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Sage 50 Accounting Review
Table of Contents
- Sage 50 offers virtually any financial or inventory report a business could need.
- Reports can be generated in just a few clicks and seconds, making analysis fast and easy.
- Sage 50's robust reporting features overlap with full-scale inventory management software.
- Sage 50's TestDrive, its product tour alternative to a free trial, is difficult to use and doesn't accurately represent the actual software experience.
- While Sage 50 covers accounting basics like invoicing and expense management, many competing platforms are more intuitive in these areas.
- Sage 50 is priced significantly higher than most other accounting programs we reviewed, and it lacks a mobile app (though you can use it in a mobile browser).
Small business owners need clear insights into their company’s financial health, and many also want visibility into stock and sales performance. Some require especially complex reports but don’t have the time or expertise to navigate complicated tools.
Sage 50 solves these challenges with an extensive library of financial and inventory reports, from high-level overviews to granular analyses. Reports can be generated in seconds with just a few clicks, providing business owners with fast and actionable insights. Along with these reporting strengths, Sage 50 includes all the core accounting features a business needs to manage its finances effectively.
Sage 50 Editor's Rating:
8.6 / 10
- Affordable pricing
- 7.5/10
- Free trial
- 6/10
- Robust integrations
- 10/10
- Invoicing and bill pay
- 9.5/10
- Mobile app
- 10/10
Why Sage 50 Is Best for Financial Reporting
We chose Sage 50 as our top pick for financial reporting because it combines a wide variety of reports with a straightforward, intuitive reporting interface. From the main dashboard, you can access three core reporting modules and generate a detailed, complete report in seconds. This was the most seamless process we encountered when evaluating top accounting platforms.
Sage 50’s entry-level plan includes basic reports, while higher-tier (and more expensive) plans provide advanced and more comprehensive reporting options. These upper-level packages add significant depth, including detailed inventory reports that are usually available only in dedicated inventory management software. We believe Sage 50 is a great solution for businesses that need extensive reporting capabilities without layering on additional systems.
Usability
Sage 50’s usability varies across its features. On the plus side:
- Excellent reporting: The reporting suite is exceptionally user-friendly for both financial and inventory reports. Navigation is intuitive, and reports can be generated in just a few clicks. This was a level of speed and simplicity we rarely encountered when evaluating other platforms.
- Customization and navigation: Sage 50 includes customization and navigation tools that make the interface easier to manage. In the “Customers & Sales” module, for example, you can switch views between quotes, proposals and sales orders, while shortcut tabs provide quick access to invoices and connected apps. The left-hand menu also makes it easy to move between modules like “Vendors & Purchases,” “Inventory & Sales” and “Banking,” each of which includes task lists and related reports.
That said, other essential accounting functions, such as creating invoices and using expense management tools, felt less user-friendly. While we were able to complete these tasks, the layouts weren’t as intuitive and sometimes slowed down workflows.
To evaluate usability, we tested Sage 50 through its TestDrive, a product tour that replaces a free trial. While limited, this tool highlighted Sage 50’s reporting strengths, reinforcing our finding that its reporting suite is one of the most efficient in the industry.
Sage 50 Features
Financial reports | Generate both high-level overviews and detailed reports in seconds with just a few clicks, giving you fast access to the insights you need. |
|---|---|
Bank reconciliation | Easily match your books with your bank accounts. Sage 50 displays ending balances, outstanding checks, deposits in transit, general ledger balances and unreconciled differences. |
Invoicing, quotes and proposals | Create invoices from scratch or convert existing quotes and proposals into invoices to streamline your sales process. |
Expense management | Record expenses manually or save time by using Sage’s AutoEntry integration to automate expense capture. |
Inventory management | Track inventory items in depth, review sales by customer, and generate detailed profitability reports, bills of materials and serial number histories — features that rival dedicated inventory software. |
Financial Reports
There are several ways to generate reports in Sage 50, but the easiest is directly from the dashboard by clicking “Reports & Forms.” We found this ease of access, combined with near-instant generation, to be one of Sage 50’s standout features.
The platform includes more than 150 specialized reports, with options tailored to industries such as construction, manufacturing and distribution. One-click reports cover payables, receivables, sales taxes, expenses, profits, inventory, payroll and jobs.
