Sage wants to supercharge SMB accounting with new AI features

Sage has added AI-driven insights, automation, and improved connectivity to its Sage 50 accountancy and payroll product in a bid to drive SMB efficiency.

The sixth of the company's products to integrate Sage Copilot, the new version of Sage 50 is now being rolled out to early adopters. Customers will be able to sign in using their Sage account, formerly Sage ID.

The aim is to help small and medium businesses (SMBs) work faster, improve cash flow, and stay protected from cyber threats. Users can now search for reports using natural language prompts and quickly generate cash flow, transaction, and sales summaries.

Purchase transactions can be automated to reduce errors, thanks to AI-powered data extraction and classification that reduces the need for manual data entry and potential mistakes, the company said.

Meanwhile, AI-powered fraud detection, two-factor authentication (2FA), and protection against automated attacks are designed to help businesses stay secure.

"Sage 50 has been the backbone of small business accounting for decades, and these new enhancements ensure it will remain a trusted tool for years to come," said Neal Watkins, EVP of accounting and HR at Sage.

"We know many of our customers rely on it, and we’re committed to making it even better by integrating AI and automation to save them time, reduce manual work, and improve cash flow. It’s safe to say Sage 50 is going from strength to strength and will continue to support SMBs for years to come."

Sage eyes long-term AI gains

Sage has more than two million SMB customers. It has already integrated Copilot into some of its other products, with 40,000 customers in the UK.

Last year, it added AI and machine learning to Intacct, its cloud-based accounting and enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution, cutting the amount of time spent on accounts payable (AP) data entry.

According to the company’s latest Small Business, Big Opportunity report, 85% of SMBs say that technology is critical to their success, with priorities including security and seamless access to improve efficiency.

"As we grow, we are always looking for ways to work more efficiently and make life a bit easier," said David Harvey, co-founder of Sage customer Seabass Vinyl.

"We’re really excited about what Sage Copilot can do, especially in saving time on the admin that takes us away from bigger priorities. Having those proactive insights will be a huge help as we scale, giving us more headspace to focus on our artists and the business."

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