Sage Payment Solutions Introduces New Extension for the Magento E-Commerce Platform
July 27, 2015
– Sage, a leading provider of business management software and services to Small & Medium Businesses (SMBs), today announced .... | more
Kimble for Sage Live Available Eight Weeks after Announcing Partnership with Sage
July 27, 2015
Landmark solution for professional services sector sets standard for speed of integration with Sage Live .... | more
Sage and Deloitte Forge Strategic Partnership to Deliver Affordable Insight and Agility to Small & Medium Businesses
July 27, 2015
Sage technology combined with Deloitte’s expertise gives businesses faster access to the insight and online tools they need to succeed and grow .... | more
Sage Joins Supplier Connection
July 27, 2015
Consortium maintained by IBM is aimed to bolster U.S. economy through supply chain initiative .... | more
Inventory Advisor helps Unlimited Building Supplies optimise inventory management
24 June 2015
Unlimited Building Supplies, a specialist supplier of ceilings and partitions, has implemented Sage Inventory Advisor .... | more
Sage Evolution Service Manager helps Booyco HVAC Services drive its vision for customer-centricity
22 June 2015
Booyco HVAC Services , a company that specialises in installing, servicing and maintaining mobile air conditioning .... | more
SME survival guide for load shedding
14 April 2015
Load shedding is here to stay, so every small business needs to take steps to protect its systems and data when the lights .... | more
New BBBEE Codes crunch presents mid-sized businesses with a golden opportunity
9 April 2015
Mid-sized businesses face a significant challenge in transforming their businesses to comply with the stricter Revised ... | more
Sage Evolution EFTS solution helps Supreme Leisure offer a better customer experience
23 March 2015
Supreme Leisure, a Port Alfred-based supplier of marine boats and related accessories, has improved customer service ... | more
SMEs under pressure to use tech more effectively
31 March 2015
South African SMEs are under growing pressure to use technology in more sophisticated ways to meet the expectations ... | more
10 tips for keeping your data safe in the cloud
26 March 2015
By Steven Cohen, Managing Director for Sage One Accounting AAMEA (Australia, Asia, Middle East and Africa) .... | more
Budget 2015: a glimmer of hope for SMEs
26 February 2015
This year's budget from Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene showed some support for the country’s SMEs .... | more
Sage Pastel celebrates a year of growth with Sage Evolution business partners.
November 2014
Some 240 Sage Pastel Accounting business partners from around the world gathered at the African Pride .... | more
The Use of Sage Pastel in Schools.
October 2014
It has become a norm that all the St Mary’s DSG, Pretoria Accountings students enrol into Sage Pastel Programme .... | more
Important Notice: Re-register your Xpress or Partner software online as of 1 July 2014.
July 2014
We are improving our customer’s software registration experience by keeping up with the latest technology trends... | more
Integrated Job-SYS and Sage Evolution solution helps Service Electrical manage its growth path
June 2014
Service Electrical, a Port Elizabeth-based electrical contractor that focuses on large industrial-class installations... | more
Sage HR & Evolution ERP event in Nairobi, Kenya
June 2014
A great success is how you would describe the Sage HR & Evolution ERP event in Nairobi... | more
ETI offers a strategic opportunity for savvy employers
June 2014
South African businesses of all sizes have a great opportunity to help address the country’s growing youth unemployment crisis while benefitting from a tax incentive by taking advantage of the Employment Tax Incentive (ETI).... | more
Sage Pastel Accounting Version 14 connects desktop users to the power of the cloud
June 2014
Sage Pastel Accounting has released a new version of the desktop Sage Pastel Accounting platform that integrates a range of new features to support SMEs that are mobilising their businesses, shifting towards the cloud, and looking for ways to tap into business intelligence that can help them make better decisions.... | more
Media Statement
May 2014
Sage Pastel is conducting an investigation into the allegations made this week about a data security issue in its Sage Pastel Xpress, Sage Pastel Partner, Sage Pastel Partner Payroll and Sage Pastel Payroll 5in1 software packages... | more
How software-as-a-service can put accountants on cloud nine
May 2014
Over the past 30 years, accounting software has evolved from the static, text-based interfaces of the first DOS-based programs like Lotus 1-2-3 into today's highly automated applications with their rich functionality and graphical interfaces... | more
New Sage Evolution version engineered for the future
March 2014
Sage Pastel Accounting has launched Sage Evolution 7, bringing customers a new version of the enterprise resource planning (ERP) suite that delivers the efficiencies and productivity gains offered by the latest mobile and cloud technologies... | more
Sage Pastel Help Desk Best in the World
November 2013
Sage Pastel proudly won the gold prize for best help desk in the world in Las Vegas, USA on Saturday the 16th November! Our very own support manager represented and collected the award at the World Contact Awards 2013. Sage Pastel, South Africa’s leading... | more
My Business Online: simple online accounting
September 2013
Pastel My Business Online is an entry-level, web-based accounting system that offers the full suite of accounting tools including: financial management, task assignment, project tracking and accurate reporting. The program simplifies complicated technical jargon making it easy for anyone to use even without the help of an accountant.... | more
