This section contains a summary of new features and changes in the 2021 release.

Stronger default security settings

When you install Sage 300 2021 new (rather than upgrading from a previous version of Sage 300), security is turned on by default. User passwords must include both letters and numbers, and be at least 8 characters long.

Note: During initial setup, you must change the password for the Sage 300 administrator user, because the default password does not meet the password complexity requirements.

General improvements

This release includes the following new features and improvements in both Sage 300cloud web screens and Sage 300 classic desktop screens:

• Accept payments through online providers. You can now accept payments from your customers through online payment service providers such as PayPal and Stripe. If you use this feature, invoices include a Pay Now button that your customers can click to pay using any online provider you have set up for your company in Sage 300. For more information, see Accepting Payments Through Online Providers.

  

• Withholding taxes for sales. In Tax Services, in addition to withholding taxes for purchases, you can now set up withholding taxes for sales. A withholding tax for a sale is applied when selling goods or services to a customer, and allows you to record amounts (some or all of either the selling price or the tax amount) that your customer withholds for a transaction to remit to a tax authority on your behalf.
• Use longer numbers for checks and deposit slips. You can now enter check numbers and deposit slip numbers that are up to fifteen characters long, except in Sage 300 Payroll, where check numbers can be up to nine characters long.

  If you use third-party products that integrate with Sage 300 Bank Services, check with the vendor of your third-party product to ensure their product is fully compatible with this release.

• Specify customer account sets in O/E templates. You can now specify customer account sets in Order Entry templates. If you enter a transaction in Order Entry for a customer with no record in Accounts Receivable, the customer account set specified in the O/E template will be entered by default.

Sage 300cloud web screens improvements

This release includes the option to install Sage 300cloud web screens: modernized versions of Sage 300 screens that you can use in a web browser.

Web screens run in parallel with the classic Sage 300 desktop screens, so there's no need to choose between desktop or web. Everyone in your organization can use the interface that best suits their needs, while working seamlessly with a single shared set of company data.

To learn more about new web screens and features available in this release, see the following documentation and resources:

• Sage 300cloud web screens online help
• Sage 300cloud web screens getting started guide

Important! When using Sage 300cloud web screens over an external network or the internet, data must be protected with security measures such as Secure Socket Layer (SSL) or a Virtual Private Network (VPN). To determine appropriate security measures, consult with your information technology (IT) professional or Sage Business Partner.

If you use Sage Intelligence Reporting Cloud, we recommend that you configure Sage 300cloud web screens to run in a secured environment using digital certificates. If you do not, warnings will appear in your browser each time you start Sage Intelligence Reporting Cloud. For more information, see Sage Knowledgebase article 84797.

Web screens are available in English, French, Spanish, and Chinese (Simplified and Traditional). Help and documentation for web screens is available in English and French.

Product Update 1 program fixes

The following sections describe program fixes included in Product Update 1.

Signing In

Fixed a problem that prevented you from signing in to Sage 300 if you do not have Accounts Receivable activated. (Reference #8008399849)

Synchronization Between Web Screens and Desktop Screens

Fixed a problem that occurred if you changed a customer’s phone number in Sage 300cloud web screens—on the O/E Ship-To Address screen, O/E Customer Bill-To Address screen, or A/R Ship-To Location Information screen—which caused the updated phone number to be formatted incorrectly in desktop screens. (Reference #8008339169)

Comments for A/R Customers and A/P Vendors

In Sage 300cloud web screens, on the Comments tab of the A/R Customers and A/P Vendors screens, comments that include line breaks (you press Enter or Shift+Enter to create a new line of text in the comment) can be saved correctly. Previously, line breaks were removed when you saved comments. (Reference #8008314858)

Bank Services

• In Sage 300cloud web screens, on the Check Stocks tab of the Banks screen, Checks Then Advices is now available to be selected in the Stock Type field. (Reference #8008374342)
• Fixed a problem that prevented you from reconciling withdrawals for checks generated from Sage 300 Payroll. (Reference #8008401817)

General Ledger

• Fixed a problem in Sage 300cloud web screens that prevented you from printing the Transactions Listing report for a range of periods ending with ADJ (Adjustment) or CLS (Closing). (Reference #8008368359)
• On the Journal Entry screen in Sage 300cloud web screens, if there is a detail in the table and you create a new detail in Quick Entry Mode, the new detail uses the same date as the previous detail. (Reference #8008353016)

