Software Comparisons

Sage 200 (Construction) vs Planyard

Comparing Sage 200 with a Construction add-on (e.g., Sicon) and Planyard? Here’s where each fits, what they cover, and how UK contractors typically use them together.

Short answer: Sage 200 + Construction add-on covers finance, CIS/RCT, and applications/valuations/retentions inside ERP. Planyard runs the project-side: budgets, POs, approvals, 3-way match, valuations and live forecasting. Many teams keep Sage 200 as the accounting system and use Planyard to control costs project-side with a manual handoff.

Note: Without the Construction add-on, Sage 200 is limited for valuations and retentions; most contractors add this module.

On this page

  • Scope and fit
  • Reviews at a glance
  • Feature-by-feature comparison
  • Approvals and commercial workflows
  • Implementation time
  • Who should choose what
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Sage integration with Planyard construction software

What they do (scope at a glance)

  • Sage 200 + Construction add-on — ERP with Purchase Order Processing (2-/3-way match), Project/Job Costing, Applications for Payment & Valuations, Retentions, Subcontractor ledger, and CIS (and RCT for IE). Strong ledgers, stock, and WIP. Approvals exist, but they’re typically finance-centric.
  • Planyard — Project cost control: estimating → live budgets, POs linked to budget, configurable multi-step approvals, 3-way match (PO ↔ delivery ↔ invoice), subcontractor & client valuations, retentions, variations, CVR/EAC forecasting, and a full audit trail. Designed so only approved, fully coded costs move to the ledger.

Without the Construction add-on, Sage 200 won’t cover applications/valuations and retentions natively.

Reviews at a glance

Public ratings from major software directories.

Programme Rating Summary
Sage 200 ~4.4 / 5.0 ✔ Robust mid-market ERP for finance/stock; construction workflows rely on add-ons and partner setup.
Planyard 4.6 / 5.0 ✔ Praised for ease of use and visibility; helps teams ditch spreadsheet CVRs and duplicate entry.

Quotes (public reviews): “Clear commercial visibility.” · “Approvals and audit trail save hours.”

Quick summary

  • Sage 200 + Construction. ERP backbone with CIS/RCT, applications/valuations, retentions, and POP 3-way match. Best for central finance and inventory-heavy firms.
  • Planyard. Built for QSs and PMs: budgets, POs, approvals, valuations and real-time forecasting across projects.
  • Together. Planyard controls the project side and hands off approved totals to Sage 200. Expect a manual posting process unless you move accounting to a cloud system with a native sync.

Side-by-side comparison

Feature Sage 200 + Construction (alone) Planyard (alone) Using both (manual handoff)
Approvals (routes, thresholds) ➖ Finance-centric approvals ✔ Multi-step, project-aware approvals ✔ Approve in Planyard; post approved totals into Sage
3-way match (PO ↔ GRN ↔ invoice) ✔ 2-/3-way match in POP ✔ Project-side 3-way match blocks mismatches ✔ Double control: site + finance checks
PO control (raise against budget) ➖ POs; budget linkage via projects ✔ POs tied to live budgets ✔ Prevents over-commitment before ledger posting
Applications, valuations & retentions ✔ In Construction add-on ✔ Built-in for subs & clients ✔ Approve in Planyard; record in Sage
CIS (UK) / RCT (IE) ✔ In Construction/CIS modules ➖ Pre-codes suppliers & costs; CIS/RCT applied in accounting ✔ Clean postings with correct suppliers/codes
Live CVR & forecasting (EAC) ➖ Reporting via projects/WIP ✔ Real-time CVR & EAC ✔ Single source of truth for commercial & finance
Mobile capture (email-in/OCR) ✔ Via ERP/AP tools ✔ OCR + PO/valuation link ✔ Capture → approve in Planyard; then post
Attachments (PDF in ledger) ✔ Supported ✔ Stored with approvals ✔ End-to-end audit trail
No re-typing ➖ Manual keying common ✔ Site → budget → approvals ➖ Manual post to Sage 200 (no native sync)

What (and how) to post to accounting

  • Posts (manually): Approved bills/credit notes with supplier, nominal code, VAT/CIS and invoice PDF from Planyard into Sage 200 (via entry or import).
  • Doesn’t post: Budgets, estimates and detailed time records.
  • System of record: Accounting remains in Sage 200; Planyard controls project-side commitments and approvals.
  • Want automation? Consider moving accounting to Xero or QuickBooks Online (or Sage Accounting) for a native connection.

