Sage set to end delay on 32-bit software pledge

Sage is finally preparing to release a full suite of 32-bit Windows accounting software modules after promising to deliver the application nearly two years ago.

The product, which will be launched at the software vendor's annual reseller conference at the ICC in Birmingham on 16 November, will replace the existing 16-bit Sage Line 100, formerly called Sovereign.

But the company has been promising resellers a multi-user Windows-based package for nearly two years.

John Tate, managing director of reseller Tate Brammald, described the release as 'horrendously late' and blamed the delay on Sage's lack of investment in research and development.

'This is a sign of the fact that Sage is more a marketing company than a developer. It tends to focus on growth through acquisition rather than through development.'

He added: 'The delay means the company has lost a lot of its competitive edge in this market.'

Brian Forsyth, managing director of reseller Forsyth Whitehead, which has tested pre-release copies of the product, said: 'This is a full business package and has much greater scalability than its predecessor. I would anticipate it will be priced in the same region as the Dos version.'

John Chadwick, managing director of reseller Minerva, welcomed the release but was critical of the unprecedented delay.

'I think it would be fair to say that Sage has not delivered on its promise and as a result we have had a pretty patchy 18 months with Line 100. We haven't been selling very much of it,' he said.

Mark Searles, director of the software division at Sage, claimed: 'This represents one of the most exciting developments we have seen in recent years. We believe there is no existing or potential product in the market as strong as the Sage Line 100 product.'

The forthcoming release will contain a full range of functionality, including sales and purchase order processing and job costing modules. The product will also be fully euro-compliant.