SAGE X3 is an enterprise resource planning software that comes with a range of extensive and customizable modules that can accelerate business growth. It was originally founded in France by a company called SPEMI. The company develops software systems for sales, procurement, payroll, accounting, and other proprietary applications. Initially, the organization used open source systems but would later migrate to UNIX, which was the most promising OS at that time.
In around 1985, SPEMI started developing applications that ran on Windows as well as UNIX. In 1990 the organization built an ERP system on a platform called Adonix Enterprise. The ERP would cover distribution, payroll, and accounting. SPEMI was later renamed to ADONIX, and the organization became international in 1997. However, Adonix ERP did not have a manufacturing module. So they decided to acquire another software company named PRODSTAR, which had an ERP with a manufacturing module in it. They integrated the PRODSTAR manufacturing module into its existing software to produce the next generation ERP system known as Adonix3. The ERP was very powerful, robust, and offered 3 times more benefits, and this was the origin of X3 from the last 2 letters of Adonix3.
However, in 2005 SAGE purchased Adonix and renamed the ERP to SAGE X3. It has become a leader in ERP systems today.
Evolution of SAGE X3
In the last decade, ERP has proven to be the most important technological breakthrough for industries around the world. Lots of organizations can scale productivity with the deployment of SAGE X3. X3 has evolved to become a behemoth and one of the leading enterprise resource solutions that have dramatically disrupted how organizations operate. There are lots of ERP’s around today, but very few can match the power of SAGE X3, and most organizations looking for innovation and growth opts for the solution. Whether your business is small, large, or an enterprise SAGE X3 is a suite of customizable solution that can be easily integrated into your business to help manage and streamline processes.
It offers organizations uniformity and a single source of data truth. Also, it ensures that tasks are not repeated, information is not duplicated, and activities are smoothly carried out. The ERP comes with a unique and intuitive user interface, robust modules, extensive report capabilities that can help drive businesses to the next level. If you are looking for a solution that can help you keep control of your business through efficiency and productivity, SAGE X3 is the answer. With SAGE X3, you can easily manage your business in various geographical locations and view activities in real-time.
Advantages of SAGE X3 ERP
It evolves and Adapts with Your Business operations– Adaptability and evolution are one of the hallmarks of SAGE X3. The Sage X3 ERP is very flexible and can quickly adapt to the ever-changing business dynamics. It is robust and designed to support present and future business requirements. No matter what your future needs may be, SAGE X3 is scalable enough to handle it. Furthermore, it comes with advanced architecture, and you can easily customize and configure as much as you want.
Tremendous Value for money Right Out of the Box – SAGE X3 offers the best value for money in the ERP industry, and it stands head and shoulders above every other ERP out there. It comes with a range of standard features and functionalities that ensures that cost is drastically reduced while improving efficiency for organizations. When you deploy SAGE X3, your organization would require fewer funds to run its operations, and your organization’s bottom line would be positively impacted.
It’s Ready for Global Business – It doesn’t matter where your business is located, SAGE X3 can be deployed in any part of the world. It comes with the multi-currency system, configuration, and policy management for more than 100 countries around the world. Additionally, it is multinational and comes in various languages, legislations, and support for a range of countries.
Powerful, Yet Simple – Sage X3 is powerful, robust, simple, intuitive, and can serve mid-sized, large, and enterprise organizations. There are lots of complicated and expensive ERP’s out there. However, SAGE X3 offers a powerful, robust, and simple interface without compromising quality.
Cutting Edge Technology
If you are looking for an ERP that would not get obsolete, SAGE X3 is the answer and the future. It is designed with state of the art technology and can seamlessly integrate with other 3rd party technologies. It gives you the power and the flexibility to use it the way you want.
Key features of Sage X3 and its basic modules.
