Anyone using PrintBoss? Why is it needed? Why doesn't Sage 300 just build PrintBoss capabilities into it's core product?

Anyone using PrintBoss with Sage 300?  As an IT person (not an accounting person), I have never understood why PrintBoss features are not just built-in to Sage 300 (i.e. AccPac).  Is there a logical explanation why this has to be a separate component?  And is PrintBoss the only option to get whatever it does (add boilerplate to check printing?).  Finally, does Sage have any guidance on installing, configuring and using PrintBoss? Or is that 100% on the PrintBoss vendor?  Thank you in advance for answering my dumb questions.

  • I'm not sure, but probably because Wellspring didn't want to be bought out by Sage. They do have good support and documentation.

  • There are many reasons to use PrintBoss.  It seems to be known mostly for check printing on blank check stock, but it can do so much more. Easy positive pay for starters. One client uses it to print a picking slip in the warehouse at the same time as the office confirms an order.  Another uses it to create and file statement PDFs by month and by customer, to easily find and reprint an old statement.  Another uses it to automatically create or append .csv files when invoices are printed, so they can be uploaded to a web portal for payment.  Another sends a batch of only today's international orders to the controller, including the forms that need to be prepared before product is sent.  Lots of possibilities.  Think of it as a mini document management system for $795 (enterprise version), with outstanding tech support as Jay mentioned.

  • PrintBoss is one of my favorite pieces of software.  Wellspring Tech Support is the 'Best There Is'.

    If you think that check printing is all they do you need to do some research.  Some of what PrintBoss does IS included in Sage 300, BUT, PrintBoss does it better. 

    As a simple example, it's possible to export Sage 300 OE invoices to PDFs and put them in a customer folder on the server and manually name the PDF with the invoice number.  You would also need to create the customer folder ahead of time.

    With PrintBoss, when you print the OE Invoice it can be configured to print the invoice on a specific printer, email it to the customer (multiple contacts) and save the invoice as a PDF with the PDF name already assigned as the invoice number in the customer folder.  If the customer folder doesn't exist it creates it for you.  It can also email the invoice CC to an internal email address.

    You press the Print Button once!

    Awesome software.

  • I also was confused when my VAR told me I needed PrintBoss with Sage300.  I thought . . .surely Sage has functionality to allow me to print and email built in?  But my VAR was right.  Sage is very limited and I use PB for almost everything.  As to why Sage is so limited, I can't say.

  • in reply to Nathan Kahn

    thank you.  i dont know if i understand all the ways we use PrintBoss so its hard to know if Sage 300 would be sufficient enough in this case.  From the IT side of things, less is more.  But i get the power it gives your processes.

  • in reply to wheumann

    thanks. its looking like we ONLY use it print checks on blank check stock.  On that note, does Sage 300 not even have that capability (to produce the check form/boilerplate)?  :) 

  • in reply to jwckauman

    I just re-read your original questions and see that none of us really answered them.  Logical explanation for this being separate: well Sage is poor on reports and forms in general, they use Crystal Reports even for the built-in stuff.  PrintBoss the only option: not sure, but a separate component is really needed, and PB is the most popular.  Documentation: it's on Wellspring, not Sage.

  • in reply to jwckauman

    MICR font is not bundled with Sage 300, and even if it were, the selected font set probably would not work with all of the various printers used with Sage 300.  Theoretically, you could purchase a MICR font set and use that in the Crystal form file, but given the low price of PrintBoss, it is well worth it - less expensive time-wise - to use PB even if it is only for printing checks to blank stock.

  • in reply to Nathan Kahn

    Thanks. Everyone offered some great info to help me form a picture of why PrintBoss exists.  In short, it appears as you said that Sage (AccPac) didn't want to invest in reporting, which does make sense to a degree.  The Crystal Reports bundling makes more sense, but i thought it odd that PrintBoss wasn't at least an official Sage add-on.  Given how Sage is gobbling everyone up, Wellspring seems like a sensible acquisition.  

  • in reply to Jim Love

    Didn't know that about the MICR font.  That is also surprising to me.  Seems like check printing is just a must-have for any accounting package.  But that's just my two cents.

  • in reply to jwckauman

    I would be surpised if Wellspring hasn't had offers from several companies. I'm glad Wellspring has remained independant.

  • in reply to jwckauman

    On a side note, are you sure about check printing being a must have for any accounting package?  Most countries don't even use checks/cheques any more.  EFT replaced paper years ago.

  • in reply to Django

    Ditto!