At a glance
Vendor descriptions below reflect publicly available positioning as of the date on this page and may change. Confirm current features, editions and pricing with the vendor before deciding.
| Sage 100 Contractor | Forge ERP | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Construction accounting and management for small to mid-size contractors | ERP for project-based businesses, construction first |
| Architecture | Windows desktop application; hosting available through partners | Cloud, multi-tenant, browser-based |
| Payroll | Native, including certified payroll | Through your payroll provider; job-costed labor with burden lands in Forge |
| Job cost and billing | Job cost, AIA billing, change orders, equipment, service management | Job cost with committed cost, AIA-style billing, retainage, subcontract pay applications, WIP |
| Controls | User security; approval workflow limited compared with cloud financial systems | Prepare/approve/post separation on every posting, governed ledger, audit history |
| Multi-entity | Separate company files | Multi-entity by design |
| Procore | Connector available | Planned |
| Vendor direction | Sage’s cloud investment is in Sage Intacct | Cloud-native from the start |
| Maturity | Established, large installed base | Beta; no published customer results yet |
Where Sage 100 Contractor is stronger
- Native construction payroll and certified payroll in the same system
- Service management and equipment modules for contractors who need them today
- A long history, many reference customers and bookkeepers who know it
Where Forge is different
- No server or hosted desktop; the whole team works in a browser, including from the field
- Approvals and posting controls that satisfy an audit without a workaround
- Multi-entity without separate company files
- A direct cutover with import duplicate matching and revert, instead of a partner-run migration
- An AI assistant that prepares drafts inside your permissions
Who should choose which
Choose Sage 100 Contractor if you need in-house payroll, service management or equipment accounting now and are comfortable with a desktop system. Choose Forge if you are moving to the cloud, run payroll in a provider, and want the controls and multi-entity structure you would otherwise get by stepping up to a larger system later. If you are already on Sage 100 Contractor and being steered toward Intacct, compare Forge alongside it; the cutover work is similar.
Forge ERP covers projects, purchasing, accounts payable, billing and receivables, job cost and WIP, reporting and close. Payroll runs in your payroll provider and lands in Forge as job-costed labor with burden. Forge is in beta with a 14-day free trial.
Frequently asked
- Is Sage 100 Contractor being discontinued?
- Sage continues to sell and support Sage 100 Contractor; its cloud investment is centered on Sage Intacct. Check Sage’s current roadmap statements before deciding.