Work on Sage 50 from anywhere, on any device
Sage 50 accounts running in the cloud
Cuttings provides lightning protection, earthing and height safety systems for the construction and facilities management industries since 1879. They use Sage 50 Accounts, a well-established, on-premises accounting software, a UK favourite among businesses and accountants.
CHALLENGE
In the post-pandemic era, where remote work capabilities are essential, operating Sage 50 necessitates indirect methods such as connecting to office workstations via VPNs or remote desktop solutions like Teamviewer, which are suboptimal. This setup poses significant challenges for external accountants who must install various VPN software to cater to different clients, leading to confusion. Each client's unique remote access method complicates the process for these accountants, increasing their IT support costs and creating ambiguity about who is responsible for maintaining these systems. Although there are several makeshift solutions, including those provided by Sage, none have proven to be entirely satisfactory.
CLIENT NEEDS
Our client required a streamlined and efficient solution that was both cost-effective and enabled smooth access. This solution needed to allow multiple users to work in Sage 50 without concerns about VPN connectivity, whether their office workstation was switched on, or issues with data synchronisation being out of sync.
OUR SOLUTION
The chosen strategy involved transitioning the entire application and its database from the traditional desktop and server configuration to a cloud-based system. This shift would eliminate the performance limitations imposed by older PCs and servers, reducing the need for advanced hardware and negating the necessity to replace an ageing server. Microsoft Azure emerged as the ideal platform for this task, providing multiple users with high-performance access to Sage and eliminating the need for in-office hardware to house the database.
Asygma developed a detailed migration plan, wherein Sage was moved to the cloud and operated alongside the existing system. This allowed the client to thoroughly test all functionalities and rigorously evaluate the system's performance before committing to a full transition to the cloud. Over several days, we meticulously scrutinized every aspect, ensuring data and report accuracy to confirm that all migrated data was completely precise. The customer was integrally involved throughout this process, receiving regular updates on significant developments and gaining confidence that we had addressed all conceivable scenarios.
RESULTS
backups. The entire setup now resides on Microsoft Azure, a robust enterprise-grade cloud platform, where we handle all backup processes and system monitoring. Clients can access the system from anywhere, using any device, without the necessity of VPN connections. External accountants simply need credentials for remote access, and we have enhanced security with the option of multi-factor authentication, making it more secure than the previous arrangement.
This solution not only preserves the client's investment in software costs and training but also significantly prolongs the lifespan of their software. The external accountant is particularly pleased, having been relieved of the hassles associated with VPNs.