Sage Software Introduces Sage Payroll PayCards

Reloadable Paycards Help Small and Mid-Sized Businesses and Organizations Lower Costs, Give Employees New, Simple, Cost-Effective Way to Receive Pay


CHICAGO, IL--(Marketwire - November 5, 2007) - At Sage Summit 2007, Sage Software's annual customer conference, the company today announced Sage Payroll PayCards, a new employee payment option for small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) and organizations. Sage Payroll PayCards can help reduce payroll costs and the liabilities associated with paper paycheck generation, while enabling employers to give their employees a new, simple, and cost-effective way to receive their pay.

"We will not only be offering paycards, but we will also offer the support that SMBs and organizations need to educate their employees on maximum use of the card," said Karl Grass, senior vice president and general manager of Employer Solutions at Sage Software. "To that end, Sage Payroll PayCard customers will not only receive online customer support and live customer service, but will have access to comprehensive training tools to ensure employer success and employee satisfaction."

Sage Payroll PayCards are reloadable, and allow SMBs and organizations to provide both banked and unbanked employees with a more efficient payroll solution. Other benefits for employers could include:

--  Cost reduction in check generation of up to $2.00 per paycheck;
--  Elimination of check loss and theft, stop payments, check handling,
    overnight courier deliveries, and processing fees;
--  Increased security due to reduced potential for fraud; and
--  Increased employee satisfaction through elimination of time-consuming
    trips to check-cashing stations or banks, and potential monthly savings of
    60% compared to traditional check cashing fees.
    

Sage Software has partnered with Motivano, a leading employee benefits technology company, to bring Sage Payroll PayCards to market. "We look forward to leveraging our SmartCash paycard technology and industry expertise in helping Sage Software deliver the Sage Payroll PayCard offering to their future and current customers," said Seif Saghri, CEO of Motivano. "The Sage Payroll PayCard will be delivered via our Web-based solution that requires no system integration, software, or hardware. An employer simply signs up and enrolls their employees."

Businesses and organizations utilizing Sage Payroll PayCards can give their employees convenient and immediate access to their pay, without the hassle and expense of cashing checks. Sage Payroll PayCards can easily be paid on days off, and can be used to pay monthly or recurring bills, track expenses, view account balances and transactions online, and make online purchases.

Virtually all employees are eligible for a Sage Payroll PayCard, with no credit checks and no prior bank relationship required. According to the American Payroll Association (APA), as much as 25% of the U.S. working population does not have a bank account.

For nearly 20 years, Sage Software has been a leading provider of high-performance payroll solutions, from on-premises Sage Abra Payroll software, part of the Sage Abra HRMS product line, to online Sage Payroll Services, Sage Compliance Services for payroll tax filing and reporting, and now, Sage Payroll PayCards. Sage also offers integrated HR and payroll solutions for a variety of industries as part of the company's accounting and ERP product lines, including Sage Accpac ERP, Sage MAS ERP, Sage MIP Fund Accounting, Peachtree by Sage, and Sage Timberline Office. The company served as a Platinum sponsor for the 12th annual celebration of National Payroll Week (NPW) 2007, held September 3-7.

Being held this week at McCormick West Convention Center in Chicago, Sage Summit is a four-day event offering the opportunity for users of Sage Software products and services to network; gain insight to better utilize their software and services; and learn about the latest industry and business trends affecting their organizations. Two Sage Payroll PayCard education sessions are being presented at the conference, plus Sage Payroll Paycards are being introduced to Sage Abra HRMS and Sage Payroll Services customers on the trade show floor.

About Motivano

Founded in 1999, Motivano is a leading employee benefits technology company, providing electronic payment solutions that deliver convenience and cost-savings. Motivano serves over 4,500 corporate and government employers, with over 100 joining monthly. Clients include numerous Fortune 500 employers, such as GSK and Time Warner as well as thousands of small to mid-size companies. Government clients include the State of Delaware and the State of North Carolina. Motivano's products include healthcare cards, payroll cards, payroll deduction technology, and employee incentive solutions. For more information, please visit www.motivano.com.

About Sage Software

Sage Software supports the needs, challenges and dreams of nearly 2.8 million small and mid-sized business customers in North America through easy-to-use, scalable and customizable software and services. Our products support accounting, operations, customer relationship management, human resources, time tracking, merchant services and the specialized needs of the construction, distribution, healthcare, manufacturing, nonprofit and real estate industries. Sage Software is a subsidiary of The Sage Group plc, a leading international supplier of accounting and business management software solutions and related products and services for small and mid-sized businesses. Formed in 1981, Sage was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1989 and the Group now has 5.4 million customers and employs over 13,000 people worldwide. For more information, please visit the Web site at www.sagesoftware.com/moreinfo or call (866) 308-2378.

© 2007 Sage Software, Inc. All rights reserved. Sage Software, the Sage Software logo and the Sage Software product and service names mentioned herein are registered trademarks or trademarks of Sage Software, Inc. or its affiliated entities. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Contact Information: Press Contact: Cynthia Sutton Sage Software (703) 793-2700 x 3032 cynthia.sutton@sage.com