The Case for Migrating from Sage BusinessVision to an ERP Solution
Over 5000 Canadian companies have adopted Sage BusinessVision over the years. It filled a unique gap between Sage 50 (Simply Accounting) and tier 3 solutions like Sage 300 (Accpac), Microsoft Dynamics and others. Offering good functionality at a great price made it a compelling solution. However, a number of things have changed: solutions like Sage 50 have added functionality, while solutions like Sage 300 and Sage ERP X3 have come down in price, making the role of Sage BusinessVision less clear.
We’ve talked to many companies recently that are unsure about what their options are. Perhaps they’ve found Sage BusinessVision lacks some of the functionality they need. Often, the small independent BV consultant they bought from is either no longer in business, or are difficult to reach or unable to service all their needs. The market has changed – companies want, and demand, a higher level of service from their service provider.
What is the next step?
Our approach with our clients that are, or were previously, on BV is to explore the options available, accounting for their business objectives and the solution’s ability to meet them. We often find that there is a business case to be made for upgrading to a new solution, better equipped to support business operations in the long run. In this blog, we summarize and explore the case for migration to new ERP solutions like Sage ERP X3, Sage 100 ERP, and Sage 300 ERP.
Pricing Incentives
The biggest question when it comes to migrating to a new ERP solution is: what is the cost? ERP solutions are complex accounting systems that encompass all activities of a business, and common sense tells us that they cost more than Sage BusinessVision or BusinessWorks.
That’s not necessarily true. Sage has been offering substantial discounts and incentives for companies currently on BV to migrate to other solutions. Through Sage Business Care, the maintenance plan BV users should be on, Sage offers ERP solutions for a fraction of the price. Any monetary value currently remaining on the BV plan gets transferred over and Sage will support BV for free for the first six months to ensure the transition goes smoothly.
Additional FunctionalitY
Additional cost incentives come from new functionality ROI. We have found that in some cases, companies that switch to new ERP solutions and gain access to in-depth inventory analytic and forecasting tools can save as much as the cost of their annual plan. That said, the discussion around additional functionality should not only revolve around cost savings.
ERP solutions bring with them an array of new in-depth functionality in manufacturing, distribution, finance management, and technology. Applications like CRM, MRP (Material Resource Planning), tracking and tracing of items for distribution, asset management, and business intelligence come included in the ERP systems.
Increased System Capacities
Old accounting systems like BV fall short when it comes to the system’s technological capacities. These modern systems are able to handle a much larger number of transactions in real-time, while accessible by multiple users.
A solution like Sage ERP X3 can handle complex business processes that are highly customizable to follow the company’s physical process. It also ideal for companies expanding to foreign markets, as it enables access to the system in and from multiple locations, languages, and companies.
Mobile Access and Connecting Business Units
Like we mentioned above, new ERP systems like Sage ERP X3 are web-based and as such can be implemented and accessed in multiple locations. In addition, these systems come with applications that enable access via mobile devices like smart phones and tablets.
Lack of Support for Current Solution
The single largest cause of frustration that we have found for companies using BV is the lack of support they get for their systems. Some BusinessVision partners may be smaller one-man shops that, as great as they are with BV, simply don’t have the resources to keep up with the needs of growing clients.
The absence of a help-desk and ongoing support can accumulate into a system that does not run efficiently and free of errors. Moving to a bigger solution is one way to build a relationship with a larger partner that can help realize the potential a business has in its perspective market. Another way is simply to move to a larger partner while staying on BV, as they can offer, like The Answer Company does, a Help Desk and Support Team, as well as knowledge of other opportunities as the business grows.
eCommerce Integration
More and more small and midsized businesses are finding it profitable to explore opportunities online via eCommerce. Older systems like Sage BusinessVision, that precede eBusiness aspects of the web, do not have the functionality to integrate directly to the company’s eCommerce solution.
New ERP solutions like Sage ERP X3 integrate with and support eCommerce initiatives seamlessly. Through eCommerce, companies can connect their storefront to their back office, and are able to offer access to their business to customers and suppliers via the web.
Data Migration and Business Process Mapping
A business that has used Sage BV may have gotten used to how their business runs on the system and may have accumulated a lot of data over the years. At The Answer Company we have been working with BV for well over a decade and have developed the tools to ensure data is transferred from BV to the new solution without incidents.
We are also very familiar with how business processes work in BV and can easily translate them to Sage ERP X3 or other new solutions. The transition is generally without incident and the focus is placed on supporting and training users to get the most out of the new system.
If you have additional question as to what your options are to advance your current systems, don’t hesitate to contact us.