Sage has announced new developments in its ongoing partnership with Microsoft, with advancements in Sage Instant Analysis, Sage Active and Sage Network set to enhance operational efficiency and innovation for SMBs through integrated solutions.
“Our partnership with Microsoft aims to give small and medium-sized businesses the tools they need for success in today’s digital age. These updates offer fresh ways to improve customers’ operations and increase productivity,” says Amaya Souarez, executive vice-president: cloud services and operations at Sage. “This collaboration is about bringing our strengths together. It shows our united effort to spark innovation, support growth, and deliver the latest solutions for the ever-changing demands of the business world.”
As part of Sage Copilot’s reporting and analytics capabilities, Sage Instant Analysis integrates Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service to empower SMBs. Embedded within Sage Active, this tool can access financial data from various in-product forms, receiving actionable insights about their company’s financial health, including detailed assessments of strengths, weaknesses, and critical areas such as the balance sheet, cash flow, working capital, and gross profit. This integration makes it easier to manage business activities, boosting productivity and streamlining routine tasks.
Sage Instant Analysis can delve into the details of a company’s year-to-date financial performance by using accounting data already in the system, using advanced large language model (LLM) engineering through Azure OpenAI Service that can calculate key ratios and provide context for decision-making.
Sage Instant Analysis uses prompt engineering models and chaining techniques for data ingestion and processing through Azure OpenAI Service. Output from Instant Analysis can be set to a user’s native language – French, Spanish, German, or English – based on preferences stored in the user profile.
Sage Network integrates into the broader Microsoft ecosystem with connectors to Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Microsoft 365. These integrations enable Dynamics users, along with users of other third-party accounting products and the Sage portfolio, to create an integrated global network. This enhances efficiency by reducing manual data entry and speeding up financial processes.
Sage Connect, is the user interface that enables the Sage Network business interconnectivity, offering a simplified, secure platform for managing financial transactions and automating accounts receivable (AR) and accounts payable (AP) workflows, leading to faster payments and improved compliance, including e-invoicing.
For SMBs and Sage’s partner ecosystem, this means accessing a unified platform that not only streamlines financial operations and AR and AP digital workflows.
Sage continues to work with Microsoft on enhanced HR and payroll capabilities. Enhancements include integrating HR tasks within the flow of work through Microsoft Teams, starting with the absence and time off feature of Sage People. Employees can now request various types of leave directly via a chatbot in Microsoft Teams, with approvals managed through the platform and synchronised with Microsoft Outlook calendars to streamline processes.
Additionally, a new interview scheduling feature integrated with Microsoft Outlook enables recruiters to swiftly coordinate interviews, addressing the fast-paced demands of today’s competitive job market.
“Our collaboration with Sage is strategically designed to make operations simpler and more secure for SMBs while leveraging the power of the Microsoft Cloud and AI to create a connected and efficient future. We are committed to the success and resilience of SMBs in a fast-changing market, ” says Alvaro Celis, vice-president: global ISV commercial solutions at Microsoft.