Sage 100

Microsoft has two versions of Office--"perpetual license", and Office 365.

  PERPETUAL LICENSE

Perpetual license is the traditional model--you pay (a lot) once, and you own that license forever (even though it eventually be unsupported.) It never changes versions, but does get updates for security, bug fixes, and the occasional (but rare) feature change.

 Their perpetual license versions are--ignoring really old ones--2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, and 2019.  Versions still under support are all after 2007; obviously, the older ones fall out of support more rapidly than the later ones.  This is why Sage states support for 2010-2016.

 Microsoft has committed to releasing one more perpetual release in the future, but haven't said what version it will be.

 Office 365

Office 365 (O365) is a subscription--you pay a lot less than the full perpetual license, but forever.  It has "cloud" based versions of all the Office programs--which are pretty universally considered unusable--and install-able desktop versions available while the license is active.

Microsoft doesn't *say* what version is on O365 compared to the perpetual license, because they silently and continually roll forward to the latest version.  SO, when it came out, it was equivalent to Office 2010.  Over the years, as new perpetual license versions were released, the Office 365 versions of the desktop programs were updated to the equivalent latest Office version provided with the perpetual license, EXCEPT they continually change the features in the O365 version--adding AND removing features.  This doesn't happen with the perpetual version.

 Consequently, the latest version of any desktop program--including Excel--should be expected to be the same as in all versions of Office 2019.  Microsoft is silent on the topic, except for the commitment to having the latest.

 SO WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?

Simple.  Sage explicitly stated that it supports Office 2010, 2013, and 2016, and Office 365.

They did NOT explicitly mention Office 2019.  However, it IS the latest supported version from Microsoft. So we're left with two options:

 o They didn't mention it on purpose, because they don't consider it acceptable for use with Sage.

  o Their documentation is out of date.

 Unfortunately, without an explicit statement from Sage, we're left to guess which is correct.

 Sage being a large corporation, no individual there we may contact will commit to actually *saying* that, however--not their job, and don't want to be caught committing the company to something not in approved documentation.

 WHAT DO WE DO?

Given that I've found no reliable source for Office 2016--not that there aren't vendors out there that are offering it, just none I've found so far that pass the "smell test"--I have three choices:

  o Buy a perpetual license for Office 2019 and try it.  The problem here is twofold.  First, if it doesn't work, you generally can't return software.  And secondly, if at *any* time something comes up that seems to indicate Excel isn't working with Sage, they have the fallback that it's not in their Compatibility Matrix, "not our problem."

  o Get an O365 subscription.  The only problem here is that you're buying the farm to get one horse you want, and you'll have to pay forever.

  o Find an unused license key somewhere for Office 2010, 2013, or 2016.  Your only problem here is it can't be an OEM license--that is, bought with a machine, instead of being a retail version purchased by itself.  Oh, it'll *work*, but it wouldn't be legal, since OEM versions are only licensed to the original machine.

 And now you see why I can't just tell the customer, "do *this*". 

Microsoft has two versions of Office--"perpetual license", and Office 365.

  PERPETUAL LICENSE

Perpetual license is the traditional model--you pay (a lot) once, and you own that license forever (even though it eventually be unsupported.) It never changes versions, but does get updates for security, bug fixes, and the occasional (but rare) feature change.

 Their perpetual license versions are--ignoring really old ones--2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, and 2019.  Versions still under support are all after 2007; obviously, the older ones fall out of support more rapidly than the later ones.  This is why Sage states support for 2010-2016.

 Microsoft has committed to releasing one more perpetual release in the future, but haven't said what version it will be.

 Office 365

Office 365 (O365) is a subscription--you pay a lot less than the full perpetual license, but forever.  It has "cloud" based versions of all the Office programs--which are pretty universally considered unusable--and install-able desktop versions available while the license is active.

Microsoft doesn't *say* what version is on O365 compared to the perpetual license, because they silently and continually roll forward to the latest version.  SO, when it came out, it was equivalent to Office 2010.  Over the years, as new perpetual license versions were released, the Office 365 versions of the desktop programs were updated to the equivalent latest Office version provided with the perpetual license, EXCEPT they continually change the features in the O365 version--adding AND removing features.  This doesn't happen with the perpetual version.

 Consequently, the latest version of any desktop program--including Excel--should be expected to be the same as in all versions of Office 2019.  Microsoft is silent on the topic, except for the commitment to having the latest.

 SO WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?

Simple.  Sage explicitly stated that it supports Office 2010, 2013, and 2016, and Office 365.

They did NOT explicitly mention Office 2019.  However, it IS the latest supported version from Microsoft. So we're left with two options:

 o They didn't mention it on purpose, because they don't consider it acceptable for use with Sage.

  o Their documentation is out of date.

 Unfortunately, without an explicit statement from Sage, we're left to guess which is correct.

 Sage being a large corporation, no individual there we may contact will commit to actually *saying* that, however--not their job, and don't want to be caught committing the company to something not in approved documentation.

