What Is Sage Business Cloud Accounting?
For many years, small to mid-sized organizations across the U.S. relied on Sage Business Cloud Accounting (SBCA) as a trusted solution for managing their financial operations. SBCA offered an accessible platform for handling core accounting tasks, including invoicing, expense tracking and financial reporting, making it a popular choice for businesses seeking a cost-effective and user-friendly system. Its cloud-based design allowed companies to manage finances remotely and collaborate efficiently, which was especially valuable for organizations with limited IT resources.
However, this long-standing solution reached a major milestone at the end of 2024. On December 31, 2024, Sage officially retired SBCA in the U.S., marking the end of its availability for new and existing users.
This decision was part of Sage’s broader strategy to transition customers to more advanced platforms that offer enhanced functionality, scalability and integration capabilities. While the retirement did not immediately disrupt access for existing users, it signaled the need for organizations to begin planning their migration to alternative solutions.
The impact became more significant in early 2025 when technical support for SBCA ended on January 31, 2025. Without ongoing support, businesses still using SBCA face increased risks related to troubleshooting, compliance and security.
Adopting a modern accounting system that can meet evolving business needs and regulatory requirements is essential for CFOs and finance leaders who want to futureproof their organization. For organizations that have not yet transitioned, Cherry Bekaert can assist you in choosing, implementing, and even providing ongoing support for a new Sage solution.
Choosing a New ERP Financial Management Platform
Selecting financial management or enterprise resource planning (ERP) software is one of the most critical decisions an organization can make. The right solution impacts how efficiently a business tracks its financial health, manages cash flow and ensures compliance with ever-changing regulations.
Beyond day-to-day accounting, modern financial systems provide insights that help leaders make informed decisions and position their organizations for long-term success. Choosing the wrong system can lead to inefficiencies, data inaccuracies and missed opportunities for growth.
Today’s financial management platforms go far beyond basic bookkeeping. They integrate with other business systems, automate repetitive tasks and provide real-time reporting that supports strategic planning. For small to mid-sized organizations, these capabilities can be transformative: reducing manual work, improving accuracy and freeing up time for higher-value activities.
As technology evolves, businesses need solutions that can scale with their growth and adapt to new compliance requirements, making the selection process even more important.
With the retirement of older solutions like Sage Business Cloud Accounting, many organizations are now evaluating alternatives that offer advanced functionality and long-term support. This transition is an opportunity to upgrade to a system that not only meets current needs but also positions the organization for future success. However, navigating the options can be challenging, especially when balancing cost, complexity and integration requirements.
Alternatives to Sage Business Cloud: Key Differences
When selecting a software solution, it’s not a one-size-fits-all process. Here are some key differences between Sage Intacct, Sage 100 and Sage 100 Contractor.
|
Focus Area |
Sage |
Sage 100 |
Sage 100 |
| Primary Use Case | Cloud-based Financial Management | Desktop ERP for Accounting & Operations | Construction-specific Accounting & Project Management |
| Deployment | Cloud Only | On-premise or Cloud-hosted | On-premise or Cloud-hosted |
| Accounting Features | Advanced Multi-entity, Multi-currency | Core Accounting, Job Costing | Construction-specific Job Costing, Payroll |
| Project Management | Basic (via Integrations) | Limited | Built-in Project Scheduling, Change Orders |
Sage Intacct
Sage Intacct is a leading cloud-based financial management and accounting platform designed to help mid-sized organizations streamline their operations and improve efficiency. Built with scalability in mind, it offers robust functionality for managing core financial processes such as accounts payable, accounts receivable, general ledger and cash management. Its intuitive interface and automation capabilities reduce manual work, minimize errors and free up time for finance teams to focus on strategic initiatives.
One of the key advantages of Sage Intacct is its ability to deliver real-time visibility into financial performance. Through advanced reporting and dashboards, organizations gain actionable insights that support better decision-making and long-term planning. The platform also integrates seamlessly with other business systems, enabling a unified view of operations and eliminating data silos. This level of connectivity ensures that financial data is accurate, timely and accessible across the organization.
As businesses grow and regulatory requirements evolve, Sage Intacct provides the flexibility and compliance tools needed to stay ahead. Its cloud architecture ensures secure access from anywhere, making it ideal for distributed teams and organizations with complex structures. By adopting Sage Intacct, companies can not only optimize their financial processes but also position themselves for sustainable growth and improved operational agility.
Sage Intacct has multiple features, including:
Real-time Reporting
Empower your finance team and decision-makers with immediate access to accurate, up-to-date financial data. Real-time reporting enables smarter and faster decisions with key performance metrics across departments, entities or locations.
