Sage Accpac, a leading provider of business management solutions to the mid-market, recently opened an office in Kenya. “Due to its location, Kenya presents itself as a growth hub for East Africa. The addition of a Sage Accpac office in this dynamic landscape therefore makes a great deal of sense,” says Aruna Ware, regional director for Africa at Sage Accpac, part of the Sage Group plc.

Accpac has been distributed via a number of qualified and highly skilled business partners to mid sized companies in East Africa for more than 20 years and has a large number of companies successfully managing their businesses using Accpac as their core ERP system. Sage ERP X3 is relatively new to the market and is targeted at large companies and companies with complex financial, distribution and manufacturing needs. Sage Accpac has recently launched the Standard Edition of Sage ERP X3 into the East African market, enabling rapid implementation following predefined methodologies.

The social and physical infrastructure within Kenya is well-developed, which lends itself to positive economic prospects. “The workforce within Kenya is a large, technology savvy entity that comprises of graduates who display a high level of IT skills. Several international technology and hardware companies are already present and established in the country, which will provide a large pool of potential business partners that we can collaborate with to expand our footprint into the region,” explains Ware.

“Our Kenyan partners will benefit tremendously from having a local Sage office to assist with sales, marketing and product development,” says Ware. The product range that will be available includes Sage ERP Accpac, Sage ERP X3 and Sage CRM. “Customers will now have direct access to local Sage representatives in addition to product support and development that will be specific to the Kenya market,” concludes Ware.

Editorial contacts
Deidre Beylis
011 425 6290
deidre@wattcommunications.co.za

About
Softline Accpac is a provider of business management solutions including financial, distribution, service management, retail, warehouse management, manufacturing and CRM to the mid-range market. Accpac solutions are delivered to 130 countries exclusively through a global network of solution providers, including over 150 throughout Africa. Softline Accpac's product line includes: Accpac ERP, Accpac CRM, Accpac RMS, Service Manager and Accpac Insight. Softline Accpac also distributes Sage SalesLogix, Sage Geode and Sage ERP X3, a full-service enterprise management software system for mid-to-large businesses. With a choice of languages, currencies, enterprises, locations and legislations, Sage ERP X3 offers an efficient, multi-company solution.

Softline

Softline is a leading provider of accounting, payroll, CRM and ERP software solutions to small, medium and large sized companies. Founded in 1988 by Ivan Epstein, Alan Osrin and Steven Cohen, Softline was established during the formative years of the software industry and listed on the JSE Securities Exchange South Africa in February 1997. Softline expanded to establish a strong position within its area of focus in South Africa and Australia. Focused on the development of accounting, payroll, CRM and ERP software solutions, Softline has a 20 year track record as a market leader. The group has a broad range of products offering users a variety of software solutions to run their businesses efficiently. Softline’s leading brands include Softline Accpac, Softline Pastel (Accounting and Payroll) and Softline VIP. The combination of the group’s product offerings provide Softline customers with comprehensive, well-branded accounting, payroll, CRM and ERP software solutions. In November 2003, Softline was acquired by the Sage Group plc, a FTSE 100 company. The software group includes market-leading businesses throughout the United Kingdom, Europe, North America, South Africa and Australia, supplying business software to the small, medium and large sized business community. Softline has a solid track record of profitability and cash generation. The group delivers quality accounting, payroll, CRM and ERP software solutions that improve the efficiencies of businesses around the world.

The Sage Group plc

The Sage Group plc is a leading global supplier of business management software and related products and services, principally for small to medium-sized enterprises. Formed in 1981, Sage was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1989. Sage has 6.3 million customers and 13,400 employees worldwide. We operate in over 24 countries covering the UK, Europe, North America, South Africa, Australia, India and China. For further information please visit www.sage.com.