Software Recommendation

[Lindsay S]

Hi to All,
I am wondering whether anybody can recommend an equivalent but more cost effective software package than Sage Pastel Partner please?
My Pastel software renewal is almost R7.5k for the next 12 months and it is just too expensive for me now.
With Pastel being subscription based these days if I don't renew then it goes to "view only" mode.
It's a good product but I just can't afford that price anymore.
Will appreciate any solid advice on other options please.
Many thanks
Lindsay

[Kruegrsdorp]

Hi

Depending on your needs and the nature of your company the answer might be different. If you do normal sales of servoces and goods I would recommend sage accounting whish you can subscribe to for R3k about annually. It's on the cloud so can be reached anywhere. The functionality here includes accounting, management reports, bank recons, customer invoicing and statements, supplier payments. there is also a related sage payroll which is hasssle free and is charged based on number of employees.

[Kevin Smith]

Hi Lindsay

Depending on your requirements, consider scaling down to Pastel Xpress - it could halve your ALF and your database is compatible - you keep your history - From R 3630 per year
Sage online - From R249 per month
Palladium - From 3415
There is a free single user version of Palladium - only service items, not stock available as well.

When you consider the cost of implementation, training, possible conversion of data or take-on balance assistance, you might find it is easier to stay on the product you know and have purchased already (or the scale down to Xpress might be your next best option as the products are basically identical).

You are welcome to PM me if you need further advice / recommendations.

[Neville Bailey]

Hi Lindsay,

I concur with what Kevin has said.

Perhaps also review the renewal invoice that you received from Pastel - perhaps there are modules and user licenses included that you do not require anymore? You can request Pastel to remove them, thereby reducing the ALF.

[Lindsay S]

Thanks for your advice Kevin.

[Lindsay S]

Thanks for confirming Neville.

[Alec Candiotes]

Hi Lindsay

I agree with Kevin and Neville regarding Pastel Xpress. Xpress gives you most of Partner's functionality. Most importantly is that you do not loose your transactional history as Xpress posts to a PSQL database as Partner does. Losing your transactional history is a big cost.

Your business data is one of your most valuable assets. I recommend you protect it as far as possible.

But Lindsay I can completely understand where you are. Admin and finance costs can be a heavy weight on a company. For me one of the biggest costs of Pastel is when users do not use it effectively. Capturing 1 by 1 transaction on a line by line basis for instance is slow and very expensive. Have you considered optimising and automating your capturing and reporting? In this way you free up time and resources to use elsewhere. Secondly are you using Pastel as a full ERP system or only an accounting system. For instance are you using it to quote, as a marketing database, to forecast and budget with etc etc.?? I have noted that SME's often use multiple tools and Apps to do all of this with. Consolidating all these activities into Pastel cuts out waste and ensure that your entire team focuses on enhancing the data within Pastel.

Hope this helps a little.

Kindest regards,
Alec Candiotes CA(SA), MCom Taxation

[Lindsay S]

Hi Lindsay

I agree with Kevin and Neville regarding Pastel Xpress. Xpress gives you most of Partner's functionality. Most importantly is that you do not loose your transactional history as Xpress posts to a PSQL database as Partner does. Losing your transactional history is a big cost.

Your business data is one of your most valuable assets. I recommend you protect it as far as possible.

But Lindsay I can completely understand where you are. Admin and finance costs can be a heavy weight on a company. For me one of the biggest costs of Pastel is when users do not use it effectively. Capturing 1 by 1 transaction on a line by line basis for instance is slow and very expensive. Have you considered optimising and automating your capturing and reporting? In this way you free up time and resources to use elsewhere. Secondly are you using Pastel as a full ERP system or only an accounting system. For instance are you using it to quote, as a marketing database, to forecast and budget with etc etc.?? I have noted that SME's often use multiple tools and Apps to do all of this with. Consolidating all these activities into Pastel cuts out waste and ensure that your entire team focuses on enhancing the data within Pastel.

Hope this helps a little.

Kindest regards,
Alec Candiotes CA(SA), MCom Taxation

Hi Alec

Thank you for your insights shared and the advice offered - I appreciate the help.

I agree with your observations about the value of the data and the effective use of all of the functionality in a central place from an ERP perspective. These very things are what has made Pastel an excellent tool for me for the past 25 years (since version 5)where I have deployed its strengths effectively as and when required depending on my needs at the time.

Unfortunately, this economic climate has rendered my business to a very small shadow of what it was, and I have now down scaled to a basic 1 man show which again brings into play the value of the versatility that it offers as I am still obligated to adhere to the legal requirements of vat returns etc.

However under the current circumstances I have to extract the utmost value out of every cent that is spent to try to maintain even a static position but with a forward facing perspective of readiness should new business opportunities emerge. That position takes me to where my original post was made.... I have no dispute with how good Pastel is. My challenge is how to make it more affordable right now ...

As a matter of interest there is a sequel ..... I have followed the advice of Kevin and Neville and Yourself all of you who have so kindly advised me well and I re-evaluated the functionalities that I have, that could downscale or change and save some money e.g. I can downscale to a single user licence and migrate from Partner to Xpress ... thanks again for the good advice guys.

BUT this is where things have really gone awry .... yesterday I phoned Pastel .... ready to go through with my changes and pay the estimated lower fee for another year. This is what transpired -
1. 6 calls and 2 hours later I gave up and concluded that this is unbelievably difficult.
2. I could not get to speak to the person who sent me the renewal notice.
3. I kept getting through to a consultant on renewals who mumbled and I simply could not hear him because he would not speak up or more clearly AND there was so much noise around him that I could repeat to him word for word what his colleagues were saying so loudly in personal conversations in the vicinity.
4. In desperation I called in again and instead spoke to another consultant on new sales - obviously my requirements fall outside of the scope of his influence BUT he advised me to send an email requesting the migration / downgrade to the person who sent me the renewal notice and to cc the team leader whose email address he kindly provided to me - all of this I have done and marked my email for a read response.

As of the time of this post, (a day later) I have had no response to my email from the consultant or the team leader and I have software that is out of subscription and "view only" and thereby further cripples my ability to trade my business that is already struggling to survive.
I ask myself the question - is this what I would be giving my customers who have been loyal to me for 25 years? I don't think so!

I have shared this experience in the hope that anybody else on this forum can benefit from the knowledge of my experience and be better equipped to deal with similar challenges should they arise (which I hope never happens to anybody else).

Alec, thanks again to you and Kevin and Neville who have all kindly tried to help and guide me. I do appreciate it.

Best regards to all
Lindsay

[Alec Candiotes]

Hi Lindsay

Thank you for asking advice and taking action on it. I must agree with you, the call center of Sage with regards to Pastel support has really deteriorated over the years. A source told me the other day that they recently down-scaled the call center consultants by a significant percentage (like more than 50%). This has resulted in a slower response times etc etc.

Sage however have some fantastic software channel partners out there that will give you great service. We use Compulink. Brian Harris is the owner and is a fantastic resource for us. Please give him a call and chat to him about this. He will be able to give you guidance.

Brian Harris: Cell: 083 378 1461 / Landline: 011 791 6262 / Website: https://compulink.co.za / Email: brian@compulink.co.za

I do have other contacts if for some reason you do not get hold of Brian. But try him first and let me know.

I really hope you come right. We are here to support SME businesses like your Lindsay so do not give up.

Kindest regards,