Sage Transforms Accounting Professionals Into Trusted Advisors With New Curriculum

WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwired - Jul 23, 2013) -   Sage North America today announced from Sage Summit the launch of The Competitive Edge for Accounting Professionals: Value Beyond Tax and Compliance Services, a new CPE program for accounting professionals in conjunction with the Business Learning Institute. The Business Learning Institute has been creating custom learning solutions for individuals and organizations since 1999, working to provide clients with services and content to maximize success.

Over the last 18 months, Sage has done extensive research among the accounting community to truly understand what can be done to better support their business ambitions. "Research showed that 29% of firms only speak to their clients once a year, primarily during tax season," said Sage vice president of Partner Programs and Channel Sales Jennifer Warawa. "Our partnership with the Business Learning Institute to develop this new curriculum is the solution to educating accounting professionals on how to deliver value to their clients beyond tax and compliance services, with the end goal of increasing the value they bring as trusted advisors, ultimately creating greater business confidence."

The Competitive Edge for Accounting Professionals program recognizes that not all accounting firms and accounting professionals are starting at the same place. The program offers three separate tracks, with flexible and versatile training options: The technical expert track is geared at the CPA who is content with his or her practice structure, acts as an advisor to clients, and wants to enhance skills; the aspiring track attracts the accounting professional who wants to provide more consultative services to clients; and the visionary track focuses on the accounting professionals who are early adopters of technology, and already act as an advisor to clients.

Curriculum, available in various methods such as in-person seminars and vision workshops, will be delivered by both Sage and the Business Learning Institute. Vision workshops are hands-on, interactive sessions that guide accounting professionals through steps to create an actionable vision and strategy to help accounting professionals get closer to their clients, based on insights from past, present and future profession trends.

CPE credits are available for each course, and participants may self-select individual courses or complete a business profile survey to help identify which learning track meets goals and needs of the individual or firm.

About Business Learning Institute
The Business Learning Institute (BLI) is the leading provider of customized, competency-based curriculum and education for the Finance and Accounting Profession. Founded in 1999 by the Maryland Association of CPAs, BLI is a center facilitating the development and sharing of competencies and strategic knowledge required for leadership in today's rapidly changing business environment. BLI delivers competency-based curriculum, courses, content, and community to enhance learning and grow intellectual capital for organizational and executive leadership. For more information, please visit our website at http://www.blionline.org. Follow BLI on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/user/BizLearning, and Twitter, http://twitter.com/BizLearn.

About The Sage Group plc
Sage Group plc is a leading global provider of business management software to small and medium sized companies, creating greater freedom for them to succeed. Sage understands how and why each business is unique. We provide products and services that suit varying needs, are a pleasure to use and are secure and efficient. Formed in 1981, Sage was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1989 and entered the FTSE 100 in 1999. Sage has over 6 million customers and more than 13,380 employees in 24 countries covering the UK & Ireland, mainland Europe, North America, South Africa, Australia, Asia and Brazil. For further information please visit: www.sage.com

For more information about Sage in North America, please visit the company website at NA.Sage.com. Follow Sage North America on Facebook, Facebook.com/SageNorthAmerica, and Twitter, Twitter.com/SageNAmerica.

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