Sage CRM Integration

• By default, when you promote an order from Sage CRM to Sage 300, the Order Type in Sage 300 (which you can see on the O/E Order Entry screen) is set to Active. Previously, the Order Type was set to the Default Template Code specified on the O/E Options screen. (Reference #8008188698)
• Fixed a problem that prevented you from creating a quote or an order for an opportunity if the description for the opportunity includes special characters. (Reference #8008219883)
• If you try to create a quote or an order for a customer in Sage CRM but are unable to because the customer has not been promoted to Sage 300 and your Sage 300 system does not allow non-existent customers, the message that appears is more helpful and informative. (Reference #8007833020)
• Fixed a problem that prevented you from installing Sage CRM integration if you have enabled Transport Layer Security (TLS) 1.2 in your Windows system.
• Fixed a problem that occurred if Sage 300 Order Entry is not activated, which prevented you from unlinking Sage CRM companies from Sage 300 customers. (Reference #8008415957)

Sage 300 2021 program fixes

Sage 300 2021 includes program fixes for some problems that exist in the most recent previous version (Sage 300 2020 Product Update 2). The following sections describe these program fixes.

Bank Services

When you reverse a payment (using the Bank Reverse Transactions screen), if the payment includes withheld tax amounts, the offsetting tax tracking record and the offsetting update to 1099/CPRS statistics are created.

Using Web Screens in Chrome

Fixed a problem that prevented you from signing in to Sage 300cloud web screens using version 84 (or newer) of the Chrome browser. For more information about using Chrome 84 with Sage 300, see Sage Knowledgebase article 106348.

Payment Processing

In Sage 300cloud web screens, you can now set up credit cards and process payments when using version 84 (or newer) of the Chrome browser. For more information about using Chrome 84 with Sage 300, see Sage Knowledgebase article 106348.

Sage CRM Integration

Fixed a problem that prevented you from using Sage 300 screens in Sage CRM when using version 84 (or newer) of the Chrome browser. For more information about using Chrome 84 with Sage 300, see Sage Knowledgebase article 106348.

• Sage 300 2021 supports upgrades only from version 5.6 or later.
• If you use workstation setup, you must also run Sage 300 Intelligence Reporting workstation setup (located in BX66A\WSSetup) on every workstation where you will view and use Intelligence Reporting screens.
• You require version 2021 (internally versioned as 6.8A) of all core programs that you plan to use.

  If you use Canadian Payroll or US Payroll, you require version 7.3 of these programs with the most current tax updates.

  Note: You must install Sage 300 before installing payroll programs.

• Sage 300 2021 includes SP23 for SAP Crystal Reports® runtime engine.

  If you use Sage HRMS or Sage Fixed Assets integrated with Sage 300, refer to the Sage 300 2021 Compatibility Guide for updated information on compatibility with Sage HRMS and Sage Fixed Assets. The Sage 300 2021 Compatibility Guide is available from Sage Knowledgebase article 26777.

• For the most current technical information about database and report changes, and about parameters for customizing printed forms, see Sage 300 Database and Report Changes, Sage 300 Parameters for Customizing Printed Forms, or Sage Knowledgebase article 68834.

Compatibility changes in this release include:

• If you use Sage 300cloud web screens, some versions of Windows are no longer supported because IIS does not start when using these versions of Windows. For more information, see Sage Knowledgebase article 106643.

Installing product updates

After installing a product update:

• If you use Sage 300cloud web screens, you must use Database Setup to configure the Portal database again.
• If you use Sage CRM integrated with Sage 300, you must upgrade your CRM integration as follows:
  • Install the Sage CRM integration for Sage 300, which is available on Sage Knowledgebase article 45434.
  • Uninstall and then reinstall the Sage CRM Synchronization Component. (Use the Sage CRM Workstation Setup screen in Sage 300 to install the Sage CRM Synchronization Component.)
• If you use Sage Intelligence Reporting Cloud, you must customize some Sage 300 program files, and then you must reset IIS. For more information, see Sage Knowledgebase article 84722.
• You should clear your browser’s cache. (Some fixes included in the update may not take effect until you do.)