The latest version of Sage 50 has now been released – and I am now undergoing my training on the new features so I can share them with you on my blog here. As well as the headline new features covered in my previous post there are many more subtle changes which you may not notice at first glance unless they are brought to your attention.
New Look and Feel
First things first, the new version has a new look and feel, and the menu options and toolbars have been changed to make is easier to navigate round. I know many people don’t like change, especially when you have used the software as long as I have, but the new one click solution to access any ledger from the left hand toolbar, and the dynamic nature of the toolbar menu across the top of the screen mean you can customise your views , and get rid of those buttons you never use with the click of a button. This will mean a cleaner less cluttered view and easy access to the areas you do need every day.
Windows Selection Method
One of the complaints I often have when training people to use Sage is that when you are in one of the many lists, like the supplier list or product list, you have to click on each record in turn to select it and there was no way to highlight a sequential range of entries. You now have the option of selecting a group of accounts using the SHIFT and click method that Windows users are familiar with. You can also use CTRL and click to select non sequential records.
Windows Selection
You can now go straight to a particular record clicking more than the first letter of that record too – for example go to account MIB001 by quickly clicking on “M” then “I” then “B” to go straight to the record you want. Previously you could only select using the first letter which also caught many people out during training.
For those who don’t want change you do have the option of keeping the old style of selection though – so that should keep everyone happy.
Inactive Records
Previously in Sage 50 if you had a customer, supplier or product which you no longer used, there was no way of marking them as no longer required and preventing users from posting to them. Records can now be marked as inactive, and a warning will be brought up if anyone tries to use the account again. No more needing the re label the account as “DO NOT USE” or similar in order to exclude it from searches.
Inactive Records
Accounts can only be marked as inactive if they have a balance of zero, have no unallocated transactions on them and are not included in memorised invoices, and a warning comes up if these 3 criteria are not met when you mark the account as inactive.
Simplified Access Rights
Setting up access rights for individual users has also been greatly simplified so you can set up the username and password and control what users can see all on one screen. This was a screen which I always found confusing to use in the past so this is another welcome change.
Summary
So as I go through my Sage 50 Accounts New Features Training I will share more new features from an experienced users perspective. I welcome comments on what new features you find most useful – and if you would like a demonstration of the new software or would like an price for you to upgrade or buy the software new then please get in touch with us at Silicon Bullet..
