Sage 50 Hosted on Cloud vs. Sage 50c – Which One to Choose?

Handling critical financial or accounting data takes work.

If you are an accountant or running an accounting firm, using accounting software, such as Sage 50, can make your daily operations more manageable.

There are two deployment options for Sage 50: cloud-hosted version and Sage 50c.

In this blog, you will learn about the differences between the two to make an informed decision to choose the right version for your business. Read on!

Overview of Sage 50

Sage 50 accounting software has advanced features like customer record management, automatic ledger maintenance, payroll, stock valuation, sales analysis, etc.

Using Sage 50 enables you to get a clear view of the processes related to business financial management, which further helps in making sound financial decisions.

Understanding Sage 50 Hosting

Sage 50 Hosting is a cloud-based subscription service allowing businesses to access accounting software and data remotely from any device. You will experience the same Sage 50 features expected from the on-premises version but with more flexibility and security.

The solution offers a secure, virtual Sage 50 environment fully managed and monitored by reliable hosting providers. Cloud Hosting brings overarching business benefits — eliminating the need for costly hardware investments while allowing users to access the software from any device.

Also, the cloud hosting for Sage 50 offers multiple options for resource customization, meaning you can add or remove server resources as and when required to meet the dynamic needs of your business.

In addition, cloud hosting allows businesses to scale up or down their Sage 50 usage as needed without investing in additional hardware, software, or personnel resources.

Exploring Sage 50c

In 2017, Sage launched its new accounting solution, Sage 50c, a hybrid desktop solution with cloud backup.

To ensure data backup on the Sage cloud, activating Sage Drive is required; without it, the software operates solely on the desktop.

Sage 50c combines all the advanced features of Sage 50 with the company’s cloud and mobile services. It delivers control over the business-related data into the hands of its users by giving them secure access to data files and software.

But is it what the end-users of Sage 50 expect from its cloud version?

“Sage 50 hosted in a cloud environment or Sage 50c; which one to choose?”

There is not just one, but many people across the globe who seek the correct answer to this question.

Let us look at the key differences between the two to understand which version suits your business needs.

What Makes Sage 50c Different from Cloud-Hosted Sage 50?

Installation on a Local Host

Sage 50 is an in-office accounting solution installed on a local computer system. However, data loss may occur due to system crashes, unauthorized file access, or hardware malfunction.

One of the main reasons behind the launch of Sage 50c is to minimize this risk and keep the data files saved in the cloud. However, the functioning of Sage 50c delivers less than its expectations.

Before using Sage 50c, it should be installed on a local computer. Only the data files are saved in the Sage Drive, which functions differently from application hosting.

In cloud-hosted Sage 50, the application is installed on the virtual servers of the Sage Hosting provider, and data files are stored on cloud. Since several security layers and mechanisms protect the cloud, your data and Sage application remain safe. Another advantage is that you don’t have to worry about IT hardware malfunctioning.

All-Time User Accessibility

The local-only access of the desktop version of Sage 50 often serves as a constraint to accountants and small businesses. For instance, using the application and accessing the accounting data requires accountants to be inside their office premises and work on the local computers. Sometimes, urgent tasks must be addressed on time using Sage software. But you can’t work on them if you are not in your office.

Cloud hosting Sage 50 plays a vital role in dealing with such situations.

When hosted on the cloud, authorized users can access Sage 50’s desktop version anytime, no matter where they are.

Sage 50c is also known to be accessible to a certain number of authorized users all the time, but with an unexpected limitation, which is –

“Only one user can access the data saved in the cloud at a time, thus locking out all other users and not allowing them to work on the data simultaneously. Real-time collaboration between team members working on the same data file on Sage 50c is possible, but only partially. The team members need to coordinate offline to work on Sage’s cloud.”

Fortunately, choosing cloud hosting services for Sage 50 can overcome this limitation. Using this alternative solution, all the authorized users can work on the same file simultaneously and collaborate to get specific tasks done seamlessly.

Cloud Storage Activation

It is another thing that differentiates the Sage 50c from the cloud-hosted alternative of Sage 50’s desktop version.

When you want to host your Sage 50 accounting software, you must choose a reliable cloud service provider to set things up for you.

Once the required cloud environment has been configured for your business-specific needs, cloud technology can benefit from backing the software.

In the case of Sage 50c, things are different. Here’s the series of steps involved in the overall functioning of Sage 50c:

• Once you have opted for it, the chosen administrator must activate ‘Sage Drive’ within this software.
• After successful activation, the accounting data on Sage 50c gets synced and backed up on Sage’s cloud.

But what if a user does not activate ‘Sage Drive’ or fails to do so?

Sage 50c will work much the same as its desktop version. It is where the distinction between these two forms of cloud-based Sage 50 software becomes narrower.

Ultimately, the end user needs clarification about which one to choose.

Local Data Storage and Management

Another way to look at the apparent usability of Sage 50c is in terms of local data storage.

As discussed earlier, not all authorized users of Sage 50c can use the cloud simultaneously. When one of the users is logged into the Sage 50c account, others are using its full functionality on their local systems. These need a large enough local storage capacity to accommodate data files when not connected to the Sage Cloud. The risk of losing these data files is still there, though it will be there for a shorter period until these users individually sync the data to the cloud.

In a way, Sage 50c does not eliminate local data management needs. However, cloud hosting of the desktop version of Sage 50 does that very well.

Once the Sage application and the data files are moved to the cloud, you can rest assured that everything stays secure on the cloud. The data is stored in the cloud in real-time as the users work on the cloud-hosted Sage 50 software.

Pricing Structure

Another aspect that differentiates Sage 50c from Sage 50 cloud hosting is its pricing structure.

The price you need to pay to start using Sage 50c depends on the following factors –

• Core users, the count of which can go up to 20 users maximally
• The number of companies to be included
• Tenure of the payment plan – monthly or annually

In general, the most basic pricing plan of Sage 50c starts at around $75 per month. This means a user must continue paying for it at the end of the chosen tenure.

However, the case differs when you pay for the cloud hosting of Sage 50’s desktop version.

You must pay for a suitable Sage 50 cloud hosting plan matching your needs and the license to use Sage 50 on your local desktop system.

Conclusion

Sage 50c is indeed the improved, advanced form of Sage 50’s desktop version created to solve some of its users’ pain points. But many reasons confirm it does not offer a hundred percent features of cloud technology.

While Sage 50c is different from getting the desktop version of Sage 50 hosted in the cloud environment, the final choice depends on your business needs.

Should you have doubts or are facing challenges in opting for the right solution for your business, please contact our solutions Consultant at +1-855-223-4887.