Sage Pastel remains at the cutting edge of business software
September 2013
Johannesburg – July saw Sage Pastel, the local accounting and business software giant, demonstrate its industry-leading mobility innovations. The new Windows 8 Tablet App for My Business Online was showcased at the company’s accountants’ focus day and the Mobile App for Sage Evolution caused a stir at the company’s Evolution customer day... | more
Cloud computing: adapt or die
September 2013
Times have changed – we have entered an age where technology is pervasive and has become a central part of our lives, providing us with more mobility than ever. Applications that can build a grocery list, do our banking, and track where we’ve parked our cars, means there’s a completely new way of doing things. Business has to be part of the revolution: they must adapt to rapid technology changes to remain competitive... | more
New to business? Here’s an accounting package to start you off
September 2013
Pastel My Business Online (www.pastelmybusiness.co.za) is one of those online applications that can radically improve your organisation’s effectiveness while adding to the enjoyment of running a business. Before we get into details, it’s worth a quick word... | more
Sage Pastel the first to bring online accounting to SA
September 2013
Sage Pastel’s My Business Online (www.pastelmybusiness.co.za) was introduced to the South African market in 2009 and has enjoyed continued success, particularly within the SME market... | more
Accountants embrace the cloud with Sage Pastel My Business Online
September 2013
Accountants: online accounting will change the way you work
September 2013
Busting cloud computing myths with Pastel My Business Online
September 2013
SMEs: here are the benefits of My Business Online
September 2013
New in business? Start as you mean to go on
September 2013
Steven Cohen, MD of Sage Pastel reflects on the bright future that awaits SA’s next generation of accountants
23 July 2013
Sage Pastel remains at the cutting edge of business software with its mobility innovations
22 July 2013
Sage Pastel contact centre voted best help desk in Europe, the Middle East and Africa
15 July 2013
Sage Evolution end user day for customers large and small
July 2013
Accountants embrace the cloud with Sage Pastel My Business Online
27 June 2013
Sage Evolution Mobile: The Ultimate App
6 June 2013
The Corporate Entrepreneur
May 2013
Sage Pastel donates 7.5m in Software
April 2013
Technology in Africa
April 2013
Ideate Q and A
April 2013
Stay on the right side of the taxman with the latest release from Sage Pastel
February 2013
Local business software leader Sage announces name change
February 2013
Simple Numbers, Straight Talk, Big Profits!
September 2012
University embraces cloud accounting
July 2012
Focus on implementation, not just strategy
June 2012
Karabina joins forces with Unisource CC
May 2012
Karabina welcomes Trew Solutions
May 2012
Karabina welcomes Trew Solutions
May 2012
Standard Bank, Pastel team up
April 2012
Sage Pastel launches Black Economic Empowerment Portal
Feb 2012
Pastel Evolution announces best business partners
Nov 2011
Pastel Evolution is Aligned to SARS’ Requirements for E-Documentation
Oct 2011
Pastel Wins Microsoft Independent Software Vendor of the Year
Oct 2011
by Microsoft… | more
Sage Pastel’s latest release will improve accountability in non-profit sector
Oct 2011
Awards recognise small businesses
Aug 2011
The annual Small Business Awards on Talk Radio 702 with Sage Pastel launched this week with the aim of rewarding small businesses that are doing great things... | more
Contact centre world awards – results announced
July 2011
Sage Pastel, South Africa’s leading developer of accounting and business software scooped nine awards at the Contact Centre World Awards in London this past weekend... | more
Pastel LegalWrite now compliant with the new Consumer Protection & Companies Acts
July 2011
LegalWrite, Sage Pastel’s “lawyer in a box” has been updated to include and comply with both the Consumer Protection Act and the new Companies Act... | more
Sage Pastel dominates international contact centre awards
June 2011
For the first time ever, individuals from Sage Pastel have been named as finalists in the Contact Centre World Awards next month in London. These awards are considered to be the Olympics in the Contact Center industry... | more
Shining star wins National SAICA Pastel Accounting Olympiad
June 2011
The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA), in partnership with Pastel Accounting has announced that Sanelisiwe Nhlumayo, a grade 12 learner from Velabahleke High School in Umlazi Kwazulu-Natal, is the 2011 National SAICA Pastel Accounting Olympiad winner. Nhlumayo did an outstanding job by getting full marks for her paper and walks away with a well deserved laptop computer and R2 000 in prize money... | more
Labour provides the greatest hindrance to SME growth says survey
May 2011
Almost a third (28%) of local SMEs reported labour related issues as the main hindrance to business growth in the past year. While small business owners acknowledge that they need more staff in order to grow their business, they report that they either can’t find the right people or are too nervous to employ because of the country’s rigorous labour laws... | more
SMEs: monthly management makes for an easy Year End
February 2011
As we approach the end of the financial year, the calls to our support centre are starting to increase and the atmosphere of mass-panic in trying to close this year’s books can be clearly felt. It’s at this time every year that I wonder why business owners and managers often overlook the day-to-day administrative requirements that result in this major managerial load at the end of February... | more