You can also access:
- Cash flow projections
- Income statements
- Balance sheets
- Profit and loss statements
- Collection and payment reports
We found the visualization tools especially useful, particularly the cash flow setup. Sage 50 clearly displayed starting cash, incoming and outgoing amounts, ending balances and monthly totals in a simple bar graph. Accessing this well-organized information was straightforward and efficient.
Bank Reconciliation
Bank reconciliation is one of the most important features of accounting software, and Sage 50 handles it effectively. To access the module, click “Banking” from the left-hand menu and select an account to reconcile. Each account’s number, name and category (such as cash or accounts receivable) is listed for easy reference.
When you select an account, Sage 50 displays a list of bank transactions with corresponding amounts. At the bottom of the screen, you’ll see the statement ending balance, outstanding checks, deposits in transit, general ledger balance and any unreconciled differences, providing everything you need to complete reconciliation.
Overall, we found Sage 50’s reconciliation process straightforward and reliable. However, it isn’t as intuitive or advanced as Xero’s automated, rules-driven reconciliation engine.
Invoicing, Quotes and Proposals
In Sage 50, you can generate invoices from scratch or convert quotes to invoices with one click. We like that the quotes and proposals list clearly shows whether each item has been converted, and you can easily add stored customer contacts directly to invoices.
Sage 50 also connects invoices seamlessly to customer accounts and IDs. In the “Customers & Sales” module, the Customer Management tab provides a comprehensive list of a client’s invoices. You can set a date range to view invoice history, check statuses and track net due amounts — features that streamlined our accounts receivable management during testing.
Expense Management
In 2019, Sage acquired AutoEntry, an expense management platform now fully integrated with Sage 50. AutoEntry streamlines expense handling by capturing data from invoices, bank statements and receipts, while leaving categorization decisions to you. Although we wished there were automatic categorization features, we appreciated having full control over classification, approvals and sign-offs before moving expenses into Sage 50.
Once in Sage 50, expenses can be viewed in a comprehensive list for any selected period. You can also create expenses manually, though we found the interface somewhat clunky compared with competitors. Overall, the AutoEntry integration provides reliable expense management, but Sage 50’s built-in tools could benefit from additional refinement.
Inventory Management
Sage 50 offers some of the most advanced inventory management tools we’ve seen in accounting software. You can create inventory items, including services, and track details such as class, price level and last unit cost. The platform also supports inventory adjustments and allows you to view item sales by customer, providing better visibility into demand and margins.
Inventory reporting tools extend these capabilities even further. From the inventory screen, you can generate profitability reports, bills of materials and serial number histories, all of which we found to be clear and well-organized.
Sage 50’s inventory suite comes closer to replicating the functionality of POS inventory management functions or dedicated inventory management software than most other accounting platforms. While it can’t fully replace a stand-alone inventory or POS system, its effective inventory management tools are rare among accounting solutions.
Sage 50 Costs
Sage 50 is among the pricier accounting platforms we looked at. That said, reporting is one of the most time-consuming and high-skill aspects of accounting, so it may well be worth paying more to streamline the function.
Here’s an overview of how Sage 50 pricing works:
Plan | Pricing | Features |
|---|---|---|
Pro Accounting | $668 annually ($66.08 monthly) |
|
Premium Accounting | $1,147 annually ($114.33 monthly) | Everything in Pro, plus:
|
Quantum Accounting | $1,994 annually ($198.42 monthly) | Everything in Premium, plus:
|
Hosted | Custom pricing | Everything in Quantum, plus:
|
Additional pricing notes:
- Payroll bundles: Sage 50 and Sage Payroll are available together, with pricing based on employee count. For example, the Pro Accounting package with payroll for up to 10 employees costs $1,086 per year.
- Accounting and HR bundles: Accounting and HR bundles are also available, but pricing is custom.
- Paid add-ons: Popular add-ons include AutoEntry (data capture), pre-printed checks and forms, and integrated Stripe or PayPal payment tools that let customers pay directly from invoices. (Prices vary; contact Sage.)
- Integrations: Through the Sage Marketplace, you can connect Sage 50 to a range of third-party apps, including POS, reporting, e-commerce and CRM tools. Pricing varies by integration.
- TestDrive: Sage 50 doesn’t offer a traditional free trial. Instead, you can access its TestDrive — a cloud-hosted version preloaded with sample data and navigation guidance. While useful for seeing the product in action, we would have preferred a true free trial with a cleaner interface and editable data.
