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Why does no one tell you how much you are going to be charged by Sage to upgrade to Client Management! I was told that there is an initial payment of over £1000 then for every client I add you have to pay Sage £250. How on earth is a newly started sole trader expected to pay amounts like that? Anyone any other software companiues they can recommend
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- Member PM.Dip
- Practice Licence
- 35 posts
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Hi Lynne
You may want to get a quote from SJ Software, who are a Sage reseller. In August they quoted me £600 (+ VAT) for Sage 50, 1 user, 5 companies, with £300 (+ VAT) for each additional block of 5 companies.
Still pricey, I know, but a vast improvement on going direct to Sage!
Helen
PS Tell them you are a bookkeeper when you ask for the quote, as it is a bookkeeping package.
Edited at 27 Oct 2011 11:42 AM GMT
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Sage is my preferred software, purely because it is what I've trained on, but I too have been put off by the prices.
When I first looked at going into practice about 3 years ago, Sage offered the "bookkeepers club" which was about £25 a month for a few licences, software upgrades and support included, but they don't do that anymore. The alternative is the accountants club which is over £700 per year. I don't earn accountants' money unfortunately - so I can't afford this option.
I haven't bought a package yet for myself, as my clients either have one already, or are close to year end - at which point I'll get them set up with something then. I'm in a similar situation though. Might have to do some free trials -because I don't want to buy a package - only to find it doesn't suit me.
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- Member
- Practice Licence
- 8 posts
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I too had this problem at the start and was lucky enough to have most of my clients buy the sage instant software themselves if they wanted to use this program. The only other problem is you can only have 1 copy of sage per laptop/computer so i was working accross 2 laptops and 1 computer at the time.
Now 11 Clients on i have purchased the Sage 50 client manager accountants software which also coverts to any version of sage data so i have one laptop and can use the one program for all my clients whichever version they are on if they also have there own. it cost me £850ish but i pay installments monthly of £87. although still expensive it is a more affordable way and allows me to grow my business better.
Although i also have quickbooks i must say i do prefer using sage and so do most of my clients.
Make sure you ask about the installment option as it is interest free.
Thanks Cerri
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- Fellow
- Practice Licence
- 27 posts
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I use Sage but for many of my smaller clients I use an alternative software called VT. I was introduced to VT by an accountant some 10 years ago and have never looked back.
This is a very user friendly package and is also ixbrl compliant.
The price for the software is in the region of £190 and payable annually thereafter.
The subscription is for upgrades and support.
It's excel based and is very useful if you want to export reports to excel. Very easy to flip between year end dates.
It does VAT and will produce statutory accounts by linking to the final accounts excel file.
I don't think it does payroll but as I use Sage for this I have not checked to see if it does or does not.
You can visit their website and download a free trial.
Hope this helps, Pam
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- Companion Fellow PM.Dip
- 1139 posts
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Hi I suggest you ask to speak to your Sage accounts manager. I have a 25 company 6 user Licence for from Sage for £495 plus vat for client manger. So unless you are adding a extra company on top of the minium of 25 you would not be paying £250 for everyclient.
You would be cheaper to buy a 50 company licence or you sure you have requested the right package. I have been with sage over 10 years and have never paid that price or nor would I.
I suspect you have been given the wrong price by miles. If not ask to speak to Customer Complaints Department. I am on the sage user group and the prices you have mentioned are incorrect.
Edited at 27 Oct 2011 01:23 PM GMT
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- Companion
- Accredited Training Provider TL
- 115 posts
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Helzsaid:
“
Hi Lynne
You may want to get a quote from SJ Software, who are a Sage reseller. In August they quoted me £600 (+ VAT) for Sage 50, 1 user, 5 companies, with £300 (+ VAT) for each additional block of 5 companies.
Still pricey, I know, but a vast improvement on going direct to Sage!
Helen
PS Tell them you are a bookkeeper when you ask for the quote, as it is a bookkeeping package.
Edited at 27 Oct 2011 11:42 AM GMT”
Hi Helz
We work closely with Sage Business partners. If you could send me that quote I can have a look at it for you and maybe get something a bit better. I can't mention names or promote on here but would be happy to pass on the information privately. You can contact me directly by e-mail g.hupston@training-link.co.uk if you wish.
Regards
Gary
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Thank you for all the replies! I have tried a few of the suggestions but will definately try and call them again. They were trying to get me to update to Sage 50 Accounts for 1 user, 3 companies total of £1042 inc VAT and every client after that was £250 each up to 6 clients then I had to pay £500 for up to 10 clients!!!! Thought these companies were meant to help not hinder! Keep the suggestions coming, thanks again.
