Business Central vs Sage Intacct: Which One Should Your Business Choose?
Choosing the right ERP or financial management system isn’t just about software. It’s about setting your business up to scale, automate, and gain better visibility into performance. If you're looking at cloud-based platforms for finance and operations, two names will keep showing up: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and Sage Intacct.
They both cater to growing businesses, and both are excellent platforms in their own right. But they take very different approaches. In this post, we’ll walk you through what makes each one different, where Business Central has the edge, and how to decide which one fits your business best.
Why People Compare Business Central and Sage Intacct
Both platforms are popular with mid-sized companies who have outgrown spreadsheets or legacy accounting software. They’re cloud-native, scalable, and built to automate core financial tasks like billing, reporting, approvals, and consolidations.
But here's the key difference. Business Central is part of a much broader ERP system that extends into inventory, supply chain, warehousing, CRM, and project management. It’s ideal for businesses who want more than just accounting.
Sage Intacct, on the other hand, is purpose-built for finance teams. It focuses solely on accounting and reporting, which is a strength, but also a limitation depending on your goals.
If you're looking to simplify operations and unify more of your business systems, Business Central offers more flexibility out of the box.
Business Central vs Sage Intacct: A Feature Comparison
Let’s take a closer look at how these systems stack up across the features that matter most.
1. Core Financial Management
Business Central
Includes a full suite of core financial features, general ledger, accounts payable and receivable, fixed assets, bank reconciliation, and more. What makes Business Central stand out is that these features sit inside a broader ERP framework, so your finance team isn’t siloed. You can track projects, manage inventory, and connect with operations all in one system.
Sage Intacct
Focuses purely on accounting and financials. It’s strong in areas like dimensional reporting, multi-entity consolidation, and complex allocations. But it stops there, you’ll need other tools if you want to manage operations, projects, or inventory.
Verdict: Business Central gives you a unified view of finance and operations, making it the more future-ready option.
2. Reporting and Dashboards
Business Central
Leverages Power BI to give you fully customisable dashboards and reports. If your business already uses Excel or Teams, you’ll benefit from deep integrations. The reporting can get very advanced, and you can drill down across departments, not just finance.
Sage Intacct
Offers strong built-in financial reporting that’s easy to use from day one. It doesn’t require additional tools to generate useful insights, which is ideal if you want simplicity and speed in your month-end close.
Verdict: Sage Intacct is easier out of the box, but Business Central wins for companies that want deeper, cross-functional insights using Power BI.
3. Integrations and Ecosystem
Business Central
Built by Microsoft, it plugs directly into the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. Outlook, Teams, Excel, Word, it all works together natively. This means less admin, smoother workflows, and no need for extra connectors to approve invoices, send reports, or collaborate across departments.
Sage Intacct
Has a well-documented API and supports integration with apps like Salesforce, Expensify, and ADP. It’s flexible, but third-party integrations may require more setup and maintenance.
Verdict: Business Central offers seamless integration with tools your team already uses, making it a natural fit for businesses already in the Microsoft world.
4. Customisation and Flexibility
Business Central
Highly customisable with support for low-code workflows using Power Automate and add-ons through Microsoft AppSource. You can tailor it to your unique business processes and even build industry-specific extensions without heavy dev work.
Sage Intacct
Offers flexibility within finance, you can build custom dimensions, workflows, and approvals. But if you need flexibility across departments or want to extend the platform, you’ll likely need extra apps.
Verdict: Business Central is far more adaptable across the business. You’re not boxed into finance-only processes.
5. Ease of Use
Business Central
Modern interface that feels familiar if your team uses Microsoft tools. The dashboard and navigation are intuitive once configured, and built-in help guides and community resources are readily available. Because it does more, there’s slightly more to learn, but you’re also getting more value.
Sage Intacct
Very clean and finance-focused interface. It’s easy to navigate, especially for accounting teams. For businesses looking to upgrade just their finance function, it’s simple to implement and quick to adopt.
Verdict: Sage Intacct is simpler for finance-only users. Business Central is better for teams who need cross-functional capabilities and are willing to invest in training.