Sage 50 Setup
Sage 50 is generally ready to use out of the box, though you’ll still need to complete some initial steps, such as linking bank accounts and adding inventory items. We found the setup process straightforward overall, and Sage provides ample support to help new users get started.
If you’re migrating from another platform, including QuickBooks, Sage 50 includes an import wizard that makes it easier to bring over your existing accounting data. Sage also offers onboarding resources like the built-in Help menu, Sage University training modules and live chat support to guide you through implementation.
Sage 50 Customer Service
Sage provides a blend of automated tools, live assistance and self-service resources designed to help users make the most of the software.
- Sage Assistant: This 24/7 virtual assistant can answer common questions on demand, making it easy to get help at any time. If Sage Assistant can’t resolve your issue, it will connect you with a live support agent during business hours for further assistance.
- Sage Expert Services: For businesses seeking more personalized support, Sage Expert Services provides one-on-one sessions with experienced consultants. These premium services can cover tasks such as custom reporting, installation and data migration, upgrades and year-end workflows. An initial consultation is free, so you can explore whether this level of support fits your needs.
- Self-service: The Sage Resource Center provides a wide range of tools for users who prefer to troubleshoot on their own. The searchable Knowledgebase includes product guides, downloads and license information, while the Community Hub offers a 24/7 forum where Sage staff and other users collaborate to answer questions and share insights.
- Training: Sage also invests in education and skill-building. Sage University delivers structured online courses to help business owners and accounting teams maximize the software’s features. In addition, the Sage Member Masterclass offers expert talks and articles on broader business topics like digital transformation, AI adoption and growth strategies.
Sage 50 Drawbacks
Although Sage 50 is powerful for advanced accounting needs like reporting and inventory management, we noted several potential drawbacks.
- Higher prices: Sage 50 is more expensive than many cloud-based accounting platforms, including QuickBooks Online and Xero. Businesses that need advanced reporting and inventory functions may be able to justify the price, but smaller companies could struggle to balance the features against the cost. Check out our FreshBooks review and our Zoho Books review to learn about more budget-friendly options.
- Mixed usability: While Sage 50’s reporting suite is exceptionally easy to use, some other functions — like invoicing and expense management — felt less intuitive. If streamlined usability is a priority, you may prefer a platform such as Plooto, which offers a simpler interface for everyday accounting tasks. Our Plooto review highlights its user-friendly accounting functions and easy bill payment features.
- Limited integrations: Unlike cloud-first systems that connect with hundreds of third-party tools, Sage 50 integrates with only a relatively small set of add-ons, such as Microsoft 365, Sage Payroll, AutoEntry and certain payment processors. This could be restrictive if you want a broader ecosystem. In contrast, as we note in our QuickBooks Online review, this solution boasts over 800 integrations.
- Mobile access limitations: Sage 50 doesn’t offer a dedicated mobile app in the U.S. (Sage Business Cloud Accounting, which included mobile access, was discontinued in the U.S. in 2024). Although the software includes some cloud connectivity for backups and limited remote access, it remains primarily a desktop solution. If you’re looking for more mobile functionality, check out our Wave Financial review. This solution allows you to easily create, send and track invoices on the go
Methodology
To identify the best accounting software for businesses, we evaluated each platform’s features, usability, pricing, customer support, integrations and implementation. We also compared how platforms handled core functions like invoicing, expense management and reporting, along with advanced tools such as inventory management.
To select the best accounting software for reporting, we focused on the breadth, depth and speed of available reports. Sage 50 stood out for offering hundreds of financial and inventory reports that can be generated in just a few clicks, with results appearing almost instantly. This combination of speed and comprehensiveness made it our top choice for businesses that prioritize financial reporting.
Sage 50 FAQs
- Pro Accounting: $668 per year. Includes one user, invoicing, bill tracking, reporting, inventory management and expense management.
- Premium Accounting: $1,147 per year. Expands to five users and adds advanced reporting, budgeting and job costing.
- Quantum Accounting: $1,994 per year. Supports up to 40 users and adds role-based permissions and workflow management.
Overall Value
We recommend Sage 50 for …
- Businesses that need a wide variety of financial and inventory reports.
- Organizations that want reports generated in seconds with minimal effort.
- Companies seeking robust inventory management features within their accounting software.
We don’t recommend Sage 50 for …
- Businesses on a tight budget.
- Organizations that prioritize ease of use for basic functions like invoicing and expense management.
- Companies that want a traditional free trial before committing to an accounting platform.