Sage X3 comes with extensive and robust modules that can unify the enterprise’s information and business processes within one single database and software application. Lately, Sage X3 has become a huge asset to many organizations around the world. It ensures that businesses run smoother and protects your information/business process. Also, it automates and streamlines processes, ensures a smoother production, and offers a whole lot of other advantages. With its elaborate module, SAGE x3 ensures that businesses can run more efficiently with reduced cost. Here are the major Modules of SAGE x3
SALES MODULE
The sales module is a core module of SAGE X3, and it is responsible for automating and supporting the sales unit of every organization. The sales module is robust and comes with other major sub-modules such as Purchasing, CRM, Inventory, and also segments for Quality control/warehousing. You can easily manage your customer/clients, backorders, raise purchase orders, sales orders, and a range of other functions with the sales module.
Here are the main features of the sales module in SAGE x3
- Contract systems
- Order capture
- RFQ entry
- Pricing systems
- Product and service configuration
- Quotation templates
- Sales Commissions
- Packing Units
- Tracking and reports
- Invoicing
- Multi-currency management
- Quotation
- Shipping and delivery planning
- Date management
- Inventory controls
Procurement / Purchasing module
The procurement module of SAGE X3 is a part of the distribution application that supports functions such as CRM, sales, inventory control, quality control, purchasing, tracking, packaging, and data management. This module is a must for any organization with a sales department or supply chain organization.
Here are the major features of the procurement module
- Budgeting and planning
- Purchase orders
- Back-orders
- Inquiries
- Material management and requirement
- Request for quotation (RFQ)
- Signature control
- Outsourcing and contracts
Manufacturing module
This is an indispensable module for manufacturing organizations. It manages every activity related to manufacturing, such as scheduling, planning, production, discrete manufacturing, configuration, and so much more. The manufacturing module is a fully integrated system and can function as a standalone module. This is because it incorporates features of other modules such as purchasing, inventory control, finance, CRM, sales, etc.
Here are the most important features of the manufacturing module
- Bill of materials (BOM)
- Engineering change order (ECO)
- Data configuration
- Discrete manufacturing
- Versioning
- Work scheduling and management
- Planning
- Quality assurance and quality control
- MRP/MPS
- Cost calculation
- Change control
Inventory Module
Inventory control is an accounting tool and a part of the distribution software responsible for the organization of inventory and other functions. Most organizations have a large inventory, and without the use of an application, management would be very difficult and expensive. SAGE X3 inventory Module helps organizations keep track of the production process, prevents theft, and ensures that the manufacturing or sales process do not run short of inputs. The inventory module of SAGE X3 supports other functions such as CRM, Purchasing, sales, data management, quality control, tracking, and so much more.
Here are the main features of SAGE X3 inventory module
- Inventory control
- Data acquisition
- Quality control
- Transactions and movement
- Cost calculation
- Price Tracing
- Site management and warehousing
Customer Relations management Module
The CRM module is used to interface with the organization’s clients and customers. However, it is fully integrated with the purchasing, sales, manufacturing, and finance modules. With its elaborate features, organizations would be able to manage their customers through a unified database. It enables the marketing team to function better, and it can be used for lead capturing, sales funnels, follow-ups, reminders, automated emails, calls, and so much more.
Here are the major features of the CRM module of SAGE X3
- Sales automation
- Lead generation and follow up
- Clients / prospective clients contact management
- Customer support
- Reminders
- Call centers
- Marketing campaigns
- Service order
- Sales funnel
- Knowledge-base
Finance Module
SAGE X3 is an all in one ERP, and it provides a robust financial module that can be used for accounting functions, budgeting, cost management, payroll, fixed asset management, and so much more. The finance module is robust, comes with a multi-currency system, integrates multiple legislations, and can be used no matter the geographical location of the organization. It has a multi-audit system that is used to subsidize between the parent organization and its subsidiaries.
