FSM Construction Image credit pixabay/voltamaxSage has announced that Sage Field Operations is now integrated and available for Sage Intacct Construction. Sage Field Operations is developed by IFS Core exclusively for Sage. IFS Core also provide Sage Service Operations. Both solutions integrate with Sage 100 Construction and Sage 300 CRE. This latest announcement sees the mobile construction management application integrated with the solution that will, in time, supersede Sage 300 CRE.

Sage Field Operations connects office staff with field teams. It enables office staff to deliver scheduling information to the field, updating the information required in real-time so that field teams can access the latest information about a job on the move.

Field teams can also update office teams, thereby reducing time to invoice by tracking time, materials, and billing amounts. They can also document equipment repairs and generate purchase orders streamlining the process and improving efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Where changes are required, the field team can also generate quotes immediately, delivering them to clients remotely without the need to return to the office. This also helps to reduce the amount of paper used by construction teams. Therefore, it both digitises the process and improves sustainability metrics.

Dustin Stephens, Sage Vice President for Construction and Real Estate, Sage
Dustin Stephens, Sage Vice President for Construction and Real Estate, Sage

Dustin Stephens, Sage Vice President for Construction and Real Estate, commented: “Sage provides technology solutions that knock down barriers to help businesses succeed and make the lives of our customers easier. This new integration aids construction businesses in delivering excellent customer service, improving client retention, and winning new business.”

Sage Field Operations for Sage Intacct Construction is on the Sage Intacct marketplace and is available in the United States and Canada. No pricing was disclosed. It is charged on a subscription basis.

Sage Field Operations

Sage Field Operation is already available for Sage 300 Construction and Real Estate (formerly Timberline) and Sage 100 Contractor. This announcement is another push by Sage to enable customers to migrate to Sage Intacct Construction from both those applications. It will be interesting to see how quickly Sage Service Operations will follow. Sage pulled out six functional benefits construction firms can gain from this application.

  • Simplify service operations and reduce the time to invoice by accurately and efficiently tracking time, materials, billing amounts, and improve efficiency between the field and office.
  • Improve communication between office and field staff by capturing time, documenting equipment repairs, and generating purchase orders in real-time.
  • Integrate workflows and critical information like invoices, purchase orders, AR customers, and inventory directly to Sage Intacct.
  • Optimize new business opportunities by creating, tracking, and following up with quotes whilst onsite with customers.
  • Create and manage service agreements for customers, schedule service work based on agreement terms and timetables, and oversee cost and revenue for all service agreements.
  • Reduce paperwork and administrative overhead by eliminating duplicate data entry and reducing errors caused by misreading technician and field supervisor notes.

Enterprise Times:  What does this mean

There is no indication that the functionality has improved with this release. As Sage does not develop the application directly, it is an OEM product. If Sage is serious about competing with products such as Procore and many start-ups such as Linarc, it will need to consider investing in the IFS Core solution or potentially acquiring the company.

Sage’s announcement is another step forward as it looks to retain customers on its construction platform. Does it go far enough? There is no indication if the solution is being internationalised. Developed by IFS Core, do they have the same access to items such as the Sage Glossary? While this announcement is interesting, it poses more questions than it answers.

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