Sage Abra Suite

Although the program is not specifically designed for accounting firms (and
we’ve categorized it as a system that would most likely be used in-house
by an employer), Abra does offer the ability to manage multiple employer entities
and can be used to manage and pay any number of employees of any pay types,
and any number of payrolls for each organization based upon frequency or departmental
groupings. Batch processing functions include the ability to run mul-tiple payrolls
and report sets simultaneously. Unlimited standard and custom deductions can
be assigned, including garnishments, insurance, retirement and third-party payments.
Any number of users can work within Abra concurrently, and the system includes
management approvals processes that streamline time-sheet and expense entry
review. Pricing for Abra depends upon the number of users and add-on features.

The system includes tax tables and compliance capabilities for all U.S. jurisdictions,
including states and local governments, as well as simplified management of
employees with multiple state tax obligations. Direct Deposit files are auto-matically
created by the program, with the ability to disburse funds to up to four accounts
per employee. Abra’s benefits management capabilities are outstanding,
with complete support for 401(k) and other deferred savings plans with company
contributions, as well as HSAs, debit-based flexible spending accounts, insurance,
employee training, attendance and other HR-oriented features. This includes
full tracking of information required by FMLA, EEO, OSHA and COBRA.

REPORTING & MONITORING:
Abra includes exceptional automated alert functions for tracking due dates of
any kind, such as compliance deadlines and payroll approvals processes. And
the program offers payroll wage and hire reporting forms for all federal and
state entities. Reports and forms are signature-ready, and the program produces
magnetic media for electronically filing to states and federal entities. Additional
automated e-filing and payment services are also offered through Sage’s
outsourced compliance service, which guarantees timely filings and payment of
liabilities. Employee management screens offer incredible detail and customization
options, with businesses able to track virtually any data necessary, as well
as the ability to quickly drilldown into employee work, time and payroll histories.
Management reports include more than 100 fully customizable options for wages,
tax, deductions, third-party pay and analyses, all of which can be saved in
a variety of formats, including Word, Excel and PDF.

INTEGRATION/IMPORT & EXPORT:
Abra Payroll seamlessly integrates with the HR features offered by Sage, as
well as offering integration with Sage accounting systems and offering export
to other accounting packages. Time data can be imported from outside clock systems,
or businesses can utilize the add-on employee time sheet entry functions, with
data flowing into the system following in-house approvals processes.

HELP/SUPPORT:
The Sage Abra system includes numerous built-in support options, starting with
quick access to assistance tools, guides, support and other options from the
default work screen. The customer can download tax table and system updates
as they become available. Online support options include a solutions center
with knowledgebase, user forums, newsletters, file and form libraries, and incident
tracking. Live telephone-based support is included with system pricing, with
priority support and additional options available via subscription models.

CLIENT SELF-SERVICE FEATURES:
The program is designed to be set up across a corporate server, with employees
and managers logging in to enter time data and perform self-service HR functions
such as submitting time-off requests, changing personal information and checking
prior pay stubs, W-2s, W-4s, and benefits enrollment and management. It also
handles benefits enrollment and administration so employees can access benefit
plans 24/7. The system also has the ability to reflect corporate branding elements
on intranet-style screens. Additional features of the self-service portal include
ViewBuilder, which lets users build dashboards and reports that are always up-to-date
and accessible via a URL, and integrated in iGoogle, Excel (for further analysis),
on an iPad, iPhone, BlackBerry or other intelligent device.

SUMMARY & PRICING
For professional accountants with mid-sized and large clients whose employee
bases are growing or are becoming increasingly complex due to broad HR and benefits
management features that the business offers them, the Sage Abra system provides
an exceptional in-house payroll and HR management system. It is comprehensive
and sophisticated, yet maintains intuitive workflow processes. Pricing for the
program, which requires the base Abra HR system, starts at about $2,000 per
year. Sage Abra is also available to practitioners as a bundle through the Sage
Accountants Network (see www.sageaccountantsnetwork.com
for more information on this option).

2010 OVERALL RATING: