Sage has announced enhancements to its Sage Accounting suite, adding AI, payroll, HR and carbon reporting to every plan, helping small businesses and accountants cut admin, get paid faster and meet growing sustainability requirements.
Sage has made major enhancements to its Sage Accounting suite – integrating AI, payroll, HR and carbon reporting into every plan. These updates are pitched as giving small businesses and accountants practical tools to save time, stay compliant, get paid faster and meet growing sustainability demands.
At the heart of the upgrade is Sage Copilot, now included in every plan. This AI-powered assistant helps small business owners and accountants cut admin, stay on top of Making Tax Digital (MTD) requirements and keep payroll running smoothly. Customers already report being paid up to seven days sooner, freeing up time to focus on growth and clients rather than spreadsheets and paperwork.
“Small businesses are the heart of our economy, but too often they’ve been left behind when it comes to adopting new technology,’ said Neal Watkins, EVP, Small Business and Accountants at Sage.
“By putting Sage Copilot into every plan, we’re giving small business owners and accountants practical, accessible, trusted AI that reduces the admin burden. From cash flow and compliance to payroll and sustainability, Sage Accounting puts AI to work where it matters most so customers can focus on growing with confidence.”
Alongside AI, Sage is delivering more value with fully integrated payroll and HR, making it easier to pay staff accurately, manage leave and onboard efficiently.
Sustainability is also now built in. Sage Earth Carbon Accounting, powered by AI, automatically captures and categorises data from financial transactions to generate clear insights into a company’s carbon footprint. With large companies and government bodies increasingly demanding emissions data from their suppliers, this functionality helps small businesses compete in tenders, access green financing and progress on their journey to Net Zero.
“As a small business, we’re increasingly being asked by larger customers to provide carbon data as part of contracts,” said Lisa Settle, Director, Ryland Communications.
“Having Sage Earth Carbon Accounting supports our ambition to reach Net Zero, while also giving us the tools to respond to customer requests. That combination can make the difference between staying in or dropping out of a supply chain.”
Helping accountants guide clients on carbon reporting
Accountants are also set to benefit, with Sage for Accountants now offering carbon reporting alongside financial services. This gives firms the ability to prepare credible reports and guide clients on efficiency and sustainability, extending their role as trusted advisers.
“Carbon reporting is becoming a bigger part of the conversations we’re having with clients,’ said Rebecca Trudgett, Founder, Switchfoot Accounting.
“Sage Earth Carbon Accounting will allow us to deliver that advice with confidence, alongside the financial services we already provide.”
These enhancements also strengthen collaboration between accountants and clients, with Sage for Accountants bringing together everything firms need to run their practice – from capturing and processing client data to managing proposals, forecasting cash flow and handling payroll services. New tools like the upcoming MTD Agent for Income Tax will further automate tax workflows, giving practices more time to focus on clients.
“Admin can eat up too much of the week, and with new clients set to need support because of MTD, we need access to the latest tech to support them,’ said Andrew Smith, Director, Smith & Co, Chartered Certified Accountants.
“With Sage’s latest offering and the upcoming MTD Agent for Income Tax, we’re confident we’ll be able to stay focused on clients where it matters most, while still growing our practice.”
Building a stronger Net Zero ecosystem
This launch is part of Sage’s wider work to build a trusted, AI-powered ecosystem for SMBs. Beyond its own products, Sage is investing in industry initiatives such as Project Perseus to improve access to UK energy data and co-developing standards like the UK Voluntary SME Carbon Reporting Standard. It has also launched the Carbon Accounting API and partnered to establish Carbon Commons and the Carbon Accounting Alliance to promote transparent reporting.
“At Sage, we know small businesses are critical to tackling climate change, but too often they lack the tools and support to get started,” said George Sandilands, VP, Sage Earth.
“Through Sage Earth, we’re building not only practical solutions like Sage Earth Carbon Accounting, but also the standards, partnerships and infrastructure that give SMBs the confidence to take meaningful action and demonstrate progress.”
With AI embedded across workflows, carbon reporting integrated alongside financial data and payroll and HR made simpler, Sage says it is redefining how small businesses and accountants work. The result: less time spent on admin, more confidence in compliance and sustainability and greater freedom to grow.