It's tough out there: Small businesses still under pressure
January 2011
Sage Pastel recently received coverage in Financial Mail on the findings of the Pastel SME Survey.... | more
Pastel SME Survey
January 2011
Pastel Accounting recently conducted the inaugural Pastel SME Business Survey. Some of the topics covered in the survey were the global recession and the effect on profitability, turnover and staffing. We also asked questions around the exchange rate, family businesses, succession planning and how these things impact SMEs in South Africa. Over 2 000 respondents completed the survey.
The following online coverage was received:
SA small business faced mixed fortunes in 2010 – Pastel SME Survey
January 2011
Almost half (49%) of small business owners in South Africa reported an increase in turnover in 2010 while the remaining businesses reported stagnated or decreased revenue. But, despite the seemingly good news, profit margins were squeezed with just more than a third of SMEs (32%) reporting an increase and an almost equal amount (29%) facing a decrease in profitability – the real indicator of a business’s ability to make money.... | more
It may be small but SME owners must keep their house in order - by Steven Cohen
January 2011
Without fail, SMEs around the globe have one common plea to their respective governments; they want real resolutions to ease the administrative and financial burden they face.... | more
Radio Coverage
Sage Pastel representatives are interviewed on a variety of subjects related to Sage Pastel products and industry trends.
Click here to listen to the podcasts.
Technology: adapt or die
By Steven Cohen, managing director Sage Pastel
I recently realised that the term ‘cloud computing’ is not as broadly understood as I had assumed. Maybe it’s because I work in the tech sector that these buzz words are part of my everyday vocabulary but I was surprised to discover that 77% of professional accountants claim to have no understanding of what accounting in the cloud is... | moreRadical changes to hit cloud market
by Steven Cohen, MD of Softline Pastel
The online world changes everything and its frightening how big the change can be. Apart from revolutionising the way we conduct business and accounting processes, cloud has the potential to change entire global software distribution channels, leaving a disconnect between clients who rely on distributors and not their vendors for support... | moreHow the latest technology trends can really make a difference to your practice
By Steven Cohen, managing director Pastel Accounting
Technology, like most things, operates in cycles; there are times when the changes taking place don’t really affect you and then there are times when so much is happening that it’s very difficult to grasp what can really benefit you... | moreCloud computing: it’s time to weather the storm of confusion
By Steven Cohen, managing director, Pastel Accounting
I recently realised that the term ‘cloud computing’ is not as broadly understood as I had assumed. Maybe it’s because I work in the tech sector these buzz words are part of my everyday vocabulary but I was surprised to discover that 77% of professional accountants claim to have no understanding of what accounting in the cloud is... | moreAccounting in the cloud: the best small business solution for ages
By Steven Cohen, managing director, Pastel Accounting
Did you know that only 53% of professional accountants would recommend an online accounting product to their SME clients? ... | moreAutomated service isn’t service at all
By Steven Cohen, managing director, Pastel Accounting
To succeed in business, exceptional service is essential. Everyone says they do it but I question its true impact, particularly when I consider that everything is automated these days.... | moreBusinesses to prosper from Kenya’s bright internet future
By Steven Cohen, managing director, Pastel Accounting
Internet usage in Kenya has risen 11,4% to 8.69 million people over the past four months according to the 2010/2011 Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) report which now places Kenya second only on the continent to Nigeria for number of internet users... | moreTwenty years of entrepreneurial life lessons
By Steven Cohen, managing director, Pastel Accounting
Sage Pastel, as I’m sure you know is an ardent supporter of the development of SMEs and like all businesses we started out small. The company, which was founded in 1989 in Johannesburg, is now a leading developer of accounting and business software supplying 52 countries including 18 in Africa... | moreNew Companies Act bring changes to ISRE 2400
It used to be called ISRE 2400, Engagements to review financial statements but with the introduction of the new Companies Act, its been renamed ISRE 2400 (Revised), Engagements to Review Historical Financial Statements The Practitioner’s Objectives in a Review. It’s a complicated name but what does it mean?... | moreNew Companies Act affects the audit of a CC
The new Companies Act, which came into effect on 1st May this year, impacts the audit requirements of Close Corporations (CCs). CCs that are deemed to be in the public interest are now required to be audited, or at undergo an independent review...| moreBusiness Rescue
Rescue The new Companies Act has introduced the concept of business rescue for financially distressed companies. Simply put: this is a way to save companies from becoming bankrupt and applies to all types of businesses including close corporations.... | moreHow will the new companies Act affect the skill set of South African accounting professionals?
