Your software subscription/maintenance plan has long provided access to new product release upgrades, maintenance updates, payroll tax table updates, and access to the online knowledge-base as well as access to support from Sage-employees (depending upon the level of your agreement). If your business also depends on other Sage solutions such as ABRA HRMS, FAS Asset Accounting, or Sage Timesheet (to name a few), you also had supplemental subscription/maintenance plans which:

• Renew at a different date than your Sage MAS subscription/maintenance
• Provide different benefits
• Have conflicting naming conventions (SupportPlus, Software Subscription, Maintenance Plan, etc.)

Sage has announced that, over the course of 2010, all of their product agreements will be aligned under the name Sage Business Care with tiered benefit groups including Bronze, Silver, and Gold. We will have to wait for the specifics of each product line and each tier, but we expect Sage MAS 90 and 200 benefits to continue to include:

• New product release upgrades: Sage makes a significant investment in research and development to innovate and extend Sage applications so customers can continuously improve their businesses. Customers subscribing to a Sage Business Care plan receive product releases that incorporate all the latest enhancements.
• Maintenance updates, patches, and hot fixes: Customers will receive access to downloadable solutions for reported incidents, scheduled maintenance updates, patches, and hot fixes. These changes may also include legal compliance updates.
• Payroll tax table updates: Tax updates are crucial for customers processing payroll, and Sage provides assurance that payroll systems are compliant with state, county, provincial, or federal payroll tax changes.
• Technical support and help: Customers are able to enter cases by phone, chat, email, or online. Whether it’s a critical incident that requires a rapid response or a “how-to” question about a function within the software, Sage ensures customers learn from every interaction with us – providing the expert guidance customers need to harness the full capability of their Sage solution.
• Virtual desktop access capabilities: For complex situations, Sage technical support analysts are able to quickly diagnose and resolve issues by remotely accessing a customer’s software — with their permission.
• 24×7 access to the online Knowledgebase: Sage online Knowledgebases provide fast, searchable access to a database containing thousands of solutions. Customers can use the answers in the Knowledgebase to prepare for new releases, avoid known issues, access troubleshooting tips and compatibility guides, download updates, and track case statuses, while minimizing disruption to their business.
• Technical webcasts and videos: Many Sage product lines offer technical support briefings that keep customers up to date on key issues and the latest enhancements. Topics are widely varied and sessions can be conveniently accessed and watched anytime with online Knowledgebases.
• Online communities: Online product communities connect customers for sharing best practices, application insights, and industry expertise to get the most from their Sage solutions. Online communities also serve as business networking sites for users of Sage products, as well as Sage employees and partners.
• Training: Training helps users get the most out of Sage solutions. Discounted training, including online and instructor-led courses, is available for customers with an active Sage Business Care plan.

1 Some variance does exist in the number of Sage Business Care tiers offered by the different Sage product lines.