With intelligent close analytics, AI-powered data import, cash intelligence, and connected data access, Sage Intacct helps high-performing finance teams reduce manual work and improve financial visibility at scale Sage (FTSE: SGE), the leader in accounting, financial, HR, and payroll technology for small and mid-sized businesses, today announced new AI-powered capabilities in Sage Intacct designed to help finance teams move from managing data to driving performance. The latest updates strengthen Sage Intacct across close analytics, workflow automation, cash intelligence, and connected data access. Today, finance teams using these tools can identify which entities are slowing down the close, import complex datasets without spreadsheet manipulation, and…
Author: sme-admin
Self-made millionaire, entrepreneur and investor Gary Ashworth has built, backed, and exited more than 30 businesses over four decades, earning a reputation for turning disciplined strategy into lasting value. In the following piece, he shares hard-won lessons from founders who focus on long-term growth over quick wins—revealing why patience, measured risk, and consistency are the real drivers of serious wealth. I’ve backed or founded over 30 companies. Some made fortunes. Some lost millions. The difference between the two rarely had anything to do with how clever the founders were or how clever the initial idea was. The winners understood something…
Over the past few years, the UK labour market has changed in ways that are not always visible from inside offices or boardrooms. Much of this shift has happened in the parts of the economy where work is continuous, shift-based, and operationally demanding — and where access to employment depends less on long-term career planning and more on speed, compliance, and pay cycles. According to HMRC data analysed by UK in a Changing Europe, employment among non-EU nationals has increased by almost 2 million since the pre-pandemic period — a rise of close to 90%. Over the same time, employment…
A GREENER FUTURE for Nottingham is on the horizon as local businesses unite, with marketing agency Cartwright continuing its partnership with Nottingham College’s award-winning Sustainable Futures programme for the third-year running. The initiative – which has grown from just 100 students to over 8,000 – gives students the opportunity to turn bold ideas into real-world solutions, offering up to £4,000 in funding, mentorship from local business leaders and a platform to tackle pressing environmental and social issues. Recognised nationally, the college was named ‘Sustainability Institution of the Year’ at the Green Gown Awards in November 2025 and since its inception, the Sustainable Futures programme has seen remarkable engagement with over 54 groups applying and 11 ideas shortlisted for…
A recent survey found that almost one in five businesses would consider sabotaging their competitors (1). But with the growth of AI models, has it become easier than ever in 2026? In GEO agency Reboot Online’s latest experiment, they tested whether LLMs can be influenced to surface false, reputationally damaging information about a person simply by publishing unsubstantiated claims across third-party websites. In short, the answer is yes. Key findings Black hat GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) is possible, as some AI models surface false or reputationally damaging claims when those claims are consistently published across third-party websites Model behaviour varies significantly,…
On January 6th, the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill passed its second reading, and has progressed through to the committee stage. This fast-moving legislation marks a significant step forward in the government’s efforts to strengthen national cyber defences. The legislation is designed to modernise existing cyber laws to reflect the scale of today’s digital threats, improve resilience across businesses, and to better help protect the public. Rob Rees, Divisional Director at Markel Direct, the business insurance specialist, explains what the Bill is proposing, how this will affect UK SMEs and what actions should be taken in 2026. What does the Cyber…
Intuit Inc. (Nasdaq: INTU), the global financial technology platform that makes Intuit TurboTax, Credit Karma, QuickBooks, and Mailchimp, has announced a set of Mailchimp product innovations that unlock profitable growth for ecommerce businesses. Powered by the Intuit platform, the enhancements include more ways for merchants to connect their data and activate omnichannel campaigns driving up to 30x ROI for ecommerce customers1 without the added price or complexity. For small and mid-market online sellers, customer acquisition and growth are becoming harder to measure and optimise. Only 33% of marketers say their pre-opt-in messaging is highly aligned, making it difficult to see which efforts drive orders and where revenue is being…
The Thames Valley Business & Community Awards is honoured to announce that Ben Gallagher, former Special Forces soldier, Team GB athlete and inspirational speaker, will deliver the keynote address at next Friday’s prestigious awards ceremony at the Hilton Reading. Ben Gallagher served over 16 years in the British Army, including time within the UK Special Forces community, dedicating his life to serving his country at the highest level. However, while on active duty, Ben sustained life-changing injuries that dramatically altered the course of his life. Rather than allowing adversity to define him, Ben chose to rebuild. Demonstrating extraordinary resilience, discipline…
For the hospitality sector, 2025 could certainly be summarised as another turbulent year. The Autumn Budget announced at the end of November saw a hike to the minimum wage and sugar tax which, added to the additional rises in operational costs and National Insurance contributions through the year, meant that further cost-cutting and reviews of operational efficiency were critical. The festive period may have provided a welcome buffer for many businesses with a flurry of visitors. But, with celebrations now in the rear-view mirror, operators have their work cut out to continue increasing footfall and revenue per head. As we head into 2026, operators…
By Sarah Carter, Head of Account Management at Onebright HR leaders recognise the importance of workplace mental health, but what’s often less visible, is the cost of poor mental health that doesn’t show up on absence reports. While absence related to mental health remains high, one of the biggest challenges in the workplace is presenteeism, when employees are physically present but struggling to perform due to stress, anxiety, or burnout. These hidden losses in productivity cost businesses far more than absence, yet they rarely appear on HR dashboards. The Government’s Keep Britain Working review has made this clearer than ever. It estimates that…