Custom Dashboards
This is a powerful feature that allows users to tailor their financial insights to match their specific roles, responsibilities and business goals. Instead of relying on generic reports, users can build dashboards that display real-time KPIs, charts and metrics relevant to their department.
AI-powered Tools
These tools are a standout feature in Sage Intacct because they enhance automation, accuracy and decision-making across financial processes. These tools use AI and machine learning to streamline tasks like invoice matching, anomaly detection and predictive forecasting, reducing manual effort and minimizing errors.
Multi-entity and Multi-currency Support
These are key features because they enable organizations with complex structures or global operations to manage their finances seamlessly across different subsidiaries, regions or currencies — all within a single system.
Automated Workflows
This feature helps organizations streamline and standardize repetitive financial tasks, reducing manual effort and improving accuracy. These workflows can be configured to handle processes like approvals, invoice routing, expense reimbursements and journey entries — automatically triggering actions based on predefined rules.
Sage 100
Sage 100 is a comprehensive ERP solution designed for small to mid-sized businesses that need robust financial, operational and inventory management capabilities. Sage 100 offers on-premise and cloud-hosted deployment options.
Sage 100’s features include:
Automated Accounting and Finance Processes
This feature is beneficial, enabling users to automate invoice tracking, payment scheduling and cash disbursement. Additionally, automatically update tax tables and payroll deduction calculations to ensure compliance with changing regulations.
Real-time Manufacturing Tracking
Sage 100 is a standout feature in this area because it gives manufacturers immediate visibility into every stage of the production process — from live work ticket updates, to barcode scanning integration, to inventory synchronization and labor tracking.
Inventory Optimization
This feature helps businesses maintain the ideal balance between having enough stock to meet demand and minimizing excess inventory. Key inventory optimization features include real-time inventory tracking, automated reordering and demand forecasting.
Custom Integration
This feature enables businesses to connect the ERP system with other tools and platforms they rely on, creating a seamless, automated ecosystem tailored to their unique workflows. It eliminates manual data entry, improves decision-making, enhances workflow efficiency and supports scalability.
Paperless Document Management
This feature helps organizations digitize, organize and automate the handling of financial and operational documents, reducing reliance on physical paperwork and improving efficiency across departments. Benefits include centralized storage, automated document capture, workflow automation and audit readiness.
Enhanced Security
This feature contributes to protecting sensitive financial and operational data. It provides role-based access controls, audit trails, encrypted document storage, secure document distribution and password protection, and user authentication.
Sage 100 Contractor
Sage 100 Contractor is an ERP platform designed for small to mid-sized construction companies, including general contractors, specialty contractors, home builders and service contractors.
Its features include:
Job Cost Management
Sage 100 Contractor has multiple features that help construction businesses track, control and analyze every dollar spent on a project. Key features include detailed cost coding, real-time cost tracking, integrated payroll, change order management, and the ability to track purchase orders and subcontracts before invoices arrive.
Digital Cost Estimating
This feature helps construction businesses create fast, accurate and integrated project estimates. Features include takeoff and assembly estimating, integrated cost databases, bid items and phases, estimate-to-project integration, and digital takeoff integration.
Change Order Workflow
This feature helps construction companies manage project changes efficiently, transparently and with full financial control. Features include centralized change order entry, real-time budget and contract updates, subcontract integration, progress billing integration, and status tracking.
Reporting Dashboards
This powerful feature provides real-time visibility into your company’s financial and operational health. Features include customizable layouts, real-time data, drill-down capability, alerts and notifications, and change order tracking.
Mobile Capabilities
This feature extends the power of Sage 100 Contractor into the field, helping teams stay connected and productive. Features include field time entry, project document access, service dispatch and scheduling, daily field reports, and job cost visibility.
Microsoft Outlook Integration
This is a valuable feature that enhances communication, streamlines workflows and improves document management by connecting Sage 100 Contractor with your email platform. Features include email direction from Sage 100 Contractor, setting up automated emails for scheduled reports, and syncing contacts with Outlook to maintain a unified address book.
Make the Transition to a New Sage Solution Today
Choosing an ERP system can be a big decision. We’re here to make it easier. Our technologists take the time to explore different software options and work closely with you to find the one that truly fits your business. We focus on what matters most — your current operations and future growth — so the solution you choose delivers strong performance and scales with you over time.
Cherry Bekaert will collaborate with you to choose the right software, properly migrate your data, provide ongoing support and maintenance, and customize and optimize your solution.
We are a top five Sage Business Partner, which highlights our depth of knowledge, early access to innovations, and customization and integration capabilities. With decades of hands-on experience working with Sage products, we’ve seen it all. We bring deep knowledge and proven strategies to help you maximize your ERP investment. Schedule a call with us today.
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