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Hi Lynne,
Have a look at the Sage Accountants club, the prices you're being quoted are ridiculous. Accounts club, client manager and 10 companies is £720 (25 clients is £750 ex vat then each additional block of 25 clients is £50 on top). You may also be able to split the cost over 10months by dd.
Follow the links in Sage Accountant Store.
Edited at 27 Oct 2011 06:13 PM GMT
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- Companion Fellow PM.Dip
- 1139 posts
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Hi
I have a 25 company 6 user Licence for from Sage for £495 plus vat for client manger. So I think £720 still sounds a lot. As Tony says above it is not £250 extra per client.
I would ask for customer service as I have seen quotes from sage at very low prices sent to my clients.
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Just last week I basically wrote a stinker to the survey on Sage and they still had the nerve to call me back. This was after pressure selling, refusing to listen to background about change of name etc etc. They've just lost another customer.
Since then, I had another look at VT Transaction and VT Final Accounts and still love it so looks like they will be getting my money instead of sage.
Sage is super for invoicing for high volume sales etc, but I really dont rate it as a good bookkeepers package - it's more data input friendly really.
I have since spoken to quickbooks which I think I will likely use for the high volume clients and stick to VT for the yearly accounts/tax returns.
Basically they have a Proadvisor Programme for £345 per year. This includes Quickbooks Premier, Quickbooks Pro (one copy) or three copies of Simple Start to pass to Clients, Phone Support (free phone), listing on Proadvisor Website, Training etc. There is no charge per company, it's unlimited.
VT Final Accounts is £200 per year but isn't as fancy as it's based on excel.
good luck :-)
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Hi Sarah.
I don't understand Sage pricing and they must pass on massive savings to long term users. I'm making an assumption here but I think you've posted before that you've used Sage for a long time. The prices I quoted are what I paid last week for my renewal and it's the same as quoted on the website.
@Liz - I agree. I use both Sage and VT. VT is aimed squarely at Bookkeepers and Accountants and "knocks spots" off Sage for clients who only require me to complete statutory reporting plus the Cash accounting scheme for vat actually works properly,
Sage, however, wins for clients who require management reports such as itemised aged debtors, departmental analysis.
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Sarah
Thanks for replying to my question. I have contacted Sage again and told them exactly what you had told me and they say that there is no way a Sage package for that amount of companies and 6users could possibly have cost that amount of money (£495 + VAT), they suggest that you have missed out a "0" on the end! They are still quoting me £800 plus the £250 per company extra. Can you help any further. As a new company with no money coming in yet, I cant afford to lay out that sort of money.
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- Companion Fellow PM.Dip
- 1139 posts
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lynneAsaid:
“Sarah
Thanks for replying to my question. I have contacted Sage again and told them exactly what you had told me and they say that there is no way a Sage package for that amount of companies and 6users could possibly have cost that amount of money (£495 + VAT), they suggest that you have missed out a "0" on the end! They are still quoting me £800 plus the £250 per company extra. Can you help any further. As a new company with no money coming in yet, I cant afford to lay out that sort of money. ”
Hi Lynne
I can promise you they did not leave out a 0 as I have paid the invoice . I would not be able to run a business if there was another o . They also sent a letter to one of my clients with cheap prices . I have kept it somewhere I will try to dig it out for you. Lynne if I get a chance after the conference . Are you at the conference , maybe we could catch up.
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- Member PM.Dip
- Practice Licence
- 115 posts
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Wow Sarah, you've got a good deal. I was quoted £1000 for client manager and payroll 1 user 5 companies. This was far too much for me.
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Sarah.
If you have the secret key to affordable Sage, please please please share. I am also getting quoted daft figures by Sage, and this just means that (although I love working on Sage) I'll have no option but to buy something else when the time comes.
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I got a deal with Sage last September by joining their accountants club. Sage 50 Accounts 2011, 5 companies, 2 users, Sage 50 Payroll 2011 single user,single company. I also purchased a Sage passport for training and as a club member get 20% off. There are also free upgrades,for example I have been sent FOC Client Manager 2012. Sage offered me interest free payment terms of £84.00 a month for 10 months. On the downside the accountants club should reply to emails within 1 day and telephone calls should be returned within 30 minutes, it doesn't happen. In my experience you have to call them, emails tend to not be answered. I was at a Sage training course last week for 2 days and the general consensus was Sage technical support was not that great and very inconsistent.
