Sage ERP X3 version 6.

2
Product Launch Positioning and Messaging
and Launch Activities Update

Sage North America 2011

Document Objective
The objective of this document is to provide all employees involved in Sage ERP X3
activities with a common understanding of the 6.2 release positioning and messaging,
launch schedule, deliverables and planned marketing activities.

Contents
Launch Messaging Overview.............................................................................................. 3
Sage ERP X3 Product Summary .......................................................................................... 4
Version 6.2 Release Objectives .......................................................................................... 5
Go-to-Market Goals ........................................................................................................... 6
Target Customer ................................................................................................................ 7
Release Messaging ............................................................................................................. 8
Launch Communication ..................................................................................................... 9
Most Important Brand Message ...................................................................................... 11
Marketing Launch Timeline ............................................................................................. 12

Appendix: Launch Activities Update

Press & Influencers Briefing ............................................................................................. 14
Global Launch Event ........................................................................................................ 16
N.A Launch ....................................................................................................................... 17
Sales Information ............................................................................................................. 18
Partner Information ......................................................................................................... 19
Customer Information ..................................................................................................... 21
Employee Information ..................................................................................................... 23

Launch Messaging Overview

New
Customers

Customers

Partners

Press &
Analysts

Employees

Primary Goal

Core Message / Positioning (N.A)

Make the target audience

consider Sage ERP X3 as
a credible alternative to
the leading products in
North America.

Consider This:

Upgrade

Adopt Sage ERP X3

Standard Edition

Consider Sage ERP X3 as a

credible player in the
mid-market

Educate on the Sage ERP

portfolio, build
excitement on the Sage
strategy

Best functionality out of the box

Best usability

Most cost-effective and flexible solution:

Standard: affordable, fast to deploy

Premium: flexible, highly scalable

Consider This:

Extended collaboration: Netvibes

Increased productivity: Sage Search

Extended integration: Saleslogix, Preactor,

Version One

Simplified global management

Consider This:

Serve advanced distribution and

manufacturing requirements at competitive
software and deployment cost in the midmarket.

Get into the enterprise ERP market with safe

and progressive investment.

Consider This

Focused on mid-sized businesses

(functionality without Tier-1 complexity)

Focused on user experience (usability)

Focused on technology that serves business

needs (web, best scalability, best flexibility)

Focused on value to customers (costeffectiveness, Standard Edition)

Frank & Bills Excellent Adventure:

The new kids in town

Conquering a new market

Sage ERP X3 Product Summary

Sage ERP X3 offers the full power of enterprise-class ERP, in a simple and flexible
package, designed to meet the exclusive requirements of mid-sized companies with
complex business processes, yet limited resources and investment capabilities.
It is designed to support advanced and industry-specific processes across finance, sales,
CRM, purchasing, inventory and manufacturing management within one singular
software design that is cheaper, faster to deploy and simpler to manage.
A Web-native management system, Sage ERP X3 easily connects employees, partners,
suppliers and customers and can accelerate all business exchanges, within and outside
the company, locally and internationally.

Version 6.2 Release Objectives

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Sage ERP X3 Version 6.2 introduces over 300 functional enhancements and new
capabilities that are taking the product to a new competitive edge in three key areas:
The best functionality out of the box: Sage ERP X3 version 6.2 supports new areas of
business (sub-contracting, project-based manufacturing management) and improves the
management of distributed and global organizations (multi-chart of account, multicountry) dramatically, within one singular software design
The best usability: Sage ERP X3 version 6.2 brings an entirely new ERP user experience,
through visual process flows and a new collaborative workspace (Sage Enterprise
WebTop), connected to partners, suppliers and customers, accessible to Web and
mobile users.
The most cost-effective and flexible solution: Sage ERP X3 version 6.2 comes in two
configurations to accommodate customer-specific requirements, faster and better.

Standard Edition offers a predefined implementation framework designed to

help accelerate the deployment of the solution in smaller businesses (less than
50 users) with domestic operations. With Standard Edition, Sage ERP X3 version
6.2 delivers a feature-packed solution that is easier to use and faster to
implement, thus reducing the overall cost of ownership.

For customers who value flexibility most, Sage ERP X3 Premium Edition offers
tremendous scalability and capability to customize or expand their solution.
Designed for growth, Premium Edition can be configured to support thousands
of users and offers a large choice of options for advanced functionality,
connectivity and volume processing.

Read the Product Highlights and Release Note for a comprehensive view of the
Version 6.2 new features and product editions.