 WHAT DO WE DO?

Given that I've found no reliable source for Office 2016--not that there aren't vendors out there that are offering it, just none I've found so far that pass the "smell test"--I have three choices:

  o Buy a perpetual license for Office 2019 and try it.  The problem here is twofold.  First, if it doesn't work, you generally can't return software.  And secondly, if at *any* time something comes up that seems to indicate Excel isn't working with Sage, they have the fallback that it's not in their Compatibility Matrix, "not our problem."

  o Get an O365 subscription.  The only problem here is that you're buying the farm to get one horse you want, and you'll have to pay forever.

  o Find an unused license key somewhere for Office 2010, 2013, or 2016.  Your only problem here is it can't be an OEM license--that is, bought with a machine, instead of being a retail version purchased by itself.  Oh, it'll *work*, but it wouldn't be legal, since OEM versions are only licensed to the original machine.

 And now you see why I can't just tell the customer, "do *this*". 

Microsoft has two versions of Office--"perpetual license", and Office 365.

  PERPETUAL LICENSE

Perpetual license is the traditional model--you pay (a lot) once, and you own that license forever (even though it eventually be unsupported.) It never changes versions, but does get updates for security, bug fixes, and the occasional (but rare) feature change.

 Their perpetual license versions are--ignoring really old ones--2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, and 2019.  Versions still under support are all after 2007; obviously, the older ones fall out of support more rapidly than the later ones.  This is why Sage states support for 2010-2016.

 Microsoft has committed to releasing one more perpetual release in the future, but haven't said what version it will be.

 Office 365

Office 365 (O365) is a subscription--you pay a lot less than the full perpetual license, but forever.  It has "cloud" based versions of all the Office programs--which are pretty universally considered unusable--and install-able desktop versions available while the license is active.

Microsoft doesn't *say* what version is on O365 compared to the perpetual license, because they silently and continually roll forward to the latest version.  SO, when it came out, it was equivalent to Office 2010.  Over the years, as new perpetual license versions were released, the Office 365 versions of the desktop programs were updated to the equivalent latest Office version provided with the perpetual license, EXCEPT they continually change the features in the O365 version--adding AND removing features.  This doesn't happen with the perpetual version.

 Consequently, the latest version of any desktop program--including Excel--should be expected to be the same as in all versions of Office 2019.  Microsoft is silent on the topic, except for the commitment to having the latest.

 SO WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?

Simple.  Sage explicitly stated that it supports Office 2010, 2013, and 2016, and Office 365.

They did NOT explicitly mention Office 2019.  However, it IS the latest supported version from Microsoft. So we're left with two options:

 o They didn't mention it on purpose, because they don't consider it acceptable for use with Sage.

  o Their documentation is out of date.

 Unfortunately, without an explicit statement from Sage, we're left to guess which is correct.

 Sage being a large corporation, no individual there we may contact will commit to actually *saying* that, however--not their job, and don't want to be caught committing the company to something not in approved documentation.

 WHAT DO WE DO?

Given that I've found no reliable source for Office 2016--not that there aren't vendors out there that are offering it, just none I've found so far that pass the "smell test"--I have three choices:

  o Buy a perpetual license for Office 2019 and try it.  The problem here is twofold.  First, if it doesn't work, you generally can't return software.  And secondly, if at *any* time something comes up that seems to indicate Excel isn't working with Sage, they have the fallback that it's not in their Compatibility Matrix, "not our problem."

  o Get an O365 subscription.  The only problem here is that you're buying the farm to get one horse you want, and you'll have to pay forever.

  o Find an unused license key somewhere for Office 2010, 2013, or 2016.  Your only problem here is it can't be an OEM license--that is, bought with a machine, instead of being a retail version purchased by itself.  Oh, it'll *work*, but it wouldn't be legal, since OEM versions are only licensed to the original machine.

 And now you see why I can't just tell the customer, "do *this*". 

Microsoft has two versions of Office--"perpetual license", and Office 365.

  PERPETUAL LICENSE

Perpetual license is the traditional model--you pay (a lot) once, and you own that license forever (even though it eventually be unsupported.) It never changes versions, but does get updates for security, bug fixes, and the occasional (but rare) feature change.

 Their perpetual license versions are--ignoring really old ones--2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, and 2019.  Versions still under support are all after 2007; obviously, the older ones fall out of support more rapidly than the later ones.  This is why Sage states support for 2010-2016.

 Microsoft has committed to releasing one more perpetual release in the future, but haven't said what version it will be.

 Office 365

Office 365 (O365) is a subscription--you pay a lot less than the full perpetual license, but forever.  It has "cloud" based versions of all the Office programs--which are pretty universally considered unusable--and install-able desktop versions available while the license is active.

