The Sage 200 Manufacturing module was removed in 2020 and support for the legacy functionality ended on the 31st of December 2025. This means manufactures using Sage 200 will need to look at how they want to manage their manufacturing processes. Some businesses may choose to continue using Sage 200 with specialist manufacturing software such as Sicon manufacturing. Others may decide that moving to a new ERP system such as Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is the better fit for their business.
Sage 200 has been a trusted ERP platform for many growing UK businesses. For manufacturers, it has often been combined with specialist production software to manage work orders, bills of materials, material planning and shop floor data.
However, as businesses start to grow and their operational requirements become more complex, many are reviewing whether their current ERP setup gives them the flexibility, visibility and long-term scalability they need. For Sage 200 users, that review is increasingly focused on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Premium.
What happened to Sage 200 Manufacturing
Sage withdrew its native manufacturing module in November 2020. Technical support from Sage for the legacy manufacturing module officially ended on 31 December 2025. As a result, businesses that still rely on production and works-order management within Sage 200 need to consider alternative solutions for this functionality.
What Sicon Manufacturing consists of today:
Sicon Manufacturing is a module designed for Sage 200 Professional which replaces legacy production systems.
The core packages include the end-to-end production process and can be configured for either bespoke, one-off project builds or high-volume repeat manufacturing.
Works order processing
Works order processing enhances the standard Sage 200 bill of materials to track actual labour, machine and material costs on the shop floor. This allows businesses to record the materials and resources used during production, helping them keep track of the actual costs of each works order.
Material and resource planning
Automatically suggests purchase orders and works orders based on stock demand and includes rough-cut capacity planning for labour and machinery. This helps businesses plan the materials and resources needed for production and identify potential capacity requirements before work begins.
Projects and job costing
This acts as a centralised hub to track real-time costs and timesheets. It can be used to monitor the costs and time associated with individual projects, giving businesses a clearer view of how each job is progressing.
Barcoding and Warehousing
Adds real-time mobile barcoding to the shop floor and warehouse, tracking stock movements and purchase order receipts. This allows businesses to record stock movements as they happen and keep their stock records up to date. It can also help staff quickly identify and track materials and products as they move through the warehouse and production process, reducing the need for manual data entry.
Why this matters
The fundamental difference between the two approaches comes down to how much functionality is built into the ERP rather than requiring separate software. While both platforms target growing mid-market companies in manufacturing, warehousing and advanced operational environments, their core architectures differ. Sage 200 relies on third-party add-on modules for advanced functionality.
Running production in Sage 200 typically required a separate Sicon licence. Business Central Premium, by contrast, offers a more unified ERP platform.
Manufacturing and service management capabilities are included within the Premium licence, giving businesses a broader operational foundation from the core Microsoft platform before additional applications are considered.
| Area | Sage 200 with Sicon | Business Central Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | Manufacturing is provided through Sicon alongside Sage 200 | Manufacturing is included within the premium licence |
| Licensing | Requires Sage 200 and the relevant Sicon licences | Manufacturing and service management are included in the premium licence |
| Updates | Updates depend on the Sage 200 and Sicon software being used | Microsoft provides regular updates |
| Support | Support is available for Sage 200 and Sicon | Support is available through Microsoft and Business Central partners |
| ERP functionality | Sage 200 provides the core ERP functionality, with Sicon adding manufacturing features | Manufacturing and service management are built into the ERP |
| Integration | Sicon works alongside Sage 200 to add manufacturing functionality | Works with Microsoft 365 and other Microsoft applications |
For many manufacturers, the decision is not simply about replacing their software. It is also an opportunity to review whether their current ERP system still supports the way the business operates as it grows.
Business Central Premium manufacturing is available in the premium experience of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. When choosing a licence, Microsoft Business Central offers two primary user tiers:
A real-life Sage 200 to Business Central migration example
A manufacturing business we have supported through this transition is Purpleline Ltd. Purpleline was looking to move away from Sage 200 and modernise their ERP system. Qi successfully migrated Purpleline from Sage 200 to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central SaaS.
The move enabled them to improve their processes such as assembly orders, stock control and serial-number coding. The project also resulted in a 40% time saving when entering assembly orders.
What is the difference between Essentials and premium?
Premium includes all Essentials features plus manufacturing and service management capabilities, making it the comprehensive option typically used in production-focused environments. The core manufacturing features available within the Premium include.
Production orders
This is used to manage and document the creation of finished goods, track actual production costs and capture components consumed on the shop floor. Production orders also allow businesses to track the different stages of production and the materials and resources required to complete an order.
Capacity planning
Helps businesses schedule and optimise production capabilities.
Bill of Materials and routings
Standardises product creation by mapping multi-level ingredient lists alongside sequential operational steps. This gives businesses a substantial manufacturing foundation within the Microsoft ERP platform.
Depending on the organisation’s requirements, specialist extensions may still be needed for areas such as advanced planning, shop-floor data capture or industry – specific compliance.
Why choose Qi for a Sage 200 migration?
Qi can support businesses migrating from Sage 200 to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. Over 90% of Qi’s customers operate within the manufacturing industry. We have spent over 30 years delivering production planning, inventory tracking and integrated financial systems.
Rather than needing different companies to provide support in different areas, Qi specialises in resolving sector-specific bottlenecks, such as moving customers away from fragmented, spreadsheet-based production planning and disconnected systems. Qi has operated as an accredited Sage business partner since 1994.
With a team that understands the legacy architecture, we can help create a clean system transition. To combat concerns about data being lost during a new ERP transition, Qi uses MigrateNow!, which does not rely on generic, third-party import tools. Our toolkit can extract and transfer full financial and operational histories, with data validated and checked as part of the migration process.
Business Central implementation & ongoing support
Qi can support businesses throughout the move from Sage 200 to Business Central, from initial system setup and data migration through to training and go-live. Post-go-live, the Qi team will act as your main point of contact, with our team on hand through our Qi cover
Considering your next steps?
Reviewing Sage 200 and your manufacturing systems? Qi can help you assess your options for the future of Sage 200, Sicon Manufacturing or your ERP environment.