Go-to-Market Goals
The success of Sage ERP X3 version 6.2 will be determined by:

The ability of the new release to increase the awareness of the solution in the
North American mid-market, through its innovative features and marketing.

The adoption of the release by partners and the expansion of the Sage ERP X3
channel in the core mid-market, through the launch of Standard Edition.

The growth of the product market share in the upper mid-market, through the
positioning of Premium Edition in large companies and global organizations.

Target Customer
Sage ERP X3 focuses on new customer acquisition in the core and upper mid-market
or companies with 50 to 2,500 employees in the distribution, manufacturing and
process manufacturing industries.
C-Level executives are the primary audience of the Version 6.2 launch. They are
responsible for the overall organizational performance of their company, from revenue
growth to internal efficiencies, from supply chain to customer service, with specific
goals to drive and measure results.
They are not likely to consider Sage a credible ERP player in the mid-market and
perceive the Sage brand as dedicated to small business accounting. They never heard
about Sage ERP X3.

Common challenges:

Sustain revenue growth in competitive markets.

Improve speed and quality.

Streamline business processes while preserving the company agility to change

directions as markets evolve.

Manage increasingly complex operations with limited resources and staff

Common project triggers:

Capacity: company growth inhibited by outdated management systems

Competition: competitors achieving better performance or introducing innovative

products and processes through newer technology.

Strategic change: acquisition/merger requiring common management practices and

systems.

Key benefits expected from a new ERP implementation:

Productivity gains and cost reduction.

Internal and external business processes optimization, real-time processing of

information.

Simplified view of distributed operations and better insight.

Release Messaging
The release messaging articulates the key benefits of the Sage ERP X3 solution,
supported by the new features in Version 6.2:

Functionality
Streamlined operations across all areas of business, locally and internationally:

Singular functional integration across finance, supply chain and manufacturing

management

Configurable, automated workflow

Sage Visual Processes

Integrated multi-legislation , multi-company management

1
1

Better business insight and reduced risk:

User-defined dashboards and real-time analytics

Embedded business intelligence across all functions

Traceability and audit tools

Flexibility
Enhanced usability and collaboration, inside and beyond your business:

SOA/Web-native architecture

SOAP/REST Web Services

Sage Enterprise Webtop powered by Netvibes

Role-based visual process flows

Scalable, flexible technology to grow and adapt to change:

Flexible parameterization and integrated development environment

N-Tier architecture scales up to thousands of concurrent users

Multi operating system and database

Affordability
Reduced cost and fast return on investment:
Standard Edition : a cost-effective configuration with pre-defined workflows and
pre-built implementation templates, at an affordable cost per user.

Simplified system administration and maintenance

Strong functional integration, reducing the need for complementary third party
applications.

New or improved with Version 6.2

Launch Communication
Consider This
The primary goal of the Version 6.2 launch messaging is to make the target audience
consider Sage ERP X3 as a credible alternative to the leading products in North
America.
The messaging recognizes the product position as outsider in North America, turning it
into an advantage to raise curiosity and differentiate our approach of mid-market ERP.
It calls for consideration in a humble tone, based on undeniable facts rather than
unverifiable promises. Facts may be used in context, to demonstrate the overall
credibility and performance of the solution, or tied to key benefits of the product.

Messaging map
Supporting the overall product performance and brand credibility:
Context

Consider This:

Brand Credibility

Over 170,000 users are using Sage ERP X3 daily

6.2 million businesses are using a Sage solution
Sage is the third largest ERP vendor worldwide

Product Performance

75% of our customers recording increased profitability

2
attribute this to Sage ERP X3.
72% of the Sage ERP X3 customers are noticing significant
2
improvement in management processes.
80% of our customers see the product as a significant
2
improvement or new competitive edge for their company.
89% of our customers think that commitments made at the
2
start of their project have been met.

Customer Experience

Golden Artists Colors increased inventory turns by more

3
than 10% after the implementation of Sage ERP X3.
Satellite Industries deployed Sage ERP X3 internationally in
3
less than eight weeks.
Ganong Bros. achieved full return on investment by the end
of the first year after implementing Sage ERP X3, through
3
labor savings and improved accuracy.

Gartner, 2010
Ernst & Young Product Performance Survey, 2010
3
Approved customer testimonial
2

Supporting the product benefits:

Key Benefits

Consider This:

Streamlined operations

40% of mid-sized businesses dont have standardized

procedures for order management and fulfillment across
1
similar businesses within the enterprise.
Sage ERP X3 can streamline processes across all areas of
business, within one singular software design.