Microsoft doesn't *say* what version is on O365 compared to the perpetual license, because they silently and continually roll forward to the latest version.  SO, when it came out, it was equivalent to Office 2010.  Over the years, as new perpetual license versions were released, the Office 365 versions of the desktop programs were updated to the equivalent latest Office version provided with the perpetual license, EXCEPT they continually change the features in the O365 version--adding AND removing features.  This doesn't happen with the perpetual version.

 Consequently, the latest version of any desktop program--including Excel--should be expected to be the same as in all versions of Office 2019.  Microsoft is silent on the topic, except for the commitment to having the latest.

 SO WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?

Simple.  Sage explicitly stated that it supports Office 2010, 2013, and 2016, and Office 365.

They did NOT explicitly mention Office 2019.  However, it IS the latest supported version from Microsoft. So we're left with two options:

 o They didn't mention it on purpose, because they don't consider it acceptable for use with Sage.

  o Their documentation is out of date.

 Unfortunately, without an explicit statement from Sage, we're left to guess which is correct.

 Sage being a large corporation, no individual there we may contact will commit to actually *saying* that, however--not their job, and don't want to be caught committing the company to something not in approved documentation.

 WHAT DO WE DO?

Given that I've found no reliable source for Office 2016--not that there aren't vendors out there that are offering it, just none I've found so far that pass the "smell test"--I have three choices:

  o Buy a perpetual license for Office 2019 and try it.  The problem here is twofold.  First, if it doesn't work, you generally can't return software.  And secondly, if at *any* time something comes up that seems to indicate Excel isn't working with Sage, they have the fallback that it's not in their Compatibility Matrix, "not our problem."

  o Get an O365 subscription.  The only problem here is that you're buying the farm to get one horse you want, and you'll have to pay forever.

  o Find an unused license key somewhere for Office 2010, 2013, or 2016.  Your only problem here is it can't be an OEM license--that is, bought with a machine, instead of being a retail version purchased by itself.  Oh, it'll *work*, but it wouldn't be legal, since OEM versions are only licensed to the original machine.

 And now you see why I can't just tell the customer, "do *this*". 

Microsoft has two versions of Office--"perpetual license", and Office 365.

  PERPETUAL LICENSE

Perpetual license is the traditional model--you pay (a lot) once, and you own that license forever (even though it eventually be unsupported.) It never changes versions, but does get updates for security, bug fixes, and the occasional (but rare) feature change.

 Their perpetual license versions are--ignoring really old ones--2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, and 2019.  Versions still under support are all after 2007; obviously, the older ones fall out of support more rapidly than the later ones.  This is why Sage states support for 2010-2016.

 Microsoft has committed to releasing one more perpetual release in the future, but haven't said what version it will be.

 Office 365

Office 365 (O365) is a subscription--you pay a lot less than the full perpetual license, but forever.  It has "cloud" based versions of all the Office programs--which are pretty universally considered unusable--and install-able desktop versions available while the license is active.

Microsoft doesn't *say* what version is on O365 compared to the perpetual license, because they silently and continually roll forward to the latest version.  SO, when it came out, it was equivalent to Office 2010.  Over the years, as new perpetual license versions were released, the Office 365 versions of the desktop programs were updated to the equivalent latest Office version provided with the perpetual license, EXCEPT they continually change the features in the O365 version--adding AND removing features.  This doesn't happen with the perpetual version.

 Consequently, the latest version of any desktop program--including Excel--should be expected to be the same as in all versions of Office 2019.  Microsoft is silent on the topic, except for the commitment to having the latest.

 SO WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?

Simple.  Sage explicitly stated that it supports Office 2010, 2013, and 2016, and Office 365.

They did NOT explicitly mention Office 2019.  However, it IS the latest supported version from Microsoft. So we're left with two options:

 o They didn't mention it on purpose, because they don't consider it acceptable for use with Sage.

  o Their documentation is out of date.

 Unfortunately, without an explicit statement from Sage, we're left to guess which is correct.

 Sage being a large corporation, no individual there we may contact will commit to actually *saying* that, however--not their job, and don't want to be caught committing the company to something not in approved documentation.

 WHAT DO WE DO?

Given that I've found no reliable source for Office 2016--not that there aren't vendors out there that are offering it, just none I've found so far that pass the "smell test"--I have three choices:

  o Buy a perpetual license for Office 2019 and try it.  The problem here is twofold.  First, if it doesn't work, you generally can't return software.  And secondly, if at *any* time something comes up that seems to indicate Excel isn't working with Sage, they have the fallback that it's not in their Compatibility Matrix, "not our problem."

  o Get an O365 subscription.  The only problem here is that you're buying the farm to get one horse you want, and you'll have to pay forever.

  o Find an unused license key somewhere for Office 2010, 2013, or 2016.  Your only problem here is it can't be an OEM license--that is, bought with a machine, instead of being a retail version purchased by itself.  Oh, it'll *work*, but it wouldn't be legal, since OEM versions are only licensed to the original machine.

 And now you see why I can't just tell the customer, "do *this*".