Over time, it isn’t uncommon for businesses to find themselves in a situation where they’re using several different software solutions to manage everyday operations. Many will implement new software as and when their needs change, particularly during times of growth, resulting in an overly complicated and inefficient way of working.

If you have separate software solutions in place to manage things like your accounting, supply chain and customer relationships, you would likely benefit from upgrading to one all-encompassing system. However, the up-front cost of a new system can be off-putting so many will try to convince themselves that they’re coping just fine with their current software and that their inefficiencies aren’t holding them back.

The truth is, your software will have a direct impact on your ability to grow into a thriving business. Using Sage 200 to overcome common inefficiencies can transform your operations and enable you to run a faster, more connected business. Below we have listed some of the most common inefficiencies faced by small and medium-sized businesses, and looked into how Sage 200 can help you to overcome them.

As business owners and executives, we find ourselves with an ever-increasing to-do list and just when you think you're on top of things, it grows longer again. Do we actually thrive on being busy or do we crave a little less chaos and a little more control?

If things are going well and demand is high, then it’s all hands on deck. The sales, operations, procurement and finance teams are all busy, and they will be working away to meet customer requirements. If business isn’t doing particularly well, operations may experience some “calm” time, but other teams like management, sales and marketing will be working even harder to re-imagine, re-invigorate, re-engage and work out a strategy to generate additional revenue.

With all this busyness constantly going on around you, it can be easy for important tasks to get pushed to the bottom of your ‘to-do’ list time and time again. You may find yourself spotting issues when it’s just a little too late and all of your best-made plans for the day being scrapped as you try to find solutions to whatever it is you’re up against. Being hit with several reactive situations throughout the day such as your top salesperson being poached by a competitor, an important project missing a milestone or your best customer being let down with a late shipment, can cause you to take one step forward and two steps back every day.

Just as the world has returned to a pre-pandemic ‘normal’, soaring inflation rates and rising interest rates have caused a huge amount of uncertainty for businesses. Navigating the current economy is proving to be very difficult and even financial experts are struggling to predict what the start of 2023 has in store. That being said, you shouldn’t leave the future of your business to chance, especially in these uncertain times, and planning ahead is highly recommended.

When you’re trying to predict the future, the right software can make things much easier for you. With the help of Sage software and ProForecast, you will be able to make strategic decisions for the future of your business. Now is the perfect time to start using Sage 200 technology to your advantage and analysing past data to assist with forecasting for 2023. Below we have explored how Sage solutions can make strategic planning quick and easy, and help you to make more data-driven decisions.

Being responsible for all financial affairs makes a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) one of the most important employees in an organisation. In this modern day and age, the role of a CFO is continually changing and adapting too, and more so than ever before, CFOs play an integral part in the success of small and medium-sized businesses.

 Now that technology makes data more accessible, finance teams should be using this technology to their advantage. Having real-time data available at the touch of a button makes it easier for businesses to make strategic decisions for future growth and the information provided by CFOs is a key currency for businesses. Investing in new technology and embracing this modern way of working can help next-generation CFOs to drive a business forward.

Tracking Project Costs

Tracking and managing project costs is well-known for being difficult, and it’s something that businesses of all sizes struggle with. This is particularly true if businesses still use spreadsheets to track costs and they don’t have a more streamlined way of doing things. Of course, the more projects you’re dealing with, the harder it will be to keep up with costs too. Using spreadsheets has become an outdated way of working that makes things much harder for accounting teams working on business projects, especially during this time of economic uncertainty.

Thousands of businesses still use paper documents and the amount of paper being wasted by businesses alone is having a detrimental effect on the environment. Although paper documents are the most traditional option, in this digital day and age, there are better solutions available. All organisations should be considering replacing paper documents with digital documents, especially as more pressure is being placed on them to become more sustainable, and there are several advantages to implementing digital alternatives.

Our very own Steve Boyes and Amy Hughes discuss the challenges currently facing distributors, how upgrading Sage 50 to Sage 200 can help to overcome these, and how Envisage (a Sage 200 Partner) can assist.

It isn’t uncommon for organisations to have external approval systems in place with spreadsheets or forms covering everyday functions such as holidays, timesheets, expenses and sales orders. These functions often aren’t integrated with core ERP systems either and this can cause several problems. Not only does the lack of integration mean these functions require manual checking and manual sign-off, but it also prevents transparency and audit trails. Of course, the duplication of effort is a waste of time and resources too.

Regardless of the industry you serve, as a wholesale distributor, having control of your supply chain is essential. Not only do you need to ensure that the right product is delivered on time to the right customer, but you need to be able to provide any required information about the supply chain from point of manufacture through to point of delivery. For this reason, having end-to-end traceability is more important than ever before and distribution businesses of all sizes are placing a bigger emphasis on ensuring they have visibility throughout their whole supply chain.

Sage software can be extremely useful for your finance team and many businesses within the distribution industry use Sage software solutions to manage their accounts, payroll, cash flow and payments. However, many growing distribution businesses continue to use Sage 50cloud when it may no longer be the best option available for finance departments.