Sage 200cloud 2020 R1 – What’s New?

In Sage 200 by Declan Bonar

Reading Time: 3 minutes

2020 already seems to be flying by, and before we have even had a chance to breathe, the Sage 200cloud 2020 R1 is here! Packed with numerous new features and upgrades, this release builds on the best part of previous releases. It specifically focuses on key areas of Sage compatibility regarding Office 365, Banking, and Technology, along with a multitude of other improvements across the Sage 200cloud product. This blog will give a brief overview of everything that is coming to your Sage system in the 2020 R1 release.

Microsoft Office 365

There are multiple new features brought to the Sage 200 and Office 365 integration for both Professional and Standard users. One of these features is the refreshed connectors for Power Automate and Power Apps. This update to Office 365 gives the user the ability to build simple automation swiftly. Additionally, the user can tailor specific amendments to branch out the reach of Sage 200 solutions, giving you the ability to meet unique customer needs at a glance.  Please remember though, this requires a Microsoft License for the relevant Power Platform consumables.

However, we are not done there with the new features Sage has provided regarding Office 365 integration. Office 365  A1, A3, and A5 variants are now compatible with Sage 200. This gives more users than ever the ability to integrate their Sage and Office 365 systems. Furthermore, users are now able to remove the need to enter customer Office 365 admin credentials when signing up for the Sage Contact App and Power BI, when their Office 365 license has been purchased from a software seller that is not Sage. This makes the sign-up process streamlined to an extent never seen before in Sage.

Banking

Sage 200 software changes have been deployed to adopt the latest PSD2 changes to enable secure ways for you to share financial information from your bank with your accounting software.

Making Tax Digital

Even months after the Making Tax Digital (MTD) deadline has passed, it is still at the forefront of Sage’s mind when it comes to their latest updates. In the Sage 200cloud 2020 R1 release, there are multiple updates being made to the MTD section, revolving predominately around security. HMRC have increased the maximum password length for your MTD VAT submission, through the module or through Sage itself. Additionally, HMRC have defined further information they require when using their MTD services. This has been implemented to improve the detection of fraudulent practices when it comes to tax submissions.

Sage ID Refresh

Sage is making big steps with regards to integrating the latest technological advancements within Sage 200. This includes the new Sage ID refresh, supporting new standards such as Open ID and JSON Web Token (JWT). This will replace Sage’s current ID offering. The Sage ID Refresh will ensure customers will be able to adopt the new system before the current service switches off for users.

CRM

CRM is critical to ensuring a firm operates efficient practices and workflows are organised. Sage understands this and has taken this into account with the Sage 200cloud 2020 R1 release. The latest release supports Sage 200 CRM 2020 R1, which ensures customers can utilize the latest version of CRM without any issues. This latest CRM release offers new features, bug fixes, and customer enhancements; giving the user the ability to use their integrated CRM and Sage system at its most productive state. Please take into consideration that this CRM feature release only applies to Sage Professional customers only, not Standard users.

SQL

It is not only the latest version of CRM that Sage 200cloud 2020 R1 accommodates for. The SQL 2019 database version is now supported under the latest release. This will give users greater choice in selecting their database version, without having to worry about Sage compatibility. Much like the CRM update though, this update will only apply to Sage Professional users, but unfortunately not to Sage Standard users.

Conclusion

Sage have accommodated any and all users of Sage 200 in this release. From MTD to CRM, Banking to Microsoft 365 Integration; there has never been a better time to be a Sage 200 user.

Thanks for reading! If you need any assistance with your Sage 200 system, please contact us. We are happy to help!