Sage Software Launches Sage BusinessVision 50 Accounting Version 7.2 for Growing Small Businesses

MISSISSAUGA, ON--(Marketwire - March 12, 2008) - Sage Software announced today a new version of its business management solution for growing small businesses, Sage BusinessVision 50 Accounting 7.2. This latest release includes an extensive list of customer-focused enhancements designed to deliver a better, more intuitive user experience, along with many new performance improvements and features in several modules, which further demonstrate Sage Software's ongoing commitment to providing products that meet the needs of its customers.

Sage BusinessVision 50 Accounting is an affordable, easy-to-use business management solution for growing small businesses that require a step above entry-level accounting applications, but don't yet require a more sophisticated, full-fledged enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution, such as Sage Accpac ERP. Sage BusinessVision 50 Accounting helps small businesses automate processes throughout their operations, including receivables, payables, inventory, payroll, job costing, and point-of-sale, among many others. Its advanced functionality, easy to use features and affordable cost make it an ideal choice for companies that have outgrown entry-level bookkeeping software such as Intuit® QuickBooks®.

"We continue to deliver on our promise to provide Sage Software's customers with the tools they need to help further streamline and automate their business management processes," said Sam Hunter, Sage Software senior vice president and general manager of the Value Business Unit. "Sage BusinessVision 7.2 also represents our commitment to innovation by ensuring it is meeting clients' business needs both today, and in the future."

Version 7.2 offers even more benefits that help to make internal business processes operate faster and easier, so users can spend less time focusing on daily tasks and more time on planning for future business success. It also runs on the new Microsoft® Windows® Vista™ operating system.

User Efficiency Updates in Purchase Order and Order Entry Modules

New functionality in Sage BusinessVision 50 Accounting version 7.2, such as the ability to more easily e-mail purchase orders and update vendor specific costs, plus improved, faster order entry processes, will help users get their work done faster, and more accurately.

New Customization Options

With version 7.2, users can now further customize their Sage BusinessVision system to work the way they do, with the flexibility of even more configuration options. For example, the Sage BusinessVision Desktop can be personalized for and by each user, and security protocols that designate employees' access can be applied to custom reports.

Improved Inventory Management

Sage BusinessVision 7.2 provides tighter inventory control features that translate into more accurate inventories, and improved time and cost savings as significant user errors can now be avoided. Businesses can now set up multiple units of measure for each product. Inventory can be purchased and sold in different measures while continuing to maintain an accurate count of how many individual units are in stock. Inventory details can be viewed at any time in sales, purchase, or stock measure. Purchase cost and sales prices can also be configured differently for each measure. Businesses can also track multiple UPC codes per product, use non-physical inventory items, and specify whether backorders and returns are permitted on an item-by-item basis.

General Ledger Module Enhancements

Gaining quick and accurate insight into any business is critical to maintaining a competitive edge. Sage BusinessVision 7.2 allows easy access to multiple years of historical business and financial data from one place. The enhanced General Ledger history lookup can access up to 99 years of history in seconds, right from the inquiry screen. Access to more historical data offers the ability to more effectively analyze trends and avoid future potential issues. Users can now also quickly import a new chart of accounts when creating another set of company data, or import transaction information from outside sources, such as payroll, accountant-mandated adjustments, or from other companies, with just a few simple clicks of the mouse. Several new options allow even tighter control over the heart of the system, such as a new print option in Journal Entry, validation on account segments and a new system warning that identifies when General Ledger integration with other components of the system has been turned off.

Fixed Asset Management Integration

With version 7.2, users can now easily move fixed asset management data from the Sage FAS 50 Asset Accounting system (version 2008.1) into their Sage BusinessVision 50 Accounting General Ledger, giving consistency to the information entered and reducing the risk of data errors caused by manual entry.(2)

Sage FAS 50 Asset Accounting provides advanced fixed asset accounting and reporting features for businesses needing fixed asset management for up to 1,000 fixed assets. Offering effective decision-making tools for integrated accounting environments like Sage BusinessVision 50 Accounting, Sage FAS 50 Asset Accounting gives a thorough overview of a company's fixed assets at every stage, and is one of the easiest to use, most affordable solutions of its kind in the industry.

Pricing and Availability

Sage BusinessVision 50 Accounting 7.2 Standard Edition, (U.S. and Canadian versions), which includes 18 accounting and business management modules, and supports either one, five or ten users, is now available through authorized Sage BusinessVision business partners across North America starting at an SRP of $3,595 (USD), $2,695 (CDN) for the one user system.

For additional information, contact Sage Software at 800-945-8007 (option 5), your local Sage BusinessVision business partner, or visit www.sagebusinessvision.com.

About Sage Software

Sage Software supports the needs, challenges and dreams of nearly 2.8 million small and medium-sized business customers in North America through easy-to-use, scalable and customizable software and services. Our products support accounting, operations, customer relationship management, human resources, time tracking, merchant services and the specialized needs of the construction, distribution, healthcare, manufacturing, nonprofit and real estate industries. Sage Software is a subsidiary of The Sage Group plc, a leading global supplier of business management software and services to small and medium-sized businesses. Formed in 1981, Sage was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1989. Sage Group now has 5.5 million customers and employs over 13,900 people worldwide. For more information, please visit the web site at www.sagesoftware.com or call (866) 308-2378.

© 2008 Sage Software. All rights reserved. The Sage Software logo and the Sage Software product and service names mentioned herein are registered trademarks or trademarks of Sage Software or its affiliated entities.

(1) Source : IDC Canada 2008 -- Small business ( 1-99 employees ) and Medium-sized organizations ( 100-499 employees); from Canadian Enterprise Applications 2006 Vendor Shares, (IDC Doc #CA9EA7)

(2) Note: Only version 2008.1 of Sage FAS 50 Asset Accounting has the Sage BusinessVision 50 Accounting export option, and only Sage BusinessVision 50 Accounting version 7.2 supports the import from Sage FAS 50 Asset Accounting. Functionality is for U.S. editions of both products only. A new version of Sage FAS Canada 50 Asset Accounting edition, which will include integration with the Canadian edition of Sage BusinessVision 50 Accounting 7.2, is scheduled to be available sometime next year.

Contact Information: Media Contact: Mark Priscaro Director, Public Relations Sage Software (925) 931-7048 mark.priscaro@sage.com