The new companies Act, which came into effect on 1st May 2011, has introduced the concept of an independent review as an alternative to the annual audit, depending on the public interest score...| moreAudit vs Review - The "employee" debate
By Professor Steven Firer
The public interest score determines whether a company’s annual financial statements require an audit or independent review and the number of staff employed by a company is a key determinant of that score. So are companies considering restructuring their human resources in order to avoid an audit?... | more
The independent reviewer is now responsible to report financial irregularities
By Professor Steven Firer
Auditors have been obliged for many years to report irregularities that they find in annual financial statements. Failure to do so can result in hefty penalties for the auditor and now, independent reviewers face the same fate.... | more
SME funding: fact or fallacy?
By Steven Cohen, managing director of Pastel Accounting
Auditors have been obliged for many years to report irregularities that they find in annual financial statements. Failure to do so can result in hefty penalties for the auditor and now, independent reviewers face the same fate.... | more
CCMA: a nasty four-letter word for business owners
CCMA proceedings are not easy; the process isn’t always clear and takes up both time and other resources. Let Pastel’s LegalWrite team guide you through the process... | more
How to resolve a tax dispute
Managing a business’s tax affairs is daunting task for its owners and managers, who don’t often have the luxury of in-house legal or tax counsel. The consequences for non-compliance with SARS’ requirements will almost certainly result in severe financial penalties or even some time in jail. But sometimes SARS is wrong and the good news is that a system does exist that allows tax payers to dispute their assessment.... | more
Essential business survival strategies
Times are tough! Despite the economic downturn apparently being a thing of the past, many businesses are still under stress. If you’re operating in recession mode, the following advice should see you through the tough times... | more
Improve your accounting knowledge for better business insights
Business owners often get absorbed in the service delivery aspect of their business and neglect the day to day financial management. While service delivery is paramount, an active understanding of the company’s books provides the best insights into the real success of a business; the bottom line.... | more
Ten tips for making it through the first year
Your business plan is complete, the legal work is done and your business set-up seems to be running smoothly. But the failure rate for new businesses in their first year is high so it’s important to avoid the simple mistakes that may jeapardise your future success... | more
Ten ways to finance your business
Findings from our inaugural Pastel SME Business Survey tell us that the lack of funding for this sector of the economy is one of the top three barriers to business growth. In fact, one in every five respondents reported that they were either unable to, or unaware of how to, raise funding for their business... | more
Accounting software for the future - by Steven Cohen
The software industry is an interesting place at the moment. The software market is evolving at a rapid pace and currently presents more options than ever before. Beyond the desktop, cloud computing offers online software applications with propositions that shouldn’t be ignored. Of course there are a host of desktop/web combinations that are available and don’t forget about the integration possibilities of the ‘smart’ phone. And now with Apple’s launch of the game-changing iPad, a whole new platform is coming into play... | more
SMEs: monthly management makes for an easy Year End
As we approach the end of the financial year, the calls to our support centre are starting to increase and the atmosphere of mass-panic in trying to close this year’s books can be clearly felt. It’s at this time every year that I wonder why business owners and managers often overlook the day-to-day administrative requirements that result in this major managerial load at the end of February... | more
SMEs hold the key
This article is a response to the minister of economic development, Ebrahim Patel, and his new plan for economic growth. Particular focus is paid to the important role SMEs play in creating economic growth in South Africa.... | more
Consumer Protection Act demands a lot of homework for most companies
The Consumer Protection Act (CPA) which is due to come into effect on 31 March 2011 is complex legislation that will have an impact on everybody, holding serious ramifications for all individuals, companies and organisations that sell products or provide services.... | moreBig isn't always better, especially in BI
Steven Cohen shares his thoughts on the importance and power of business intelligence... | more(TV coverage) Listen to our Podcasts
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