Here are the major features of SAGE X3 Finance Module
- Payroll management
- Account receivables
- Financial accounting
- Cost accounting
- Invoicing
- Fixed asset management
- Expense management
- Inter-company accounting
- Transactions and payments
- Consolidation
Supply Chain management
The supply chain management module of SAGE X3 can enable businesses to manage their entire supply chain system from inquiry to order and order to remittance. This means it can manage processes from the RFQ stage, input and follow up until the item is delivered, and invoiced.
Here are the key features of the supply chain management module
- Supplier management
- Category management
- Order and request management
- Purchase planning
- Purchase orders
- Backorders
- Budgeting
- Signature management
- Invoice entry and returns
Project management module
SAGE X3 simplifies project management for organizations in a unique way, and this module has become the backbone of many organizations lately. SAGE X3 does so much more than automating an organization’s daily routine. It helps in managing the individual process and breaks down a complex task into smaller units, thereby ensuring high-quality results, lower cost, and better quality projects.
Here are the major features of SAGE X3 project management
- Project templates
- Project management structure
- Definition of operations
- Invoice generation
- Project review and status
- Internal and external view
- Cost management
- Milestone management
- Purchase and distribution management
Sage X3 Business cloud’s across various industries and key differences from other products.
SAGE ERP has been adopted into various industrial sectors as a result of the multitude of benefits it offers. Whether you are in the finance sector, health institution, Nonprofit, government, and lots more, SAGE X3 can perfectly fit in. If you are looking for an integrated system to help streamline processes, reduce cost, improve efficiency, ensure compliance, SAGE X3 can give you more than you asked for. Here are some of the industries that have adopted SAGE X3.
Manufacturing and Distribution: Manufacturing firms are one of the earliest adopters of SAGE X3.The ERP can ensure that manufacturing firms operate smoother, keep their running costs low, inventory in check, and ensures a better competitive edge. The manufacturing process is constantly changing, customers demand is changing, and SAGE X3 is also evolving constantly to meet up.
Construction: Cost control, deadlines, BOM, ECO, inventory, and so many more are critical components of the construction firm. SAGE X3 is a solid ERP system that has been helping construction industries handle these aspects flawlessly. It ensures that inventory control is perfectly managed, thereby allowing supervisors to focus on high-level jobs.
Supply Chain management – SAGE X3 can help supply chain management firms to achieve dynamism and efficiency. With its robust modules, it ensures that the entire supply chain system of an organization is managed flawlessly. Form Enquiry to order and order to remittance, the entire process can be managed from start to finish. SAGE X3 also ensures a central source of data truth and eliminates duplicates information and rework.
Healthcare: The health care sector is a unique one and needs an ERP system that can help manage regulations, cost, personnel, inventory, and so much more. SAGE X3 has been assisting hospitals, care homes, Pharmaceuticals, Optometry, dentistry to manage their patient’s care, inventory, payroll, and the entire day to day processes and activities. These industries have been able to scale productivity with the use of SAGE X3.
Hospitality: SAGE X3 ensures that customers get the best service and also helps in the management of activities. It ensures that Hotels, Tourism sectors, game reserves, Travel, and lots more can run their processes like a tight ship without loss of revenue. It provides automated workflows that have proven to save time and money over and over again.
Professional services: SAGE X3 ensures optimal efficiency for organizations in the professional sector. It ensures that record keeping is easy and accurate, employee data capture and on-boarding are seamless, expenses and accounts are perfectly managed, and a range of other benefits. With Sage X3, you are sure to maximize profit as a professional organization, and services are delivered better and faster.
Other industrial sectors that have adopted Sage X3 include Logistics, retail, Defense, research institutes, Transportation, Telecommunications, and lots more.
How does SAGE X3 compare with other ERP’s Key Differences?
SAGE X3 has been gaining a lot of attention for many years, and many users agree that just two ERP systems can compare with it; they are SAP and Microsoft Dynamics. Before now, SAGE has never had a software solution that challenged its dominance because it stood head and shoulders above the rest. However, it can be said that SAP and Microsoft Dynamics have greatly closed the gap lately. But still, SAGE X3 promises more features, robustness with long-lasting benefits.