Better business insight

and reduced risk

Only 34% of mid-sized businesses have real-time visibility

1
on the status of all processes, from quote to cash.
Sage ERP X3 offers embedded BI across all functions, in real
time.

Scalable, flexible
technology

One manufacturer out of five has interoperability issues

2
across multiple locations
Sage ERP X3 can manage multiple sites or companies out of
one single software instance, locally and internationally.

Enhanced collaboration
and ease of use

Less than half of the ERP users in mid-sized businesses can

access their information through the Internet, without
1
special software.
Sage ERP X3 is accessible to Windows and Web users alike,
through a simple Internet connection.

Reduced costs and fast

ROI

Best-in-class businesses achieve 17% inventory reduction

1
and 22% reduction in operating costs with ERP.
(Forester is conducting a survey on Sage ERP X3 customers
to assess the Total Economic Impact of the solution.)

1
2

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Aberdeen ERP in SME, 2010

Aberdeen Top Business Drivers for Manufacturing, 2010

Most Important Brand Message

A compelling brand story will help anchor Sage ERP X3 in the ERP mid-market, fostering
trust in the company strategy and continued investment in the solution.
The Sage brand story reflects the company focus on customer experience. It translates
in the following brand and product messages, consistent with the Sage ERP X3 launch
communication:

Sage brings a different approach to

ERP

That is worth considering when selecting a

new system:

Focused on mid-sized businesses

Best functionality out of the box, to

manage sophisticated business processes
without Tier-1 ERP complexity

Focused on business rather than

technology

Best flexibility, with a Web-native

architecture serving mid-sized businesses
needs for growth, scalability, accessibility
and simple deployment.

Focused on user experience

Best usability, with visual process flows by

role and a new collaborative workspace
accessible to Web and mobile users.

Focused on value to the

customers

Best TCO, with a low cost per user, a

predefined template to accelerate
implementation, and integrated tools to
simplify the system administration and
maintenance.

Inspired by You

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Sage ERP X3

Marketing Launch Timeline

March 15-16 Channel Marketing internal briefing
May 3-4 Sales internal briefing and toolkit
May 16-20 Press and influencers pre-briefing
May 26 Global Launch Event, London

Press , analysts and strategic partners briefing

June 2 North American Launch

New customers

Web platform Go-Live and lead generation activities

June 9 Employee campus events

July 10-12 NA Partner Briefing (Summit)

Product release deep dive

Launch of the NA Partner Advisory Council

July 13-15 NA Customer Briefing (Summit)

Product release highlights and roadmaps

Q1FY12 UMM re-launch

12

Web platform revamp, with focus on the upper mid-market and Premium
Edition

Appendix

13

Press and Influencers Briefing Update

Global Launch Event Update

N.A Launch and Lead Generation Update

Partner Information Update

Customer Information Update

Employee Information Update

Press & Influencers Briefing

Lead: Melody Chalaban

Primary goal: get influencers to consider Sage ERP X3 as a credible player in the ERP
mid-market in North America
Messages:
Consider This

Were focused on mid-sized businesses (functionality without Tier-1

complexity)

Were focused on user experience (usability)

Were focused on technology that serves business needs (web, best scalability,
best flexibility)

Were focused on value to customers (cost-effectiveness, Standard Edition)

Planned press & analyst briefings, May 16-20

Phone briefings:

Chris Chiappinelli Managing Automation TBD

Seth Fineberg Accounting Today 5/16

Chris Kanaracus IDG news service syndicates stories to Computerworld, CIO,

NetworkWorld, PC World, Macworld and Infoworld) TBD (he asked us to contact
him closer to announcement)

Mark Cox eChannelLine TBD

Rick Whiting CRN week of May 18

Kristin Craik Business Review Canada TBD (she asked us to contact her closer to
announcement)

Kathleen Lau ComputerWorld Canada TBD

Interest from:

Automation World

APICS

TheVARGuy

Manufacturing Business Technology

DC Velocity

Analysts:

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Bob Anderson Gartner 5/13

China Martens and Tim Harmon Forrester 5/20

Ray Wang, Jeff Ashcroft, Frank Scavo Constellation Research Group 5/20

Cindy Jutras Mint Jutras 5/12

Julie Fraser Cambashi TBD

Kevin Prouty and Nick Castellina Aberdeen 5/16

Analysts whove RSVPed for the global press conference

15

PJ Jakovljevic and Gabriel Gheorghiu TEC

Bob Anderson Gartner

China Martens Forrester (tentative)

Albert Pang Apps Run The World

Kevin Prouty and Nick Castellina Aberdeen

Cindy Jutras Mint Jutras

Global Launch Event

Lead: Agnes Noel (France)

Details to be communicated by the global team at further date.

