2012 Review of Sage Master Builder

Sage Master Builder
800-628-6583
www.sagemasterbuilder.com  

From the March 2012 Review of Construction & Contractor Accounting Systems.

Best Fit:

Sage Master Builder is designed for growing mid-sized construction businesses looking for industry-focused features, such as estimating, scheduling, payroll, job costing and service management, in addition to accounting and business operations functions.

Strengths:

• Enhanced user dispatch and dashboard overviews
• Customizable user home screens
• Comprehensive payroll management
• Full time audit trail
• Excellent job costing and reporting

Potential Limitations:

• No native SaaS/web-version, but ASP hosting available
• GL accounts limited to 10 digit alpha-numeric IDs

With comprehensive modules and utilities for business accounting, Sage Master Builder provides construction and financials management. The program includes full GL, AR, AP, payroll equipment costing and job costing, along with tools for managing projects, subcontractors, inventories, service issues, project estimating and analysis. Sage Master Builder is designed to handle all aspects of construction management, from estimating, through invoicing, inventory management, job completion, accounting and reporting.

BASIC SYSTEM FUNCTIONS - 4.75 Stars

Sage Master Builder opens into a full-screen interface that offers an expandable menu list of core program modules on the left, including the GL, accounting reporting, AR, AP, payroll, project management, utilities, equipment management, estimating, scheduling, service receivables, inventory and reporting. The home screen also offers icons for calendaring, a calculator, scheduled reports and help, and users can add custom links to specific areas of the program. Additionally, text-based links at the bottom of the screen give quick access to new user resources, customer resources, add-on products, an online learning center, checks and supplies, and additional free resources. The system also offers customizable user dashboards that can display key data, and new custom alerts let management know of important events and milestones.

When selecting one of the core modules from the menu, it expands to show specific functions within that module, making it easy to move to key and frequently-performed tasks. The Accounts Payable module, for instance, opens to offer links to payable reports, invoices/credits, vendor payments, vendor management, vendor 1099 functions and management of recurring payables.

Sage Master Builder is designed for use on Windows-based computers, and can be networked or installed on all computers in the business, with the number of concurrent users based on the license. The program also can be used to run multiple, separate construction entities with the same license, and also supporting firms with multiple office, worksite and inventory locations.

CORE ACCOUNTING CAPABILITIES - 4.75 Stars

Sage Master Builder includes a fully-integrated accounting system that includes GL, AR, AP, invoicing, purchase orders, payroll and equipment costing, with a full-time audit trail to ensure data integrity. The system offers four templates for setting up common charts of accounts for construction and contractor entities, or the ability to create complete customized charts. The GL supports 10-digit account number structures with additional customization options. Account management screens display charts and offer selection lists and tabbed views.

Vendor and customer lists in the AP and AR modules enable quick searching and drill-down access to contracts, as well as tabbed views for invoicing defaults, contact information, purchase orders, invoices, payments and certificates. Additional features in the AP module include management of credit card accounts, loan payments and vehicle cost and depreciation management.