Switching from Sage 50 FAQ's

We've put together answers for the frequently asked questions about switching from Sage 50 to OGL Software.

1. Can we integrate with our existing accounting package?

OGL Software is a complete ERP solution which offers a range of fully integrated modules, features and functionality. OGL Software includes comprehensive stock management, order processing, CRM, analytics and finance and accounting modules designed to connect and enable full control and visibility of your wholesale and merchant operations. As a complete ERP system, OGL Software ensures a holistic view of your business, which is difficult when using bolt-on or integrated products. Integrating separate software products can cause issues with data and functionality compatibility, which could cause issues in effectiveness and it also means you’ll be paying for two software systems unnecessarily.

OGL Software includes a complete finance and accounting package that will help your everyday finance processes run like clockwork. Developed using our customers’ feedback, tried and tested functionality and research into the market-leaders, OGL Software’s accounting software provides a 360-degree view of your cash flow, and because of it’s integration with all key aspects of your business, you can be confident in your business figures.

Watch an online demo with our Software Consultants to view OGL Software’s accounting and finance software in action to understand how it will work with your business processes.

2. Do I need to change my nominal codes?

If you’re happy with your nominal codes, and often this is a feature within Sage 50 that works well, then we can transfer these over without needing to change them.

OGL Software can use nominal codes in the same way you do in Sage 50 so, with the help from our Implementation team, you can transfer over your finance data, as well as your customer, stock and order data for you to use in OGL Software.

3. Is OGL Software as good as Sage 50?

Sage 50 is an accounting software package designed to take care of VAT returns, expenses, and invoices. Sage 50 gives small businesses, accountants, and bookkeepers a complete view of their business finances in one software package, but ultimately it isn’t designed to manage the entire, and sometimes complex, contact, stock and order management processes that wholesalers and merchants need to operate successfully.

OGL Software is designed specifically for wholesalers and merchants and provides the digital tools needed for every role and team within your business, empowering them to work smarter, not harder, to drive the business forward. The complete ERP software helps to manage the common, but also niche and complex pain points of your industry. Centralising your data and processes from across the business, OGL Software removes the manual processes that are holding you back and provides a solution to effectively manage your customers, sales opportunities, stock levels, multi-channel orders, eCommerce websites, purchasing and invoicing so you can be confident you’re running a profitable operation using next level software.  

Looking to understand the business value and ROI of OGL Software? Book a free consultation with our Software Consultants to identify the value our complete ERP system will bring to your business.

4. Why are you more expensive than Sage 50?

Sage 50 is a cost to your business and is simply a necessary tool to complete accounting tasks. This lower cost, accounting software can be appealing for start ups or small businesses but as a company grows and the contact, product and order database grows Sage 50 struggles to manage the increase in volumes and often struggles to meet the needs of expanding wholesalers and merchants.

OGL Software is an investment and, when successfully implemented and utilised, delivers a return on investment that impacts profitability, your ability to stay competitive and future success. OGL Software differs from Sage 50 because it’s a comprehensive software solution that enables businesses to digitally transform their stock and multi-channel order processing. OGL Software makes businesses more efficient and competitive by streamlining their stock management, optimising their order processing, enhancing customer service, uncovering hidden opportunities, automating core business procedures and providing a real-time, 360-degree view of their business performance and data.

As part of your investment in OGL Software, your business will also have access to our UK, in-house Implementation, Support and Account Management teams that help to onboard, train, manage the change and support you through your transition to OGL Software. To help you fully utilise and maximise your ROI, our Implementation team guide you through configuration, data transfer and a role-based training programme to ensure you are confident using OGL Software from day one. Then our dedicated Support team and your personal Account Manager will continue to provide guidance, ensuring you are getting the most from your ERP system. A quality implementation plan and staff training programme is crucial to the successful implementation of ERP software, so choosing a partner that offers this is just as important as choosing the software product itself.

With more functionality, scalability, support, and flexibility, OGL Software is a complete, future-proofed solution that is more than a necessary cost, it’s an investment that enables growth and efficiency that impacts the future success of your business.

5. How can we manage with a more complex system?

Managing the change to a new system can be daunting, but with the help of our Software Implementation team you are in safe hands. Taking care of data transfer, configuration, system set up and training, your team will feel confident using the system from day one.

