Welcome to Sage News

08/04/08

We would like to inform you that an important software update for Sage 50 Accounts 2008 is now available to download from the Sage website. We recommend that all customers using Sage 50 Accounts 2008 v14.00.12.0153 or v14.00.12.0154 download and install Sage 50 Accounts 2008 Update 1.

The update is available from http://www.sage.co.uk/updates/line50.aspx together with full instructions about how to download and install. Additional information can be found in Ask Sage Article 20514.

14/08/2007

New Sage 50 2008 to be released (beginning of September)

Sage Financial Controller now called Sage 50 Accounts Professional 2008

Sage Personnel now called Sage 50 HR

11/04/2005
Sage Announces Instant Addition to Forecasting Suite

Sage (UK) Ltd has announced the availability of Sage Instant Forecasting, an entry-level forecasting tool designed especially for small and start-up businesses. It is a lighter version of the well-established Sage Financial Forecasting and can be used as a standalone tool to construct vital forecasts.

Many small businesses do not need the in-depth financial detail that larger companies require, but they still usually have to provide their banks with reports and need to keep a tight reign on cash flow. Accurate cash flow planning and forecasting can be the difference between business success and failure for many smaller companies.
Jo Ray, Managing Director, Small Business Division, Sage (UK) Limited, comments; "Good financial management is not only about looking at the past, but also managing the present and planning for the future. Sage Instant Forecasting gives smaller companies an easy-to-use, effective way of graduating from Excel without investing in the full Sage Financial Forecasting tool, before they're ready. This product enables smaller businesses to effectively plan growth and assess risk, in a pain-free, easy way that just wasn't available before."

Sage Instant Forecasting enables small businesses to:
· Identify cashflow problems before they arise
· Produce professionally presented financial reports in a fraction of the time it takes to do manually
· Automatically update all profit and loss, cashflow and integrated reports when forecasts are changed or altered
· Improve forecasting accuracy in areas such as sales, costs, overheads, wages and fixed assets
· Explore growth opportunities with 'What if?' scenarios allowing users to assess the impact on their bottom line if they were for example, to raise prices, recruit staff or increase advertising spend
· Demonstrate professionalism and complete financial control to business partners, clients and banks

Individual features include multi-year forecasting, simple and flexible data entry, pr-formatted financial reports, drill down analysis and editing, real time financial forecasting, automatic VAT and loan calculations, 'What if?' scenarios, forecast wage costs and the integration with Sage Instant Accounts.

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29/03/2005
SAGE LAUNCHES HR ADVICE SERVICE

Sage (UK) Ltd recently launched a new service, Sage HR Advice. The service, developed as a response to customer requirements, is the first in a new range under the ‘Sage Business Advice’ banner and complements and builds on Sage’s existing products and services.

Sage HR advice combines the following key features:

- Legally reliable advice, written in plain English
- Promotes best practice HR advice, telling you what you can do – not just what the law says you can’t
- Website containing policies, procedures, step-by-step guides and over 100 template documents
- Proactive email alerts and newsletters keeping customers abreast of the latest HR requirements
- The premium tier of the service allows customers to speak to, or e-mail, HR qualified professionals for legally reliable advice

Jo Ray, Managing Director, Small Business Division, Sage (UK) Ltd, comments, “The service is another example of Sage responding to and meeting customer needs, and builds on our heritage of providing outstanding customer service. Human resources, whether it be recruitment, employee motivation or compliance is vital to any business. However, many small business owners do not have access to reliable, understandable advice. This service provides exactly that – it will help protect and grow your business, it pre-empts issues before they occur and it will also save time and money.”

The service can be provided directly by Sage, or through accountants and business partners to their clients. Sage is currently working with a segment of its existing customer base as it finalises the service offering with a view to a full launch of the service, across all channels, in Spring 2005.

HR Facts and Figures

- Tribunals: In 2003/04, over 115,000 new employment tribunal applications were registered, a 17% increase on the previous year.
- Awards: The average unfair dismissal award was £7,275, sex discrimination £12,971, disability discrimination £16,214 and race discrimination £26,660.
- Costs: Failure to follow regulatory procedures can result in compensation awards being increased by 10 - 50%.

Source: Employment Tribunals Service, Annual Report & Accounts, 2003-2004

- Importance: 75% place importance on human resource management issues.
- Compliance: Only 25% of those businesses that placed high importance on their human resources consider themselves compliant with the latest legislation.
- Payment: Nearly 25% currently pay more than £500 per annum in respect of human resource issues.
- Issues: Over 75% frequently encounter contract issues, and over 50% issues affecting job specifications, appraisals and recruitment procedures.

Source: Survey of 2,000 Payroll SageCover customers, 2004

For a detailed overview of prices for Sage's HR advice please see the attached 'Price Guide'.

Sage also has a number of tailored solutions for businesses with more than 500 employees, including HR Audit and in house training.