Sage 100 vs 300 CRE vs Intacct: Best ERP for Construction
- Cost Construction Accounting
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
Your project manager spends 20 minutes pulling a simple job cost report. Your accountant manually re-enters data across multiple systems just to produce a WIP report. Your leadership team doesn’t know which projects are profitable until weeks after the month end.
These aren’t people's problems. They’re system problems.
In construction, margins are thin and cash flow is unforgiving. Choosing the wrong ERP doesn’t just slow you down, it directly impacts profitability, decision-making, and growth. Companies that outgrow their software too quickly or implement systems their teams can’t adopt often lose six figures in wasted implementation costs, lost productivity, and rework.
This guide explains which Sage ERP fits your company size, operational complexity, and growth goals so you can choose the right system the first time and avoid costly mistakes.
The Three Sage Construction ERPs at a Glance
Factor | Sage 100 Contractor | Sage 300 CRE | Sage Intacct |
Ideal Revenue | $1M–$50M | $25M–$500M | $10M–$1B+ |
Employees | 5–100 | 50–1,000 | 25+ |
Deployment | Desktop / On-Premise | Cloud or On-Premise | Cloud-Native |
Cost per User | $115–$300 | $200–$1,500+ | Custom |
Implementation Time | 2–4 months | 6–12 months | 3–6 months |
Scalability | Limited | High | Unlimited |
Each system serves a very different stage of a contractor’s lifecycle. Understanding where you are today and where you plan to be in 3–5 years is critical.
Sage 100 Contractor: Best for Small Contractors
Who It’s Best For
Sage 100 Contractor is built for small to mid-sized general contractors, residential builders, and specialty trades that need reliable job costing, payroll compliance, and construction billing without enterprise-level complexity.
This is often the first “real” ERP contractors adopt when moving beyond QuickBooks.
Best fit if you have:
5–100 employees
$1M–$50M in annual revenue
Fewer than 200 concurrent projects
Limited or no internal IT resources
Key Capabilities
Job Costing: Track labor, materials, and equipment with real-time budget vs. actual visibility
Construction Billing: Progress billing, retainage, and lien waiver tracking
Certified Payroll: Built-in support for union and prevailing wage requirements
Service Management: Dispatching, work orders, and service billing
Pricing
$115–$300 per user/month
Implementation: $5K–$20K
First-year cost (10 users): $20K–$56K
Strengths and Limitations
Sage 100 Contractor delivers excellent value for smaller businesses. It centralizes estimating, job costing, payroll, and accounting in one system and significantly reduces manual spreadsheets.
However, because it is desktop-based, remote access is limited. As revenue approaches $50M or operations become more complex, reporting flexibility and scalability can become constraints.
Verdict: A strong entry-level construction ERP for smaller contractors focused on cost control and compliance.
Sage 300 CRE: Built for Complex Operations
Who It’s Best For
Sage 300 Construction and Real Estate (formerly Timberline) is designed for contractors managing large, complex, and multi-entity operations. It remains a dominant system in heavy civil, commercial, and infrastructure construction.
Best fit if you have:
$25M–$500M in revenue
Multiple legal entities or divisions
Long-duration, high-value projects
Equipment-intensive operations
Dedicated IT or ERP support resources
Key Capabilities
Multi-Entity Accounting: Consolidated financials with inter-company eliminations
Advanced Project Controls: RFIs, submittals, committed costs, and change orders
Equipment Management: Utilization tracking, maintenance, depreciation, and internal billing
Real Estate Management: Lease accounting and property management for developers
Pricing
$200–$1,500+ per user/month (module-based)
Implementation: $50K–$250K+
First-year cost (25 users): $110K–$700K
Strengths and Limitations
Sage 300 CRE offers deep construction functionality and near-unlimited customization. For firms with unique workflows or regulatory requirements, it can be an excellent fit.
The trade-offs are complexity, longer implementation timelines, and higher costs. Without proper setup, training, and ongoing support, adoption can be challenging.
Verdict: Ideal for complex, equipment-heavy operations that require deep customization and on-premise control.
Sage Intacct Construction: Cloud-Native for Growth
Who It’s Best For
Sage Intacct Construction is a cloud-native, AICPA-endorsed platform designed for growth-oriented contractors who need automation, real-time visibility, and scalability without managing infrastructure.
Best fit if you have:
$10M–$1B+ in revenue
Multiple locations or remote teams
Aggressive growth or acquisition plans
Limited internal IT staff
Key Capabilities
AI-Driven Automation: Reduces manual AP, AR, and reconciliation work by up to 40%
Multi-Dimensional Reporting: Analyze profitability by project, entity, region, or customer in real time
Advanced Job Costing: Forecasting, WIP tracking, and variance analysis
Open API Ecosystem: 350+ integrations including Procore, Autodesk, payroll, and BIM tools
Mobile Access: Full functionality from any device, anywhere
Pricing
Average annual subscription: $25K–$50K
Implementation: 1–1.5× annual subscription
First-year cost (15 users): $40K–$110K
Strengths and Limitations
Sage Intacct eliminates servers, VPNs, and manual reporting delays. Financial data is available in real time, allowing leadership to make faster, more informed decisions.
The main consideration is upfront implementation cost and the need for proper configuration to fully leverage automation.
Verdict: The most future-proof option for contractors planning rapid growth or multi-entity expansion.
ERP Recommendations by Company Size
Small Contractors ($1M – $15M Revenue)
Recommended: Sage 100 Contractor focus on preventing project losses, improving job costing, and maintaining compliance without overwhelming your team.
Mid-Sized Contractors ($15M – $100M Revenue)
Recommended: Sage Intacct OR Sage 300 CRE
Choose Sage Intacct for cloud access, automation, and scalability
Choose Sage 300 CRE for complex workflows, heavy equipment, or on-premise requirements
Large Contractors ($100M + Revenue)
Recommended: Sage Intacct (most cases)Sage 300 CRE remains viable for firms with highly customized workflows or regulatory on-premise needs.
Critical Factors Beyond Company Size
Preference | Best Fit |
Cloud-first strategy | Sage Intacct |
On-premise required | Sage 300 CRE or Sage 100 |
Year-1 budget under $50K | Sage 100 Contractor |
Aggressive growth plans | Sage Intacct |
Limited IT resources | Sage Intacct or Sage 100 |
Implementation Success Factors
Selecting the software is only 20% of the battle. The remaining 80% depends on preparation, people, and process.
1. Data Quality
Clean cost codes, vendor lists, and job histories before migration. Poor data is the leading cause of ERP failure.
2. Training Investment
Sage 100: 16–24 hours per user
Sage Intacct: 20–40 hours per user
Sage 300 CRE: 40–80 hours per user
3. Common Red Flags
Skipping demos using real business scenarios
Going live during peak construction season
Using accountants who don’t understand WIP or job costing
The Bottom Line
The right ERP improves visibility, profitability, and confidence in decision-making. The wrong one wastes time, money, and momentum.
$1M–$50M: Sage 100 Contractor
$15M–$100M+: Sage Intacct or Sage 300 CRE
$100M+: Sage Intacct for long-term scalability
Ready to Choose the Right Sage ERP?
Construction Cost Accounting (CCA) helps contractors evaluate, implement, and optimize Sage 100 Contractor. From WIP analytics to Sage-certified bookkeeping, we ensure your ERP investment drives real operational and financial results, not just better reports. Schedule a 30 minute Readiness Consultation
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