 edition), a scalable architecture, choice of operating systems (Microsoft® Windows® or Linux®), and a complete set of optional, integrated manufacturing modules, plus integration with other Sage Software end-to-end business management applications and services, including customer relationship management (CRM), human resources, fixed asset management, warehouse management, payment processing, and various 3rd party vertical solutions offered by authorized Sage Pro ERP Development Partners.

“Sage Pro ERP 7.5 is better and more user-friendly than ever,” said Brady Preheim of Preheim Computers, a Sage Pro ERP business partner located in Scappoose, OR. “The new integration with Sage Payment Solutions is great. Sage Payment Solutions is easier to set up and simpler to use than other payment processing systems we’ve previously implemented. We’re also impressed with the custom drilldowns available in almost every field. Sage Pro ERP 7.5 is a substantial upgrade that both existing and new clients should seriously consider.”

Simpler Access to Key Business Information

Sage Pro ERP 7.5 offers a much simpler and more user-friendly drilldown process to help users operate more efficiently. Drilldown options are now available from more reports, with new access to Invoices, Purchase Orders, and Sales Orders. For maximum customization, users can also tie custom drilldowns to reports, giving them access to key information.

Users can now remotely manage their customers and vendors using an improved dashboard tool that offers anytime access to customer and vendor files via users’ Internet connections. The enhanced dashboard can perform any of the newly available customer- or vendor-related inquiries, such as Payments, Receivables, Invoices, and Orders.

New Business Productivity Tools

Sage Pro ERP 7.5 also offers a host of new business productivity tools to help users further maximize efficiency and improve their customer service, including a Landed Cost feature for more accurate inventory valuation of imported goods; Job Cost Integration with the Manufacturing modules; seamless integration between Sage Pro Credit Card Processing and Sage Payment Solutions Gateway for easier, more efficient handling of customers’ credit card payments that eliminates duplicate data entry and the need to reconcile separate systems, and; improved program File Security with the ability to restrict access by user to specific program files, providing greater security of business application files for customers that are governed by Sarbanes-Oxley requirements.

Improved Manufacturing Modules

New enhancements in the Manufacturing modules for Sage Pro ERP 7.5 have been added to more easily manage the manufacturing process, including a Work-In-Process Release to General Ledger feature that helps maintain accurate inventory counts within the Sage Pro system; Easy-to-use Wizard functionality added to several Work Order processing functions that simplifies overall processing by reducing required keystrokes and the learning curve for new employees, and; Master Production Scheduling that features easy to update, drag-and-drop interactive scheduling, and Work Order priority ranking to better and more quickly schedule orders for priority customers, and help simplify ‘what-if’ analysis.

Pricing and Availability

Available in two editions, 100 and 200, Sage Pro ERP 7.5 is now available from authorized Sage Pro business partners starting at SRPs of $995 per module/$1,195 per user for Sage Pro 100 ERP, and $1,995 per module/$1,295 per user for Sage Pro 200 ERP (all figures USD). To locate a Sage Pro business partner, call 866-859-2378, or visit www.sageproerp.com.

Sage Software announced  general availability of Sage MAS 90 and 200 ERP 4.3, the latest versions of the company’s award-winning flagship ERP solutions. Small and mid-sized business (SMB) owners have enjoyed the value of automating and streamlining business processes with Sage MAS 90 and 200 for more than 20 years. Version 4.3 provides even greater value for businesses with new paperless office capabilities, enhanced business intelligence functionality, plus other features that help users not only save the environment, but also save money.

“Business owners today actively search out ways to maximize the value of their capital investments and software is no exception,” said Himanshu Palsule, executive vice president Strategic Business Unit in Sage Software’s Business Management Division. “Sage MAS 90 and 200 deliver incredible value by providing powerful business intelligence features normally found in high-end ERP solutions. Version 4.3 also helps our customers create a more environmentally friendly operation with paperless office and other ‘Green’ features.”

The new Sage MAS 90 and 200 paperless office features provide users with document imaging and storage, email and e-fax capabilities to dramatically cut paper consumption. Users also are able to quickly and easily find files, view reports and forms, and print only pages needed for specific tasks. Emailing and e-faxing eliminate wasted paper, toner and postage costs when invoicing customers, communicating to employees or vendors, and sending promotional materials to prospects and customers.

Sage has announced a strategy revamp which will see Web 2.0 functionality merged into its CRM products in an attempt to take on stalwarts Microsoft and Salesforce.com.
Sage’s new CRM products, which will be available as in-house or SaaS deployments, will incorporate Internet and Web 2.0 standards, enabling businesses to draw information from external sources such as LinkedIn.

The software will also be able to interoperate with ERP software both from Sage and other vendors. The key to competitive advantage in CRM is the ability to deliver a consistent user experience on the customer’s tool of choice –- regardless of where and when they are using it.

The new capabilities will be delivered incrementally between now and 2010,with some coming in this calendar year.Internet mash-up capabilities for all three of Sage’s CRM product lines, ACT! by Sage, Sage CRM and Sage SalesLogix have already been introduced in 2008.