Sage takes care of the day-to-day accounting. Joiin brings data from your Sage companies together, so you can compare performance, review your figures in more detail and build consolidated reports.
If you already use both, you may have a tried-and-tested routine. But some of Joiin’s newer features can make reporting quicker, easier and help you get more from your Sage data.
And if you’re new to using Sage and Joiin together, this is a great place to start. Here are six features to try.
1. Give your Chart of Accounts a tidy-up
Even carefully managed accounts can pick up the odd naming difference over time.
One Sage company might use “Bank Fees”, while another uses “Bank Charges”. Both make sense, but they may appear as separate lines in a group report.
Joiin lets you bring those accounts together under one reporting name without changing the records held in Sage.
And if you have a longer list to review, COA Suggestions uses Joiin Intelligence to identify accounts that may be suitable for merging, renaming or reclassifying. You can review every suggestion before applying any changes.
2. Save the report you run every month
How many times have you selected the same companies, dates, comparisons and layout for the same monthly report?
Once is enough.
Save the report in Joiin and its filters, layout and settings will be ready for next time. You can also pin it to the main menu for quicker access.
Switch on Dynamic Dates and the reporting period will move forward automatically, meaning less setup next month and the month after that.
3. Compare your actuals against budget
Are you ahead of budget, behind it or right where you expected to be?
Joiin lets you create or upload budgets and compare them with actual figures from your Sage companies, across the whole group or by entity.
You can also include budgets in Report Packs, keeping the figures, targets and commentary together.
4. Ask Joiin Intelligence about your report
A report often leads to another question. Which company drove the change? What caused the movement? Is there anything that needs a closer look?
Ask Joiin Intelligence in everyday language. It can summarise performance, compare periods, identify the biggest cost movements or draft a short update for the board.
Joiin Intelligence does the first pass. Check the response against the figures, then use what you need.
5. Look ahead with forecasting
A budget sets out the plan. A forecast shows how the year could finish as new figures come in.
Forecasting is one of the latest additions to Joiin. It uses historical Sage data and your own assumptions to create a three-way forecast covering profit and loss, balance sheet and cash flow.
You can show actuals up to your chosen month, followed by forecast figures for the rest of the period.
6. Bring everything together in a Report Pack
Once you’ve reviewed your reports, you still need to share the information behind the numbers.
Report Packs bring financial reports, charts, KPIs, budgets, forecasts and commentary together in one place. They work well for monthly management accounts, client updates, board meetings and investor reporting.
Staring at a blank Report Pack? Ask the Build Report agent to create a first draft. Describe what you need in everyday language, such as a monthly management pack with a consolidated profit and loss report, balance sheet, cash flow, company comparison and year-to-date actuals against forecast.
The draft is saved in Saved Reports & Packs, ready to check, edit and add your own commentary. You can then view it in Joiin, export it to PDF or Excel, or schedule it for weekly or monthly email delivery.
Before you go
You might already use some of these features, while others may have arrived since you first connected Sage to Joiin.
There’s no need to change your whole process. Why not start by saving a regular report, adding a budget or trying a forecast with your latest Sage figures?
Got a question? Get in touch with our support team at [email protected].
New to Joiin?
If you use Sage and would like to try these features for yourself, start a free 14-day trial. Connect your companies, explore the reporting tools and create your first consolidated report. No credit card needed.
