Sage UK Launches SaaS Accounting for SMBs

As Sage North America continues to expand its channel partner program, Sage UK has launched Sage One — a SaaS accounting platform for small businesses. Talkin’ Cloud is checking to see if SageOne will expand to the U.S.

The new SageOne offering gives “small business owners a simple, secure, low cost way to manage their finances and collaborate with their accountants in real-time.” According to a prepared statement, Sage One offers three different services, tailored to particular requirements:

• Sage One Cashbook – Allows sole traders and cash-based businesses to manage customers and suppliers, enter transactions, record banking, and share data with their accountant. It costs £5.00 per month (plus VAT).
• Sage One Accounts – Provides the ability to create invoices, calculate and submit VAT returns online and view a snapshot of business performance. It’s designed for small business owners who want greater control over their accounts. It costs £10.00 per month (plus VAT)
• Sage One Accountant Edition – Gives accountants anywhere, anytime access to client data and the ability to work collaboratively with clients in real time. Sage One Accountant Edition is free to all Sage Accountants’ Club members and costs £250 per annum for non-members.

Talkin’ Cloud is checking to see if SageOne or a similar Sage SaaS service will compete in North America, where accounting and ERP platforms are increasingly shifting to the cloud. A few examples:

• For small businesses Intuit continues to aggressively promote QuickBooks Online.
• For the SMBs and midmarket customers, SAP promotes Business ByDesign, a SaaS platform, to ERP channel partners. Also, hosting partners like Secure-24 are getting certified to host SAP applications.
• Microsoft recently launched Dynamics CRM Online, a global SaaS platform. And partners like VAR Dynamics are helping the channel to host Microsoft Dynamics on their own.
• NetSuite VP of Channel Sales Craig West offers some clues that NetSuite is preparing some new SaaS channel partner surprises.
• And upstarts like OpenERP are promoting their SaaS offerings to channel partners.

Meanwhile, Sage North America continues to march forward with its own partner program milestones. According to Sage VP Tom Miller:

• Sage North America added 123,000 new customers, or about 500 new customers every business day, during the company’s fiscal year ended Sept. 30, 2010.  Globally, Sage added 252,000 new customers during that fiscal year, Miller added.
• On the ERP front, Sage North America has experienced roughly 5 competitive customer wins each business day — meaning that roughly five customers are shifting from a rival ERP offering to Sage each day.

Still, we’re checking with Sage North America to see if the Sage One effort from the UK will land on U.S. shores anytime soon.

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