Features in detail

How they handle approvals, valuations, retentions, CIS/RCT and forecasting.

Approvals and purchase orders

Planyard centralises POs, subcontracts and approvals. Sage 200 keeps the ledger clean once approved amounts are posted.

Screenshot showing Planyard’s user-friendly construction cost control software interface, featuring commitment templates, approval options, and detailed financial information such as current valuation, committed totals, and valuation remaining.

Applications, valuations & retentions

Planyard manages subcontractor and client valuations and tracks retentions. Sage 200 + Construction records applications/valuations and retention releases inside ERP.

Upload your project budget and follow the financial progress in real-time

No credit card required. No sales or IT support needed.

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Screenshot of Planyard’s project overview displaying financial data, including project names, budgets, income, costs, and profitability forecasts.

Live CVR and forecasting

Planyard updates CVR and EAC automatically as invoices and variations are approved. Sage 200 holds the financials and WIP reporting.

CIS in QuickBooks with Planyard—approved bill to correct vendor, HMRC-ready exports.

CIS/RCT and compliance

Sage 200 + Construction verifies subcontractors and calculates CIS/RCT. Planyard ensures suppliers and costs are correctly coded and approved before posting to the ledger.

Implementation timelines

System Typical duration Typical steps
Planyard (manual handoff to Sage 200) ✔ 1–5 days
  1. Set up projects, budgets and approvals
  2. Agree nominal code mapping and export template
  3. Pilot one live job; post approved items to Sage 200 manually
Sage 200 + Construction add-on ⏳ Weeks to months (partner-led)
  1. Discovery & scoping
  2. Install, configure modules (CIS, apps/valuations, retentions)
  3. Training, UAT and phased go-live

Who should choose what

  • Choose Planyard if you want project-side control (budgets, POs, approvals, valuations, retentions, forecasting) without spreadsheets.
  • Choose Sage 200 + Construction if you need ERP-level finance, inventory and CIS/RCT with applications/valuations inside the ledger.
  • Choose both if you’re happy to approve in Planyard and post totals into Sage manually. For automatic posting, consider moving accounting to a cloud system with a native sync.

Pricing and packages

Planyard has transparent per-user plans and a free trial. Sage 200 and Construction add-ons are partner-quoted (licences, modules, services).

Estimating

£40
/ month / project manager
 

Cost Estimating

Try for free

Essential

£82
/ month / project manager
£33
for supporting staff
Perfect for support roles or stakeholders—gain access to essential project features and view key financial data without full platform permissions, enabling users to stay informed and contribute without hands-on tasks.

Usually selected for: site engineers, clients, estimators or auditors.

Estimating and Budget Control

  • Everything in Estimating
  • Track budgets and actual spend
  • Manage purchase invoices automatically
  • Reuse active project cost data for estimating
  • Sync invoices to Xero and QuickBooks
Try for free

Professional

£123
/ month / project manager
£33
for supporting staff
Perfect for support roles or stakeholders—gain access to essential project features and view key financial data without full platform permissions, enabling users to stay informed and contribute without hands-on tasks.

Usually selected for: site engineers, clients, estimators or auditors.

Estimating, Cost Control and Purchase Orders Management

  • Everything in Essential
  • Issue and manage purchase orders
  • Track committed cost on the budget
  • Forecast project profitability in real-time
  • Create cashflow forecasts
  • Manage client contracts and progress reports
Try for free

Ultimate

£164
/ month / project manager
£33
for supporting staff
Perfect for support roles or stakeholders—gain access to essential project features and view key financial data without full platform permissions, enabling users to stay informed and contribute without hands-on tasks.

Usually selected for: site engineers, clients, estimators or auditors.

Full Functionality

  • Everything in Professional
  • Automate subcontractor and vendor quoting
  • Track subcontracts and progress
  • Manage subcontractor variations
  • Collect subcontractor valuations
Try for free

In one paragraph

Sage 200 (with a Construction add-on) keeps your books compliant and supports applications, valuations, retentions and CIS/RCT inside ERP. Planyard keeps projects profitable with budgets, POs, approvals, 3-way match and live forecasting. Most teams run them together — Planyard controls costs project-side and Sage 200 remains the system of record.

Sources and last updated. Product help for Sage 200 POP 3-way match and official materials for Sage 200 Construction/CIS add-ons; Planyard public listings and reviews. Last reviewed 8 October 2025.