Systems
Sage integration: connecting Sage Accounting, Sage 50 and Sage Intacct to the rest of the business
"Sage" is several different products, and each one connects differently. Sage Accounting, the cloud product for small businesses, has a public API. Sage Intacct, for larger finance teams, has its own web services. Sage 50 on the desktop is the hardest, because the route Sage points developers to is an SDK rather than a web API. Find out which you run before asking anyone for a price.
With us, a single integration starts from £650 and a connected system of two or three tools from £1,950.
Which Sage do you have?
It sounds obvious, but it is the most common source of wasted quotes. Check the name on the login screen or the invoice from Sage:
| Product | Who it is for | How it is usually connected |
|---|---|---|
| Sage Accounting (cloud) | Small businesses and sole traders | Sage's public Accounting API, documented on the Sage Developer Hub, or a marketplace app |
| Sage 50 (desktop, UK) | Established small and mid-sized firms | Sage's developer forums point to the Sage Data Objects SDK, through the Sage Developers Programme, rather than a web API |
| Sage Intacct | Larger finance teams, multi-entity | Sage Intacct web services |
Sage 50 has had cloud-connected editions over the years, so the details vary by version. Ask whoever supports your Sage for the exact product and version, and check the current options with Sage before anyone commits to a route.
What do businesses connect to Sage?
The same things they connect to any accounts package. A won deal in the CRM becomes a customer and an invoice. An accepted quote or completed job raises the invoice. Orders from the website or shop arrive with their payments. And the figures feed a management dashboard alongside sales and operations data, so the meeting and the books agree.
Before connecting anything, decide which system owns each piece of information. Customer billing details, tax codes and invoices normally belong to Sage. Prospects and deals belong to the CRM. Our Xero integration guide has a table of the usual split, and it applies equally to Sage.
Why is Sage 50 harder to integrate?
Because it was designed to run on a computer in the office, not as a service on the internet. Cloud products such as Sage Accounting and Xero expose a web API that another system can call from anywhere, with published rules such as Xero's API limits. A moderator on Sage's own developer community forum put it plainly: "At present there is no supported API available for Sage 50c UK." The route they described instead is the Sage Data Objects SDK, which needs membership of the Sage Developers Programme and software running where Sage 50 can reach it.
That forum answer is not new, and Sage changes its products, so ask Sage's UK developer services team for the current position before anyone commits to a design.
That is workable, and many products do it. It does mean a Sage 50 integration usually costs more than the same job on a cloud package, and depends on a machine or service staying on. Some firms use an integration project as the moment to move to a cloud product. That is a decision for you and your accountant, not something to drift into.
Should we use a marketplace app or a custom integration?
A marketplace app first, if one does what you need and is actively maintained. Read recent reviews and check it supports your exact Sage product, because many apps support Sage Accounting but not Sage 50. A custom integration is worth it when no app fits, when several systems must agree, or when your business has rules an app cannot follow, such as stage payments or several companies in one group.
Whatever is built should log every failure where a person can see it, and never lose an order or invoice silently. That matters more with Sage 50, where the connection depends on a machine being available.
What does a Sage integration cost?
With us, a single integration, such as won deals in the CRM creating invoices in Sage Accounting, starts from £650. A connected system of two or three tools starts from £1,950, and larger integrations with four or more systems, or data that has to be reconciled, from £3,500. Sage 50 work is usually at the upper end of each range. Every price is on the price list.
A free systems audit (normally £495, free for a limited time) will identify your Sage product, what already connects, and what is worth building. Our integration service page explains how we work.
Questions about Sage integration
Does Sage have an API?
Sage Accounting, the cloud product, has a public API documented on the Sage Developer Hub, and Sage Intacct has its own web services. For Sage 50 on the desktop in the UK, Sage's developer forums point to the Sage Data Objects SDK rather than a web API.
Can Sage 50 be connected to a CRM?
Yes, but usually through an SDK-based connector or an app that supports Sage 50 specifically, rather than a simple web API. It tends to cost more than connecting a cloud accounts package and depends on a machine or service staying available.
Can HubSpot connect to Sage?
Sage Accounting can be connected through a marketplace app or a custom integration using its API. Sage 50 needs an app or connector that supports it specifically. Check current HubSpot marketplace listings and reviews before buying.
How much does a Sage integration cost?
With Werehouse Media, a single integration starts from £650, a connected system of two or three tools from £1,950, and larger integrations from £3,500. Sage 50 work is usually at the upper end. Prices are published on the price list.