# END OF LIFE ANNOUNCED FOR SAGE 200 2010 – BUT WHAT DOES THIS MEANS FOR BUSINESSES?
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2016-08-11
Category: TECHNOLOGY
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/technology
Meta Title: Upgrading from Sage 200 2010: Why End of Life Matters
Meta Description: Learn about the implications of the upcoming end of life for Sage 200 2010 and the risks of running outdated software in the fast-evolving world of business
URL: https://financedigest.com/end-of-life-announced-for-sage-200-2010-but-what-does-this-means-for-businesseshtml

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By DMC Software – [https://www.dmcsoftware.co.uk/](https://www.dmcsoftware.co.uk/)

The date is drawing ever closer; 31st October 2016 will see Sage 200 2010 reach End of Life.

I would hazard a guess and say that many of us within the [business](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-start-a-business-in-louisiana.html) community associate Sage with software predominantly in the Accounting domain. However, when Sage 200 was born, it was a server based software that incorporated existing and popular products, Line 100, Sage MMS with a CRM system that offered its users modules that took care of manufacturing, retail, payroll, forecasting, asset management and business intelligence. Yes ladies and gents, it offered these modules at a [time when SaaS as we know it was being cemented in its place as the business service](https://www.financedigest.com/financial-services-and-sustainability-the-time-is-now.html "Financial services and sustainability: The time is now") model to be used. Smart move, because it is now reported that 75% of businesses worldwide are using SaaS, and in a study by KPMG, 50% of executives [identify that SaaS within their business as the area](https://www.financedigest.com/identifying-areas-of-vulnerability-why-cybersecurity-shouldnt-be-an-afterthought-for-financial-organisations.html "Identifying areas of vulnerability: Why cybersecurity shouldn’t be an afterthought for financial organisations") most likely to receive investment. Why? Because these SaaS models [drive business forward and deliver innovation](https://www.financedigest.com/cyclic-innovation-to-drive-the-bone-glues-market.html "Cyclic innovation to drive the Bone Glues Market").

Originally the new software was met with cynicism – many of their customers had [endured a period of teething problems whilst implementing the previous products and were outraged at the thought of support](https://www.financedigest.com/russian-missiles-rain-down-on-ukraine-as-west-pledges-enduring-support.html "Russian missiles rain down on Ukraine as West pledges enduring support") for the software being removed.

In its most simple essence, the ‘End of [life’ for Sage 200 2010 means](https://www.financedigest.com/redefining-what-it-means-to-have-it-all-how-to-make-work-fit-into-your-life.html "Redefining What It Means to Have It All: How to Make Work Fit into Your Life") that after October 31st 2016, there will be no further critical software and security updates issued. Technical support will be withdrawn via telephone or Incident Manager. While a portion of businesses will breathe a sigh of relief upon realising the system can still be used, they often fail to recognise the increased cost of system [maintenance or vulnerable position they place](https://www.financedigest.com/glencore-to-place-nordenham-zinc-smelter-on-care-and-maintenance-from-nov-1.html "Glencore to place Nordenham zinc smelter on care and maintenance from Nov 1") themselves in by doing so.

When Microsoft launched a website dedicated to the [end of life](https://www.financedigest.com/why-faster-reactivity-to-end-of-life-deadlines-is-key-for-financial-services.html "Why faster reactivity to end-of-life deadlines is key for financial services") of Internet Explorer 6, the tagline that accompanied it was “Friends don’t let friends use Internet Explorer 6” – in an effort to underpin the importance of upgrading to its modern application.

While many are concerned with the [disruption associated with changing or upgrading their ERP or CRM systems](https://www.financedigest.com/trapping-and-mating-disruption-systems-market-is-witnessing-high-sales-growth-over-2028-fact-mr-report.html "Trapping And Mating Disruption Systems Market Is Witnessing High Sales Growth Over 2028, Fact.MR Report"), security risks become a number one danger when you run on outdated technology – and even more so when the software is no longer maintained. The risk of being attacked by malware, spyware and viruses should outweigh any legacy dependencies that a team have built – especially when [business](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-start-a-business-in-louisiana.html) performance, profitability and sensitive business and client [data is at risk](https://www.financedigest.com/driving-returns-and-reducing-risk-with-data.html "Driving returns and reducing risk with data").

Security expert Emma Philpott has said: “There’s a lot of great talk, but most SMEs do nothing about [cyber security](https://www.financedigest.com/the-new-cyber-agency-helping-tech-startups-stay-secure.html "The New Cyber Agency Helping Tech Startups Stay Secure"). It’s shocking.”

Outdated technology, applications and software are included should have a place within your security process, because the [cyber threat](https://www.financedigest.com/how-are-rising-cyber-threats-boosting-demand-for-public-safety-software.html "How are Rising Cyber Threats Boosting Demand for Public Safety Software") is very, very real. Did you know that around 70% of UK businesses have been the victim of a cyber-attack and 49% of businesses place [cyber risk](https://www.financedigest.com/automated-cyber-risk-quantification-saving-the-insurance-industry.html "Automated Cyber Risk Quantification: Saving the Insurance Industry") as a top priority? Shockingly only 16% of [boards have a very clear understanding of where the company’s key data is shared with a third](https://www.financedigest.com/two-thirds-of-iaea-board-backs-western-statement-pressuring-iran.html "Two-thirds of IAEA board backs Western statement pressuring Iran") party.