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N.A Launch
Lead: Tracy Strauss

Web Launch
An informative, engaging and interactive launch experience on the Web that includes:

Product Overviews

In depth Demos

Customer testimonials

Go-live: June 2nd

Lead Generation
Leveraging the Web platform to drive demand through repeat lead generation
campaign throughout the summer:
Target:

5 Key Verticals Food & Beverage, Chemicals, Hard Goods Manufacturing,

Wholesale Trade and Life Sciences

UMM (Revenue - $100M - $1Billion, Employee Size 500 2,500 employees, Users
50+)

Core (Revenue $30M - $100M, Employee Size 50- 500 employees, Users 10-50)

Campaigns:

Campaigns targeting both UMM and core audiences

Vertical

Monthly campaigns focusing on 5 key verticals for Sage ERP X3

Staggered daily drops to control lead flow

PPC

Banners

Banner/online advertisements driving to the X3 launch hub (internal and

external sites)

Organic

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Purchase and retarget keywords for X3 to launch hub

Optimize SEO and social media strategies to drive leads organically

Sales Information
Lead: Jean Huy
Direct Sales, Channel Sales, Pre-Sales

Sales Information Kit available and distributed online, including

Release Highlights

Positioning and Messaging

Brochure and video presentation

Customer Presentation Templates

Configuration and Pricing

Implementation Methodology Kit

The sales kit is available to N.A sales and partners at partners.sageerpx3.us

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Partner Information
Lead: Skip Hulme

New Partners | Brent Pieterick

Partner Information Kit available.

Ongoing 1-1 recruitment approach lead by the channel sales team

Sage ERP X3 Partners | Jean Huy

New launch information pad and sales kit included in the Sage ERP X3 Partner
Resources Site.

On-going blogging to the Sage ERP X3 partner community on partners.sageerpx3.us

Release updates

Feature highlights

Marketing activities

Partner Advisory Council July 10, 2011 | Skip Hulme

6.2 product update, and discussion on product directions and marketing

Amy Knust, BKD Technologies

Joe Noll, RKL eSolutions

Tim Baker, Blytheco

Dennis Karus, Software Link

Paul Frydman, SWK Technologies

Chaim Cohen, Net@Work

Jean Desbiens, Tangerine Software

Shawn Ostheimer, The Answer Company

Josh Thigpen, NexTec Group

George Braun, TGO Consulting

Roberta Longley, CA-Plus

Paraman Srivatsalan, BAASS Business Solutions

Partner information track, Insights July 11-12 | Matt Groom (coordinator)

Sage ERP X3: A Global Solution for Global Customers Supported by a Global Organization
Christophe Vanackere | This session will focus on the global strategy, vision, product
positioning, development, and support that exists for Sage ERP X3.
Sage ERP X3: The Road Ahead
Jean Huy, Skip Hulme | The Sage ERP X3 product direction and roadmap.

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Sage ERP X3: Implementation Methodology - Facilitating a Successful Installation

Jay Paquette, Chris Williamson | A variety of implementation support services are
available to our clients. Which services are utilized, and to what extent, will vary for
each project in order to achieve a successful implementation given the specific goals,
available resources, and desired timeframe. Sage utilizes a practical project
methodology based on the popular Goal Directed Project Management (GDPM)
standard, designed so that the client can focus on business results. Discover the prespecified phases of the Sage ERP X3 implementation and what services are provided in
each.
Sage ERP X3: Review of the New Functionality in Version 6.2
Randy Bacchus, Skip Hulme | This session will review the new features included in
version 6.2 of Sage ERP X3, their benefits to the overall Sage ERP X3 product, and how
they address the unique needs of your individual customers.
Sage ERP X3: Sales and Marketing Resources Roundtable
Jean Huy, Matt Groom | This session is an opportunity to review the current sales and
marketing material available, receive guidance on how to use the resources, and
provide feedback to the Sage ERP X3 marketing team on what's missing from the
marketing toolkit.
Sage ERP X3: Introducing Sage ERP X3 Standard Edition
Skip Hulme, Jean Huy | The new Standard Edition and how is it specifically designed to
meet the needs of manufacturers and distributors in the core mid-market.
Sage ERP X3: Fascinating the C-Executive in 15 Minutes or Less!
Chet Childers | You have 15 minutes to capture the C-executive's attention and pique
their interest in Sage ERP X3. How do you do that and achieve a successful sale?
Discover how to utilize the entire range of capabilities in Sage ERP X3 from dashboards,
business intelligence, workflows, and visual processes to capture the C-executive's
imagination on streamlining operations, reducing costs, and improving revenues!

