3 Key Differences Between Sage 100 and Sage 300
Sage offers a number of different software suites for those in the construction industry.
These different programs offer solutions for payment, service, reporting, and budget estimation. While all of these programs can be very useful, two of the most popular are Sage 100 and Sage 300.
Some people automatically assume that Sage 300 is a newer or better version, but that’s not the case. Here are three key differences between Sage 100 and Sage 300 that will help you decide which is right for your construction business.
Difference 1: The User
The full names of these two pieces of software immediately show you that they’re intended for different audiences.
Sage 100: Contractor and Sage 300: Construction and Real Estate are both project management tools. That means they work as construction accounting software, scheduling programs, report generators, and more.
However, Sage 100 is designed for small to medium-sized construction companies. These are the contractors and sub-contractors who work on either one larger project at a time or a few small projects at once. They’re usually not balancing multi-million dollar construction jobs in multiple cities at the same time.
Sage 300, on the other hand, is designed for larger construction companies. These businesses have hundreds or thousands of employees and may have crews in multiple cities. While smaller companies could use Sage 300 if they wanted to, they would find that it has features and capabilities they simply wouldn’t ever use.
Difference 2: Features
Because it’s aimed at smaller companies, Sage 100 doesn’t have as many advanced features as Sage 300. It includes accounting, estimating, management, and reports/analysis capabilities.
Some see it as the perfect software suite for those businesses that have outgrown accounting programs like QuickBooks or Quicken, but aren’t ready for a more powerful or detailed solution like Sage 300.
Sage 300 has everything you need to manage a large number of resources at once. It has more inventory control and reporting features, too. It can even take on international accounting issues and provide you with multiple currencies, currency conversion, and more.
In addition to the features you’ll find in Sage 100, Sage 300 includes software solutions for procurement, large-scale project management, service management, and more.
Difference 3: Real Estate Use
In addition to offering tools for construction projects, Sage 300 also includes all of the tools needed to manage rental properties. These tools are perfect for those who own apartments, duplexes, or a large number of rental properties.
It includes property management tools, advanced retail programs, and service tracking so that you never miss a work order.
Sage 100 does not offer these features, but it’s not really intended for use by real estate managers. However, because it Sage 100 does provide basic accounting, reporting, and management capabilities, it could be used by property managers in some regards.
Which is Right for You?
The bottom line is that you need to look at what both Sage 100 and Sage 300 offer before you pick one. Neither software suite is inherently better nor worse—they’re simply designed for two different types of businesses.