When it comes to the financial cost of cyber-attacks, it takes on average 2.3 days to recover from a cyber-attack, which in [terms of time doesn’t sound](https://www.financedigest.com/benign-positional-vertigo-treatment-market-is-pegged-to-witness-sound-growth-in-terms-of-value.html "Benign Positional Vertigo Treatment Market Is Pegged To Witness Sound Growth In Terms Of Value") like much; but drill down to how much a standard [business](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-start-a-business-in-louisiana.html) day is worth in monetary value and how much wouldn’t be recoverable. Suddenly, it begins to seem like a lot.

The vulnerability also poses a threat to the level of compliance; client data is required to be transmitted, used and stored in accordance with government legislation. Should the security of client data be breached, you could see your business landed with an extremely sizeable, even debilitating sum. The UK ranks 2nd as the global ranks for data breaches; in 2006 [Nationwide Building Society was fined £980,000 by the FSA because the data of 11 million customers](https://www.financedigest.com/uks-nationwide-to-pay-340-million-pounds-to-customers-after-profit-leap.html "UK’s Nationwide to pay 340 million pounds to customers after profit leap") was put at risk. 2 Employees at T-Mobile were fined £73,000 for selling customer information. It doesn’t end there – Morrison’s, PlayStation, Staffordshire University and TalkTalk have all been fined for [data breaches](https://www.financedigest.com/amazons-twitch-blames-configuration-error-for-data-breach.html "Amazon’s Twitch blames configuration error for data breach").

The issue here with outdated software is that [cyber criminals have had longer length of time to find weaknesses and attack](https://www.financedigest.com/lloyds-of-london-investigates-possible-cyber-attack.html "Lloyd’s of London investigates possible cyber attack") – and when support is removed, this issue evolves into an enormous problem.

These laws also have the potential to [become stricter and in line with the Data](https://www.financedigest.com/becoming-data-ready-for-mtd-for-corporation-tax-aligning-vat-and-ct.html "Becoming data-ready for MTD for Corporation Tax: aligning VAT and CT") Protection Directive, introduced to EU member states in 1995. Businesses have until the 25th of May 2018 to comply with the directive, and it has been rumoured that those [companies who are found NOT to be meeting the requirements of the new regulations could be fined up to 4% of their global](https://www.financedigest.com/surgical-imaging-market-2021-global-leading-companies-analysis-revenue-trends-and-forecasts-2027.html "Surgical Imaging Market 2021 Global Leading Companies Analysis, Revenue, Trends and Forecasts 2027") turnover.

When we talk about outdated technology – we should consider the effect of downtime. Slow and inefficient software WILL have an impact on the productivity and ultimately profitability, in fact revenue can be reduced by as much as 37%, not to mention damage to brand reputation and valuable time spent [fixing issues](https://www.financedigest.com/u-s-france-agreed-to-fix-u-s-subsidies-issues-says-macron.html "U.S., France agreed to “fix” U.S. subsidies issues, says Macron") rather than on current projects and new business.

So how do you [move forward when the software we rely on effectively becomes](https://www.financedigest.com/bangladesh-moves-up-the-ranks-and-could-become-the-24th-largest-economy-by-2036.html "Bangladesh moves up the ranks and could become the 24th largest economy by 2036") obsolete? You revaluate the business needs; many of us are still fearing change, [changing process, changing strategy, changing software](https://www.financedigest.com/rd-tax-important-exemptions-and-upcoming-changes-for-the-it-software-industry.html "R&D Tax: Important Exemptions and Upcoming Changes for the IT & Software Industry"). But the [change should be welcomed, because the innovations, especially in 2016 that you embrace with change that be transformational](https://www.financedigest.com/intelligent-investment-in-digital-transformation-driving-change-from-the-grassroots.html "Intelligent investment in digital transformation: Driving change from the grassroots"). Chances are that your [business will have changed in some way in the time that you first implemented your business software](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-choose-the-right-software-architecture-for-your-business.html "How to choose the right software architecture for your business"), it was the right choice then, is it the right choice now? The range of software out there is almost infinite, the first questions that you need to address are – What area in the [business do I need to improve](https://www.financedigest.com/how-can-call-tracking-improve-your-business.html "How can call tracking improve your business?")? What area in the business needs to perform better? What area of the business needs to be streamlined? One you know the answer to these questions, you endeavour to find a [product that is designed](https://www.financedigest.com/product-design-verification-and-validation-solution-market-2021-present-scenario-and-growth-prospects-2025.html "Product Design Verification And Validation Solution Market 2021 | Present Scenario and Growth Prospects 2025") to help in these areas.

Sage have evolved their offering with Sage 200 2016; the new version enables businesses to automate their payment [processes and improve cash](https://www.financedigest.com/keep-your-head-in-the-cloud-improving-the-order-to-cash-process.html "Keep your head in the cloud: improving the order-to-cash process") flow, but perhaps your cash flow is already an efficient process and instead, you need to focus on your sales pipeline, managing your contactsor improve both in house and client communication? Whatever the need you have identified – there will be a business software that is going to allow to make these improvements and [grow](https://www.financedigest.com/title-homeopathic-veterinary-medicines-market-growing-at-a-cagr-of-5-business-and-future-opportunity-2031.html "Title: Homeopathic Veterinary Medicines Market Growing at a CAGR of ~5% | Business and Future Opportunity – 2031") with the business providing a significant return on investment. Which is the fundamental reason the business started isn’t it?


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