As part of your investment in OGL Software, you’ll be assigned a Project Manager, Implementation Expert, Trainer, and Data Analyst to help you transition to OGL Software. With over 35 years in the ERP industry, supplying wholesalers and merchants across the UK, you can be confident that our tried and tested methods and experienced team will guide you through to Go Live, where you can begin reaping the benefits of OGL Software. 

The best thing about the training and implementation is its flexibility. We understand businesses, especially small teams or start-ups, don’t have the time to dedicate full days to training schedules, so we’ve designed a role-based training programme that’s flexible to your needs. Our trainers deliver online, or on-premise if necessary, training sessions that focus on your needs within your role. You won’t be in lengthy sessions that covers the ins and outs of the accounting module if you’re the sales rep. Our sessions are based on your individual needs to ensure you’re confident and successful using OGL Software in your role.

Take a look at Broadbent Industrial Supplies case study to find out how they, as a two-person team, implemented OGL Software whilst continuing to run their business with our flexible training programme.

6. We’ve been on Sage 50 for years, will we lose our data moving to OGL Software?

Our Implementation team will help you to transfer and convert your data to OGL Software, so you don’t lose your key customer, product, pricing or order data. You’ll be assigned one of our skilled Data Analysts who will help to convert, verify and transfer your data. The team will carry out a partial data transfer to verify the data works and allows your team to train on the software using real data. We’ll then provide a full data transfer ready for Go Live.

Our Implementation team will guide you through your transition to OGL Software and help your business manage the change. With a comprehensive implementation, data and training plan, you’ll be able to reap the benefits of the ERP system from Go Live.

7. Do I need to change my stock codes?

If you’re happy with your stock codes and your organisation and categorisation of your products, then we can help to transfer these over for you.

However, businesses using Sage 50 often aren’t happy with the way products are categorised or have lengthy description boxes in Sage 50 that aren’t helpful when searching for attributes. That is why the transition to OGL Software is usually used as a great time to carry out a data cleansing exercise to ensure the data is up-to-date and organised in a way that will help make your stock management and order processing more efficient.

OGL Software enables you to add unlimited amounts of customisable attributes which can be used to search for products, orders or customer data. The extra fields in OGL Software puts you in charge of effectively managing your stock so you can label, tag and group products in the way that suits you. Our Implementation team can provide you with support and guidance to set this up correctly so you can get the most from your new investment.

Implementing OGL Software gives you a great opportunity to review your data and take advantage of the customisable attribute fields that will put you in control of your stock. 

8. I’m happy with Sage 50, why should I look at OGL Software?

Simply because you have nothing to lose but perhaps a lot to gain that will help you adapt and thrive in a changing world.

Ask yourself these two questions: How do you know if Sage 50 is the best solution if you’ve not recently compared it to something else? And how do you know where Sage 50 falls short if you’ve not looked at other solutions with different features and functionality?

Every business owner wants the best for their business and that means looking for the best tools for the job. Improving profitability, employee job satisfaction and customer loyalty is priority for successful businesses, which is why looking at the latest technology and solutions on the market is essential to future-proofing your business. Fear of missing out doesn’t just apply to social situations, it’s important to keep up with your competitors when looking to thrive in the digital world and investing in the right technology solution for your industry gives you the advantage.

OGL Software provides wholesalers and merchants with the best of both worlds when it comes to choosing the right ERP system. OGL Software offers the best of an off-the-shelf product – with its quick and easy-to-use features and that are tried and tested by hundreds of customers, but equally the best of a bespoke product with the ease and flexibility to configure reports, workspaces, dashboards and data fields to suit their needs without the hassle and cost of a software provider to do that for them.

Technology and business’ needs change over time which is why taking the time to review your software solution to ensure it’s the best software for you, not only now but for your future goals, is time well spent. If at the end of your review you believe you have the best product to meet your needs, you haven’t lost anything but, we strongly believe, that with a free value assessment, consultation and personalised demo of OGL Software you’ll be surprised at the features and benefits you’re currently missing out on, whilst using Sage 50, that will help you to drive your business forward.

Don’t just take our word for it either, view our Customer Success Stories to read about real customers who have achieved real results.