| Summary of Change |
Detail |
| New ten-digit partner ID |
Partners will receive a new ten-digit partner ID and can log on to the new Sage Partner Information System using the logon and temporary password that will be provided upon completion of training. |
| Phase out of legacy partner sites |
The legacy sites will remain in place with static content from February 27, 2012, through April 30, 2012. On May 1, 2012, old URLs will redirect to the new system, and the old partner sites will no longer be available. Relevant existing content will be available on the new systems, and new information will be posted as it becomes available. |
| Browser support for new Sage Partner Information System |
Browser support for the new Sage Partner Information System is restricted to Internet Explorer (with support of IE 7, 8, and 9), as some of the system functionality will not be available through other browsers. |
| New security for Sage Partner Information System |
There are three levels of security within the Sage Partner Information System:
- Manager administrative rights to make changes and set security levels for other contacts within their organization, full access to customer searches, reporting, and full lead/opportunity editing
- Employee with Buy/Sell can search for customers without having an account number
- Employee can view individual customer with an account number, but does not have access to any range of customers and cannot access customer lists
All of the roles above will have access to submit support tickets and search the knowledgebase.
The primary contact for each partner will be assigned as the Manager, which is the highest security level. The Manager role has administrative rights to make changes and set security levels for other contacts within their organization. Upon the launch of the Sage Partner Information System, the primary contact will be responsible for setting up the initial security rights for each individual who needs to have access to the portal. |
| Scope of customer conversion |
Sage will convert customers that have been active during the previous three years for product lines included in this rollout. Active is defined as having a transaction with Sage during that three-year time period. Customers that have not had a transaction with Sage during that time will not be converted to the Sage Partner Information System. For partners that do not maintain their own customer list, we recommend that a list of customers be pulled from Sage Software Online customer management. |
| Account information |
Basic account information is available to partners, including address and contact information, partner contacts, products owned, service contracts, support tickets, and transactions. |
| Visibility into support tickets |
Partners will have the ability to view their support tickets on the Sage Partner Information System, whether submitted directly on the Sage Partner Information System or through Technical Support.
Due to legal requirements, please note that partners will only have visibility into Support Tickets for aligned customers if the customer has provided approval to Sage. Customers can submit the approval through the Customer Portal or by contacting Customer Support. |
| Online quotes and orders |
Online quote and order functionality is not enabled within the Sage Partner Information System and is being considered for a future release. All channel partner orders should to be placed directly with the appropriate Sage Sales team. |
| Quote, order, and shipping confirmations |
Automated email confirmations will be sent to the “Bill To” contact each time a quote or order is processed. A shipping confirmation will also be emailed at the time the order is shipped. Activation codes will be included and can also be accessed through the customer account on the Sage Partner Information System, provided that a reseller of record relationship has been established.
Due to the fact that these customer communications are sent through email, it is imperative that customers have accurate email addresses on file with Sage. We would appreciate your help in ensuring that Sage systems are maintained with customer email addresses. |
| Payment options |
E-check and ACH payment functionality will be available for both partners and customers. |
| Customer online renewal |
Some product lines may choose to enable customers to renew their annual plans through an online e-store. Details on which product lines will be using the e-store will be available in future communications. |
| Sage 100 ERP pricing for additional users |
Because of new Atlas functionality we are now able to offer tiered user pricing for Sage 100 ERP. This allows for volume based discounts, consistent pricing methodology and more purchase flexibility. For more details, click here. Additionally, an updated price list can be found here. |
| Temporary Change in Invoice (and related document) delivery method |
Some partners receiving invoices (and related documents like Debit Memos and Credit Memos) electronically today will experience a temporary disruption in delivery method with our final rollout of the Atlas ERP platform. We currently do not have the ability to deliver these documents electronically and as a result, they will initially be delivered by mail. Sage is working on an aggressive plan to introduce this functionality for all customers and channel partners in the next few months and will use existing email contact information to reestablish email delivery. Sage will also continue to campaign to have all customers and partners receiving invoices electronically in our continuous effort to support environmentally friendly business. We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we fully optimize the system. |
| Lead and opportunity management |
Leads and opportunities can be managed on the Sage Partner Information System to help manage your prospects and pipeline. |
| Enhancement requests |
Product Enhancement Requests can be entered in a general request on the Customer Portal and the Sage Partner Information System. |
| Additional partner forums |
Effective February 27, 2012, partners can access additional forums on the Sage Partner Information System. Access will vary by product line and partner type. |
| Central knowledgebase |
Knowledgebase articles for all Sage products will be accessible in one location, as each business unit goes live on our new system. Access to the knowledgebase articles and content will not require an additional logon process. |
| Advanced Partner Portal search capability and automatic email updates |
Partners can search the Sage Partner Information System knowledgebase, and access to content will be made available based upon their product authorizations. Advanced search capability includes documentation, downloads, price lists, marketing materials, competitive information, sales collateral, and more. Automatic updates are emailed to partners who subscribe to content when that content changes. |
| Payroll tax table updates |
Payroll tax table updates can be downloaded from the knowledgebase. Due to the fact that this is a common download, a quick link will be provided on the home page of the Partner Portal. |
| Product information downloads |
Current version logos, box shots, and prior version information can be downloaded from the documents section of the knowledgebase. The Partner Marketing Resource Center (PMRC) will continue to be used for Channel Marketing resources. |
| Marketing information and sales tools |
Marketing information and sales tools can be downloaded from the documents section of the knowledgebase. The Partner Marketing Resource Center (PMRC) will continue to be used for Channel Marketing resources. |
| Reporting capabilities |
Multiple reporting capabilities exist in the Reporting Center of the Sage Partner Information System, including account activity details, account activity summaries, customer renewal information, customer segmentation, and more.
Only those individuals with the Manager role assigned will have access to the Reporting Center. We encourage you to attend one of the training courses offered for the Reporting Center to learn how to take full advantage of these reports. |
| If I have questions, whom can I contact? |
We encourage you to continue working with your respective Sage partner representative. You may also send your questions to partner.portal@sage.com. |