I wish I had known about Sage partners before I made my purchase the savings are substantial. You can find them on the Sage website and well worth a look.
Tim
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- Companion Fellow PM.Dip
- 1139 posts
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Hi Timm
I have to disagree about the techinical support . I use this heavily for clients for different secarinos and they have been excellent.
I have also been on the training days were people have complain , but it also turns out that they have not rung sage after saying they had and have been quick to withdraw the comment when questioned. My techinical queries have always been answered straight away through my own account or my clients account.
I do think the account managers are not as good as what they once were, but that is a different issue. The technical line is very good, if you are not happy with the solution they have given you , then you need to let them know that solution has not worked. I have often had them on the phone for more then a hour talking me through something. As I say with my business it pays for itself. Yes it is worth looking up your local sage partners as there are huge discounts to be had.
When I am next at the USER group in Newcastle I will raise all the above issues for everyone. Do you mind if I ask whether you are upgrading and if or it is a 50 company or 25 company for the client manager.
It sounds like the Sales team in Sage are been very agressive which I will also raise. After the conference in the new year . I might write to them to see how we get on.
Edited at 10 Nov 2011 11:47 AM GMT
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Sarah, thanks again for replying to my question, if you could find the invoice and email it to me thatt would be brilliant, I called them again and this time they quoted £850 for 3 compaies and still £250 for each other company! he didnt believe me about what price you paid so if I could proof it that would be great. lynnelanderson@aol.com
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Hi again all,
I've had to back down and upgrade with Sage - two of my biggest clients dug their heels in .....
After what I felt was backing me up against a wall and refusing to listen about name change etc, I received a call back after completing a survey.
I have ended up on accountants club wich is a yearly payment - £595+vat (normally 695+vat but had kicked up such a stink) for sage accountants club professional - dont need payroll at the point so didnt go for premium.
Sarah, just wondering if your price is yearly? From what I can tell they might be quoting Lynne for just the Client Manager software as a one off payment but yours might be accountants club yearly subs....
I have got to mention that I'm not happy about the amount of software issues I am finding that really should have been sorted out long before now on Sage 50 Accounts. I have been calling and emailing them and some are known issues some aren't and have been escalated. However I should also mention that they do always answer the phone within five minutes (in fact 1.5mins has been average) but the emails can be up to 3 days, not the 24 quoted (although in fairness it was Friday late afternoon and it did take me a while to realise I was sending it to the wrong support email address.....)
Anyways, I guess there is no going back and I had better get of my behind, get more clients and start working harder as now I need to justify that cost every year 
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- Companion
- Accredited Training Provider TL
- 115 posts
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It seems to me that some of you dont seem to be factoring in your costs when taking on a new client.
I know it is dificult to ask for money when pitching to a potential new client, but it is not unusual to charge a setting up fee, taking into account setting up the client on your software plus the extra time involved consulting and getting to know how your clients business works.
The set up fee can be easily justified, and as you are speaking to a person in business they will understand all about costs. if need be the blow can be softened by offering to spread the cost over the first few months. It also makes sense if you tell them that it is more cost effective for them to be on a computerised system instead of manual. A £350-£400 set up fee is not going to scare them off so be confident about it and your software issues are over.
Regards
Gary
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- Companion Fellow PM.Dip
- 1139 posts
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Hi Gary
This is excellent advice. I always charge set up costs depending on the zise of the company anything from £300 to £1,000 hence why I do not like or give fixed price there and then. Sometimes the staff that are supposed to enter stuff do not always know what they are doing and this needs to be looked at. Like spot checking a backup like a quick audit at your own office without the client overlooking your shoulder.
Edited at 11 Nov 2011 01:30 AM GMT
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- Member PM.Dip
- Practice Licence
- 195 posts
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I do not charge a fixed set up fee but I do charge an increased hourly rate that includes an element of setting up so for example a client I took on recently was charged £25 per hour for initial setup and resolution of old queries, problems, setting up PAYE, submitting old VAT returns etc then this dropped to £20 per hour once everything was resolved. The increase in hourly rate is not just for hassle it also goes some way to covering software costs as I run Sage, QB, 12Pay and VT so costs are significant.
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- Companion Fellow PM.Dip
- 1139 posts
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Hi
Can I direct you to the forum to the software section. re sage costs. We shall hopefully have some really good news from sage after a successful conference. I am in present discussions with Sage.
I can confirm that Sage have now read these posts and have already started to contact some of you.
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