Sage and Microsoft introduced an expanded partnership a few months in the past and now, Sage has introduced new product integration with Microsoft to simplify workflows for SMBs. Walid Abu-Hadba, Chief Product Officer at Sage explains the advantages of those product integrations and why Sage selected to develop a technique round a partnership with Microsoft to offer these capabilities to prospects.
May you inform ERP Information readers about your self and your position at Sage?
I joined Sage in Could 2021 and the Sage Government Committee in January 2022, serving as Chief Product Officer. I’m chargeable for all product growth and supply at Sage. I’m additionally captivated with driving technique and constructing a tradition that delivers tangible, customer-centric options. Previous to Sage, I frolicked at Oracle engaged on developer instruments, at ANSYS as chief product officer, and 20 years at Microsoft, the place I used to be a company vice chairman chargeable for the developer and platform evangelism group.
Sage just lately introduced that it now offers prospects with enhanced capabilities built-in into Microsoft Groups. May you inform us extra about the advantages of those product integrations?
Sage and Microsoft introduced our expanded partnership again in July. Now, just some months later, we’re already delivering on that relationship with a number of new product integrations. At Sage Remodel, we introduced that we’re offering prospects with enhanced capabilities built-in into Microsoft Workplace 365 and Groups to assist simplify and automate workflows. For joint prospects, this extends performance past the consumer interface of Sage merchandise, making it simpler for purchasers to work throughout their group and past. Clients can now take the friction out of their day-to-day duties by submitting and approving accounting and folks processes immediately by means of Groups, slightly than doing it within the Sage Intacct or Sage Folks software – lowering the necessity to toggle between options. This implies prospects can merely and securely approve bills and overview worker go away requests through a Groups notification.
For instance, with the Sage Intacct app for Microsoft Groups, SMBs will have the ability to simplify expense administration for workers. The in-app Sage Digital Assistant guides expense entry inside Microsoft Groups. They’ll additionally create expense entries from a cellular app and add pictures of receipts from retailers, routinely populating expense data. This protects time and improves effectivity by releasing up groups from handbook expense processes, with on the spot visibility into bills as soon as they’re submitted.
On the Sage Folks aspect, managers can now make selections about go away requests with ease and staff members are routinely notified of choices, inside Microsoft Groups. Worker absence requests logged in Sage Folks routinely generate Microsoft Groups notifications for leaders. This integration will allow each managers and staff members to handle day without work balances in Microsoft Groups – enhancing consciousness and supporting staff planning.
Moreover, Sage Intacct and Sage Energetic at the moment are out there on Microsoft Azure. What does this imply for Microsoft prospects?
Making Sage Intacct and Sage Energetic out there on Microsoft Azure will give Microsoft prospects entry to Sage’s award-winning cloud monetary options in an easy-to-use, safe surroundings. This offers SMBs the chance to profit from the pliability and scalability that Microsoft’s cloud offers when selecting Sage merchandise. Multi-cloud entry to Sage’s flagship merchandise is a cornerstone of our technique, as assembly prospects the place they work is vital to offering SMBs with new and modern methods to be extra productive. Now, Microsoft prospects can entry Sage options immediately from the Azure cloud. The partnership additionally connects Sage prospects to Microsoft’s companion community of builders, providing alternatives to broaden worth for purchasers by means of added product performance.
What made Sage develop a technique round a partnership with Microsoft to offer these capabilities to prospects by means of Groups purposes?
On the finish of the day, that is all about what’s finest for the small and mid-sized companies that we work with. We wish to knock down their obstacles to execution and assist these corporations thrive. That features a dedication to offering world-class services to our joint prospects. Each corporations have in depth product portfolios that assist companies, which places us in a superb place to work collectively for the good thing about our prospects. Microsoft Groups is only the start of the integrations that we’re engaged on with Microsoft.
SMBs have been affected in a number of areas and needed to embrace accelerated change over the previous 12 months after the pandemic. During which areas ought to motion be taken by the organizations if they’re to stay aggressive within the subsequent 12 months?
Digitization is the engine to realize elevated productiveness and development. Each small and mid-sized enterprise is seeking to develop its high line and handle prices successfully. With our Sage choices, we give these corporations the ability to try this and supply them with a platform that scales with their enterprise wants as they develop.
About Sage
Sage exists to knock down obstacles so everybody can thrive, beginning with the tens of millions of small- and mid-sized companies served by us, our companions, and our accountants. Clients belief our finance, HR, and payroll software program to make work and cash stream. By digitizing enterprise processes and relationships with prospects, suppliers, workers, banks, and governments, our digital community connects SMBs, eradicating friction and delivering insights. Flattening obstacles additionally means we use our time, know-how, and expertise to sort out digital inequality, financial inequality, and the local weather disaster. Be taught extra at www.sage.com/en-us/ and www.sageintacct.com.