If your business uses Sage accounting software, making the most of its built-in features can help you save time, improve accuracy and reduce the amount of manual bookkeeping you need to do.
Whether you manage your bookkeeping in-house or work with an accountant, using Sage efficiently can free up valuable time to focus on running your business. Here are three simple but effective features that can help streamline your bookkeeping processes.
Do you post the same journals every month, such as payroll, depreciation or prepayments?
Rather than recreating these entries every time, Sage allows you to memorise journals, meaning you can quickly recall a saved template, update the figures and date, and post it within minutes.
Why use Memorised Journals?
Why it matters: Small time savings each month soon add up, allowing you to spend less time on administration and more time running your business.
Many businesses have regular payments that occur every month, such as rent, insurance, subscriptions or loan repayments.
Instead of entering these transactions manually, Sage’s Recurring Items feature allows you to automate them by setting the amount, frequency, VAT treatment and nominal code.
Recurring transactions can also be edited or paused at any time if your circumstances change.
Ideal for:
Benefits of automation
Why it matters: Automating routine bookkeeping tasks reduces repetitive work and helps ensure recurring transactions are recorded accurately and on time.
If your business processes a high volume of bank transactions, manually entering every payment and receipt can be both time-consuming and prone to error. Sage allows you to import bank transactions using a spreadsheet, making it much quicker to process large volumes of data.
If your bank statements are provided as PDFs, software such as Dext can convert them into Excel format, ready for import into Sage.
Why import transactions?
Why it matters: Bulk importing transactions is one of the quickest ways to improve bookkeeping efficiency, particularly for businesses with busy bank accounts.
Frequently asked questions
Can these features be set up on existing Sage accounts?
Yes. Most businesses can start using memorised journals, recurring transactions and bank imports without changing the way their accounts are structured.
I’m entering everything manually—is that normal?
Many businesses rely on manual processes simply because they aren’t aware of Sage’s built-in automation features. A quick review of your bookkeeping processes can often identify opportunities to save time.
When should I ask an accountant for help with Sage?
If bookkeeping is taking longer than it should, or you’re unsure whether you’re using Sage efficiently, it’s worth speaking to your accountant. Small process improvements can often save hours each month.
Need more help with Sage?
At Kirk Newsholme, we help businesses make the most of their accounting software by identifying smarter ways to manage day-to-day bookkeeping. Whether you’re looking to improve efficiency, automate manual processes or gain greater confidence in your financial records, our experienced team is here to help.
If you’d like advice on using Sage more effectively or support with your bookkeeping, we’d be delighted to hear from you.
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