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Customer Information
Lead: Matt Groom

Customer information track, Summit July 13-15 | Matt Groom (coordinator)

Skip Hulme | Sage ERP X3: An Introduction to Sage ERP X3
For customers who have only heard about Sage ERP X3, but have never seen it in action,
this session is designed to help customers learn how the software's industry-specific
functionality can address their unique needs and find out how Sage ERP X3 can help
grow their business.
Laurie Schultz | Sage ERP X3: Ask the Execs
A "town hall" style discussion about the Sage ERP X3 product line for customers to
provide us with feedback on the product roadmap, discuss product issues, and make
suggestions on how Sage ERP X3 can be improved.
Jean Huy, Skip Hulme | Sage ERP X3: The Road Ahead
The Sage X3 product vision and direction.
Chris Williamson, Ron Book | Sage ERP X3: Successfully Migrating to Sage ERP X3 v6
For customers to learn how to plan and budget for a successful migration. Tools,
techniques, and methodology will be discussed.
Allan Fine | Sage ERP X3: Business Intelligence -- Turning Information Into Insight
Sage ERP X3 v6 features an embedded business intelligence engine, powered by leading
Business Objects technology, which allows users to analyze their business performance
on-the-fly by simple drag-and-drop of aggregated data that is updated in real-time with
the flow of daily operations. This session will discuss the need for management
reporting and will review the various inquiry and reporting options available -- from
Crystal Reports and Business Statistics to user-defined inquiries and dashboards -- to
extract meaningful information from your Sage ERP X3 system.
Randy Bacchus | Sage ERP X3: Tips and Tricks for Customers - Basic Navigation Tips,
Shortcut Keys, Left List Settings and More
Customers will learn how peers are applying Sage ERP X3 technology to positively
impact their business operations. Real life experiences of three Sage ERP X3 customers
in this panel session.
Chris Williamson, Ron Book | Sage ERP X3: Post-Implementation -- Guidelines for
Optimizing Your ERP System
This session is to help customers identify potential areas for improvement that will
optimize their Sage ERP X3 system. Gain insight on how to conduct periodic reviews of

21

software performance and assess how well the project has met the critical success
factors they identified at the beginning of your project.
Dominique Bopp | What's New in Version 6.2 - Sage ERP X3's new embedded search
1
engine and integration with Sage Saleslogix.
A new option within Sage ERP X3 is an embedded search engine. In this session, this
new option will be demonstrated: the Meta data definition for indexing, the indexation
process, and the search by itself.
Dominique Bopp | What's New in Version 6.2: Increased traceability and security
functionality within Sage ERP X3
This session covers two areas of functionality that are available in Version 6.2 of Sage
ERP X3. The first is an embedded search engine and second is an interface with Sage
Saleslogix.
Allan Fine | What's New in Version 6.2: Increase your mobility with the Sage Enterprise
1
Webtop
Introducing the Sage Enterprise Webtop, a component that allows users to connect to
Sage ERP X3 through web services on customizable dashboards via the Netvibes
publishing platform.
Bill Newcomer | What's New in Version 6.2: Digging deep into the new subcontracting
functionality in Sage ERP X3
This session provides an in-depth look at the subcontracting functionality and how it
delivers improved efficiency and control for customers operations.
Dominique Bopp | What's New in Version 6.2: The Sales Signature Pre-setting
This session will focus on workflow and signature available in Sage ERP X3 Version 6.2.
Randy Bacchus | Sage ERP X3: Process Maps Building Basic Process Flow Maps for
Sage ERP X3 and Working with the Portal
This session will demonstrate the capabilities of the Visual Process Editor along with the
Sage ERP X3 user portal.
Skip Hulme, Jean Huy | Sage ERP X3: Influence the Design of Future Versions
This roundtable session is an opportunity to discuss what features are currently not part
of Sage ERP X3 but that customers would like to see incorporated into future product
releases.

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Depending on demo availability.

Employee Information
Lead: Winnie Cheung

Objectives:
Educate on the Sage ERP portfolio, build excitement on the Sage strategy.

Format
Campus Launch Party June 9th

Theme - Frank & Bills Excellent Adventure

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Movie Theme Posters

Coming soon to a campus near you!

Two enthusiastic thumbs up!

This summers biggest blockbuster!

Giveaway - re-usable fountain drink up

Activities - Movie trivia game