Comparison Table
| Feature | Business Central | Sage Intacct |
|---|---|---|
| Core accounting | ✅ | ✅ |
| Advanced reporting | ✅ (via Power BI) | ✅ |
| Inventory management | ✅ | ❌ |
| Microsoft 365 integration | ✅ | ❌ |
| Customisation | ✅ | ⚠️ (Finance-only) |
| Multi-entity support | ✅ (via add-ons) | ✅ |
| Implementation time | ⚠️ (Broader scope) | ✅ (Finance-only) |
Pricing and Licensing
Both platforms use a subscription model, but they approach pricing differently.
Business Central offers two base plans, Essentials and Premium, and charges per user. Essentials is £58 per user per month, and Premium is £85 per user per month. Essentials covers finance, sales, purchasing, and inventory. Premium adds manufacturing and service management. Because it’s modular, you only pay for what you need. Costs vary based on how many users and which modules you deploy. For a deeper dive into pricing, check out our comprehensive pricing guide
Sage Intacct uses modular pricing based on functionality. You start with core financials, then pay more for extras like multi-entity, project accounting, or contract billing. The structure is clear, but total cost can rise quickly as you scale.
Verdict: Business Central offers more flexibility in how you build and budget your ERP system, especially for companies planning to scale across functions.
When to Choose Business Central or Sage Intacct
Here’s a quick breakdown to help guide your decision.
Choose Business Central if:
- You're already using Microsoft 365 and want tight integration
- You need ERP functionality beyond finance like inventory or project tracking
- You’re planning for cross-department automation and scalability
- You want to consolidate multiple systems into one
Choose Sage Intacct if:
- You’re a finance-led organisation that only needs accounting and reporting
- You have complex multi-entity requirements and no need for inventory
- You want a fast implementation with minimal setup
- You prefer a tool built exclusively for the finance function
Key Questions to Ask Before You Decide
- Do we need to manage more than just finance, like inventory or projects?
- How important is real-time reporting across departments?
- Are we planning to integrate with Microsoft 365 or Salesforce?
- Do we need to support multi-entity or global consolidations?
- What other systems do we rely on that the ERP needs to work with?
These questions will form the basis of your ERP requirements and therefore which system will suit you better. Once you’re clear on what your business actually needs, not just today, but in 12 to 24 months, the right choice tends to reveal itself.
You might find that a finance-first solution like Sage Intacct gets you live quicker, but starts to feel limited once your operations or reporting needs expand. On the other hand, Business Central might take a little more planning upfront, but gives you far more room to grow without needing to bolt on new systems later.
It’s worth taking the time to map this out clearly. The more confident you are in your internal requirements, the easier it’ll be to spot which platform can support them best, not just during go-live, but long after.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Business Central better than Sage Intacct for inventory management?
Yes. Business Central includes native inventory, purchasing, and supply chain tools. Sage Intacct does not offer built-in inventory management.
Which is easier to implement, Business Central or Sage Intacct?
Sage Intacct typically has faster deployments for finance-only use cases. Business Central may take longer if you’re deploying additional ERP modules, but you’ll get more in return.
Can either system integrate with Salesforce?
Yes. Both platforms support Salesforce integration. Sage Intacct has a native connector, while Business Central uses middleware or custom APIs.
Is Business Central scalable for multi-entity businesses?
Yes. Business Central supports multi-entity and multi-currency, though it may require partner support for advanced consolidation. Sage Intacct has these features out of the box.
Which system is better for nonprofits?
Sage Intacct has more nonprofit-specific functionality built in, including fund tracking. Business Central can support nonprofits as well, but may require more setup.
Do both systems offer mobile access?
Yes. Business Central has a dedicated mobile app and integrates with Teams. Sage Intacct has a responsive browser interface with mobile compatibility.
Final Thoughts
Both platforms are strong, but Business Central stands out for companies that want more than just accounting. It gives you the ability to manage finance, inventory, operations, and CRM in one connected system. The native Microsoft integration, broad customisation options, and scalable architecture make it ideal for businesses who want a long-term platform they won’t outgrow.
Want help assessing your needs? Get in touch and we’ll talk through which option makes the most sense for your business.