Comparison: SAP Business One, SAGE and Microsoft Business central

An ERP is crucial for the digital transformation of SMEs. In this article we will discuss the main ERP options available to you. First, we will analyse who is behind each of them, make a comparison between SAGE, Business One and Business Central, and guide you on the way to implementing this much-needed tool in SMEs. Don't miss it!

Which ERP to choose? Comparison between SAGE, Business One and Navision (Business Central)

Let's start by taking a look at the companies behind these three options, which are the main players on the market and take up the biggest share of business.

SAGE

SAGE 50 and 200 are solutions developed by the British company SAGE. In 1981, its founder, David Goldman, created a system that improved the budgeting and bookkeeping of his printing company. Thanks to a collaboration with Newcastle University, a solution was developed, and other companies soon began to benefit from it. Eight years later, SAGE went public with a valuation of around 20 million pounds.

SAGE currently operates in more than 20 countries and offers its customers more than 35 years of experience in the ERP sector.

SAP Business One

Behind Business One we find SAP. This German corporation has around 50 years of history. It was born like all companies that go on to become big: working for a single customer and with a few employees. Today, the company has more than 400,000 customers worldwide and is considered the undisputed leader in the ERP sector, with products as successful as SAP Business One.

Microsoft Business Central (formerly Navision)

Navision, currently Business Central, is a product owned by Microsoft. This solution has changed its name several times since 1995. Originally, it was developed by a Danish company which was born from the merger of two other companies. In the 1990s, it showed several good signs of development, but it was not until 2002 that Microsoft took the company over.

The result? The integration of Navision into Microsoft Business Solution. As we said, since then it has changed its name to become the product that is today, Business Central.

Comparison between SAGE, Business One y Business Central: what are their advantages?

The time has come to analyse the strengths of each of the ERPs included here. Let's look at some key aspects of ERP to find out which option is best.

Integrations

The integrations provided by these tools are due to the compatibility they offer with other applications. Microsoft's solution stands out mainly because it is closely connected to the company's office tools and, in particular, Outlook. SAP One Business has hundreds of integrations. Clearly, SAGE, especially SAGE 50, is the most limited in this regard.

Scalability

ERPs by definition are designed to adapt to new changes in a line of business. We can thus say that these three options are scalable. An important detail to achieve this is the customer's ability to customise. SAGE is one of the shortest alternatives, as it allows only a few fields to be edited.

SAP Business One has SDKs and an API to implement a large number of customisations. As for Business Central, it has good compatibility with third-party tools.

Support

Support will largely depend on the partner you choose to implement the ERP solution. That said, the community available to SAP Business One is extremely wide, as it is the market-leading solution. With more than 70,000 companies using it, it is the clear winner in that regard.

The international component in terms of support offered by the SAP Business One solution is also noteworthy. It is a multi-lingual and multi-currency product, available in 28 different languages, as well as having specific versions for each country. Specifically, the software has 50 official localisations. Therefore, it is the best alternative for companies that have branches in several countries or who market their products or services abroad.

Modules available

The modules that each platform offers are an important detail you should not overlook. As is clear, the three ERP systems offer a wide variety of modules. For example, SAGE includes one for human resources management. Business Central does something similar, with tools for managing operations and planning production. SAP Business One offers exceptional modularity that covers all areas of your SME without exception.

Implementation

And so we come to a fundamental question: the implementation process. Although both SAGE and Business Central offer a wealth of functions, implementing them is generally more complicated. In contrast, SAP Business One not only stands out for its ability to adapt to any business, but also because its tools are ready to use shortly after implementation.

Beyond the ERP is the service provider

All the platforms mentioned in this article offer a wealth of possibilities for businesses, especially SMEs. SAP Business One is undoubtedly the leading solution. And we shouldn't be surprised, because it offers the best software integration, scalability, security and reliability. Despite this, all this potential can be wasted without the right service partner.

The ERP implementation process is almost as important as the functionalities that the software itself is capable of delivering. At SEIDOR we are experts in SAP Business One. We offer you a team of specialists who will help you make the most of the solution's functionalities.

We hope to have helped you select the right ERP for your company. They boost productivity, help manage processes with precision, and can take your SME to the next level with the leading software, SAP Business One, and the most reliable partner, SEIDOR.