SAGE X3 VS SAP
For the past five years, SAGE X3 and SAP have been the most popular ERP solutions in the market, and the competition has been fierce. The end users are the benefactors of the competition as each ERP vendor has tried to outdo the other in terms of customer satisfaction, modules, functionalities, and pricing.
Similarities between Sage X3 and SAP
Cloud solution: Both ERP systems can be deployed on the cloud, and they have made technological leaps in this area. However, there are more cloud users of SAGE X3 than SAP. Both ERPs can seamlessly run on web servers such as Amazon AWS. SAGE X3 has a better cloud architecture with its multi-tenant cloud offerings, and it also has better browser support.
Financial Operation – Both solutions can be used for the management of the day to day financial operations of an organization. They manage payroll, accounting functions, ledger, and so much more. However, SAGE X3 is known to handle more advanced accounting and financial functions.
SAGE X3 and SAP have a global reach, brand recognition, rich history of delivering results, and fits businesses of all sizes. While SAGE can carry out most functions by itself, SAP relies on third-party applications for some industry-specific processes such as process manufacturing and distribution. Also, critical business aspects are done through customization or add-ons.
Verdict
It is safer to run your business with an all in one ERP like SAGE X3, and there is no reason to risk your business and your money with a patchwork through SAP. Like we mentioned earlier, SAP is an industry leader, but it relies on third-party applications for some industry-specific aspects, whereas SAGE is bundled in a whole package.
SAGE X3 VS Microsoft Dynamics
With a net income of $39.2 billion and a total asset of $286.55 billion, Microsoft Corporation has used its huge market share to strategically position its ERP. Microsoft Dynamics is at the top of the food chain in ERP systems and fiercely competing with SAGE X3 in terms of market share. The application was initially known as CRM software, but it has systematically added other modules and transformed itself into an ERP. But there are still flaws with the system, and despite its limitations as an ERP, Microsoft has used its organizational competitive advantages to promote Dynamics into a household name
The modules in Microsoft Dynamics include
- CRM
- Finance and Operations
- Sales
- Marketing
- Project automation
- Retail
With the solution, an organization can be able to unify data, get predictable insight, streamline the process, and achieve a good result. However, the modules in Microsoft dynamics are lightweight as compared with the Modules in SAGE X3. No single module except the CRM module can manage an organization’s core processes the way SAGE X3 does. SAGE X3 gives you far more versatility, customization, flexibility, and robustness. If you are thinking of deploying any of the ERP packages, it is very vital for you to understand the differences and opt for a solution that can meet your present and future requirements.
Both can be hosted on the cloud, which offers a multitude of benefits to users. However, Microsoft is very vast in scope; therefore, Dynamics is not a specialized application. SAGE X3 specializes in core business processes and support ERP operations better.
Final Notes
SAEG X3 is a leading global powerhouse in ERP systems and gives organizations the freedom to succeed. X3 can be used by small, medium, large, and enterprise organizations with great customizable features, cloud deployment, and on-premise architecture. SAGE understands that businesses are unique. Therefore the ERP comes with a range of modules and functionalities to help every organization scale productivity. The ERP is secure, has varying use, and is a pleasure to deploy no matter your organizational sector. SAGE X3 has more than 13,500 employees, and over 6 million customers spanning over 50 countries. The cost and subscription of the ERP are not designed to be a financial burden to organizations; it is designed to suit organizational budgets and guarantees a fast return on investment. Finally, it is important to note that before deploying an ERP, certain factors should be considered. It should support present and future processes, elaborate reports, workflows, and the most important features of CRM. SAGE X3 offers this and many more. Therefore, it should be the first option for any organization that wants to be productive and competitive.
As supercharged Sage X3 is, if you feel this is an over kill for your needs, you can have a look at the workhorse, Sage 300 Cloud.