Credit: Katie Harp
The competitive edge for small and medium-sized businesses is not found in simply swapping one software suite for another, but finding the right fit for their unique business processes. There are a lot of options, but for many small and medium-sized businesses it comes down to Sage vs. QuickBooks.
According to a recent report by Software Path, companies spend an average of 17 weeks trying to find the right accounting solution. This indicates that it is truly a matter of best fit rather than a simple price comparison.
To speed up selections, narrowing down software solutions is ideal. The two top solutions most decision-makers are aware of are Sage and QuickBooks. Comparing Sage vs QuickBooks can lead to faster selection and implementation, as long as the information presented details the best features between both packages.
Sage vs QuickBooks Comparison Starting Points
Searching for the best alternative to QuickBooks is a matter of examining the current pain points within the organization around its use, support, maintenance, and extensions. It is also important to look at any QuickBooks alternative against the overall business objectives across the entire organization. A few leading questions come to mind:
- Who will be using the software the most?
- How will they use it?
- What’s the current solution? Is the focus on finding alternatives to QuickBooks Desktop, or is the search better focused on a QuickBooks online alternative?
- When it comes to searching for a QuickBooks alternative for small business, what features matter the most?
These leading questions are designed to spark internal discussion on requirements, which is the best way to begin a proper Sage vs QuickBooks comparison. While cost is indeed an important aspect of the discussion, features, and use cases are much more important.
Why Pursue Alternatives to QuickBooks Online?
QuickBooks is an online cloud-based solution for small businesses looking to begin making sense of their accounting needs.
However, many small and medium-sized businesses begin to run into some roadblocks that create a need to search for a QuickBooks payroll alternative.
Companies focused on scaling processes will find that their needs have grown to the point where looking for an Intuit QuickBooks alternative just makes sense. In fact, once companies examine the features of Sage, QuickBooks can look outmoded in comparison.
Credit: Scott Graham
Why Choose a Desktop Alternative to QuickBooks
When examining alternatives to QuickBooks for small business, it makes sense to start with looking at the best alternative to QuickBooks desktop. This platform has widespread adoption, as some companies prefer software that runs on the workstation instead of being in the cloud.
One area of concern for many businesses as they continue to grow is stronger internal controls. In a perfect world, no company would have to worry about embezzlement; however, this is a growing problem that software like QuickBooks Desktop can cover up until it’s too late.
According to Worgul, Sarna, and Ness, a leading criminal defense firm, embezzlement schemes through QuickBooks are not only on the rise but there are multiple schemes specifically designed to hide well within the platform.
Growing Inventory Demands Require Further Sage vs QuickBooks Comparison
Inventory management is a growing concern for companies in multiple industries. As the company grows, more focus has to shift to not just handling inventory, but ensuring everything is tracked properly. In QuickBooks, as inventory increases, performance issues can arise.
Compare this against Sage 100, where inventory is not only managed from start to finish, but deep data reporting and analysis can also highlight what to order next, as well as what products performed best within a particular reporting period.
Sage 100 is a strong QuickBooks alternative with inventory management features that deserve a closer look. Examining Sage accounting software vs QuickBooks is an ongoing process based on what’s currently being used in the organization, but inventory management does deserve extra attention.
Alternatives to QuickBooks Payroll Become a Necessity In Rapid Growth Organizations. Just about every organization has one thing in common: payroll makes up one of the largest expenses in the business. It makes sense then that the best alternative to QuickBooks online would have to include a focus on expanded payroll management and analytics.
Where the company spends money on its human capital is just as important as where it spends on other segments like inventory, technology, and training.
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Key Differences of Sage 100 vs QuickBooks Online
Speaking of payroll management, one of the key differences of Sage Cloud vs QuickBooks Online is that Sage 100 includes specific add-ons to take payroll management to the next level, without requiring reliance on third-party payroll services.
If pulling more processes in-house is a long-term business objective, a move to Sage 100 is a step in the right direction.
Another key difference is in performance and scalability. QuickBooks has a very low file limit as well as a historical data limit of 7 years. Access control in QuickBooks is also problematic as users can have multiple logins, a feature that is often difficult to spot until a security incident occurs.
Sage 100 is designed with strong database storage and scalability right out of the box; it can support file sizes up to 2GB and handle extensive historical data.
Rapid Sage Deployment Without Protracted Downtime
A company in the growth phase is better off focusing on core strengths, business objectives, and the overall vision.
Given the features of Sage 100 and how beneficial they are to small and medium-sized businesses, it makes sense to pursue a conversion and migration of data as soon as business needs call for it.
Kissinger specializes in deploying Sage solutions across companies in a wide variety of industries and verticals, focusing on implementation, customization, and ERP deployment solutions that minimize delays.
