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Confuseddotcom


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Sage rip off
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Hi all

I am searching for some sound advice!

Having been a die hard sage user for over 20 years, the time appears to have come to part ways! With MTD probably making it's way into our daily lives, I have decided that paying £150.00 or £1,800.00 (how much?!) is just utterly ridiculous! We are one company, one user (me) and thoroughly fed up with passing our well earned income to the wrong people. Included in that is the CIS module and we also pay £226.80 pa for payroll.

I am open minded about cloud based accounting but we need to cut down the annual cost.

What would be the best software to change to, likewise with payroll?

Any thoughts would be very welcome!

Happy Christmas all, and may we all be healthy, wealthy and wiser in 2019!

 



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NessHawkes
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Hi Ness
You do NOT need to pay sage for MTD software, nor do you need to upgrade Sage. STAY on the same product (except payroll and cis - see below).

These sales tactic LIES about both upgrading and MTD have been covered off many many many many many times on here.

For MTD use free or cheap as chips bridging software, or sign up for VT.

See the many posts on here that have been posted in the last few weeks (ignore the ones saying VT are NOT offering MTD because they announced in the last week that they are).

Remember also not to jump for anything yet as MTD is still uncertain (again despite what the software companies want you to believe).

Dump Sage for payroll and CIS - overpriced in the first instance, look at Moneysoft and save some cash.



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 Joanne 

Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017 

Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.

You should check out answers with reference to the legal position
Confuseddotcom


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Hi Joanne

Thanks for your prompt response.

I don't intend to pay sage any more money, they said we are covered for MTD at no extra cost, provided I install latest updates and activate sage 50cloud licence.

My main point really is, is there good accounts software at a better cost than sage?

Our accountants have suggested Moneysoft, so that looks the most likely for payroll.

I have been avidly following all updates on MTD, and have followed your suggestion not to sign up early - thank you!



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NessHawkes
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Confuseddotcom wrote:

 

My main point really is, is there good accounts software at a better cost than sage?

 

 Ahhhh, but you have paid for sage.  So nothing beats the future 'nil'cost.   Just keep using it until it falls over in about 15 years.

 



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 Joanne 

Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017 

Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.

You should check out answers with reference to the legal position
VinceH


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"I don't intend to pay sage any more money, they said we are covered for MTD at no extra cost, provided I install latest updates and activate sage 50cloud licence."

What was the precise wording of that claim? Reading it as is, my instant reaction was "lying bastards" - but I suspect the wording was a little more subtle than that.

Sage 50 Cloud is a subscription service - no company gives away anything cloudy for free on an ongoing basis without some degree of income from something directly related, because server costs have to be covered. (It's possible that they'd let you have a year's worth of it for free if you upgrade to the latest version of your software each year as a loss leader - but then they're using it to generate income from other products).

So from "activate Sage 50 Cloud licence" I infer subscription costs - the "no extra cost" here means you won't pay anything more per annum on top of the money they're already taking off of you.

Anyway, as Joanne said, just carry on using your existing Sage software - if you have it on a perpetual licence, and not as part of a subscription, it'll carry on working for years. If and when MTD goes live, look into bridging software, that can take the VAT figures from Sage and submit them to HMRC.

If you do have Sage on a subscription (oops - and it looks to me as though you do*) you could do one more upgrade; buy the equivalent version to what you are using on a perpetual licence from SJ Software.

That of course doesn't answer the key question of whether there's a better alternative - but that largely depends on the nature of the business and how they extensively they use features of Sage. Joanne also mentioned VT - take a look at it. For some (many) businesses, it's a worthwhile alternative to Sage.

* It took me a moment to realise that your "£150.00 or £1800.00" means you're probably paying £150 per month, equating to £1800 per year. I'm obviously being a bit slow on the update uptake** this late in the day on a Friday. :)

 ** Edit, six hours later, which probably proves the point. :D



-- Edited by VinceH on Friday 21st of December 2018 11:07:54 PM

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Vince M Hudd - Soft Rock Software

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Cheshire


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VinceH wrote:

 

* It took me a moment to realise that your "£150.00 or £1800.00" means you're probably paying £150 per month, equating to £1800 per year. 

-- Edited by VinceH on Friday 21st of December 2018 11:07:54 PM

I took that to mean - that was the offer, rather than its being paid.

I thought their £76pm for Pro (supposed 'offer' was a bloody rip off!).

 

Aint broke - dont fix it!

 



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 Joanne 

Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017 

Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.

You should check out answers with reference to the legal position
Confuseddotcom


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Hi Joanne

Many thanks for reply - I decided that as it was Christmas and as I wasn't due to return to the office until 4th January, I would totally remove my accounts head for 2 weeks! Now I'm back and feeling like I've never been away!

Our £150.00 per month is what we pay NOW - without any extras that Sage may care to add on should MTD go live!

I think I need to be brave and bite the bullet, should MTD happen or not. We are a small company with only 4 on the payroll and up to 6 on the CIS side of things. It seems like the opportune moment to save the pennies, or rather excess pounds we appear to be throwing in Sage's direction.

Happy New Year folks - and thanks for the sound advice



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NessHawkes
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OMG! Do you not still have your pre upgraded version that you can downgrade to somehow? Or just speak to SJ Software to see if they can get you a perpetual disc for much much cheaper. Failing that - look at VT, seriously, rather than Sage One. Dont be put off by the basic looking nature of VT, its a good bit of kit.

Moneysoft for CIS and payroll is a must.

Please dont forget Vince in your thanks, as he actually guessed you were paying that rather than me and included useful info



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 Joanne 

Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017 

Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.

You should check out answers with reference to the legal position
Confuseddotcom


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Many, many thanks to both Vince and Joanne - sound advice from you both. Having talked to our accountants, Moneysoft seems the way to go at the start of the new tax year. Also going to do a good deal of reading up on VT, as that does seem best.

Thank you again!

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NessHawkes
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Hi Ness

Have a play with VT on the 60 day trial.  You'll find it different to sage (no nominals for a start but who needs them anyway) but if you grasp it it's a dream to work with.  I used Sage for a couple of years but much prefer VT.

A good choice with Moneysoft, shout here if you need any help once you start using it, there's a few of us on here that use it.



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John 

 

 

 Any advice given is for general guidance and professional advice should be sought applicable to your circumstances.
Confuseddotcom


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Thank you John - I think you may have just pointed me in the right direction - I'm going to download the trial and have a play!!

Ness

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NessHawkes
Cheshire


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Hi Ness
You will probably find some things massively counterintuitive, but dont let that put you off, nor the old fashioned 'look' of the software.

I am a huge Sage fan, but use VT for final accounts - Ive not fully managed to get used to the latter, but thats more about the lack of everyday use than anything.

Pluses and minuses with each. Eg you will probably miss the F6 Sage option, but the VT autopopulate is better than Sage.



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 Joanne 

Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017 

Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.

You should check out answers with reference to the legal position
Confuseddotcom


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Hi Joanne

Having been an avid Sage user for over 20 years, I'm feeling a little daunted in taking the plunge, but needs must, as do company finances!
I will download a free trial in the knowledge that if I get stuck, someone on The Bookkeepers Network will have most of the answers for me!!

Ness

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NessHawkes
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