Buying and embedding a payments business

Accounting and payroll software sits right next to the money: invoices, supplier payments, salaries, and collections. NetCash (Pty) Ltd provided electronic funds transfers, debit-order collections, and credit card processing. Bringing those capabilities inside Sage meant customers could move money from the same software they used to account for it.

Embedded payments turn software from a record of what happened into the place where it happens.

Build a clear buy-side rationale for acquiring a payments business into a software company.

Integrate platforms, operations, and the application portfolio after close without disrupting either business's customers.

Embed payment capabilities into existing accounting and payroll products.

I led the acquisition and its post-close integration into the regional business, covering the rationale, execution, and product integration.

Make the case

I framed the strategic rationale: payments embedded directly into Sage's Accounting and Payroll product base.

Execute the transaction

I led the buy-side work through to completion in May 2010.

Integrate what matters

After close, I led integration of platforms, operations, and application-portfolio alignment into the regional business.

Embed into the product

NetCash capabilities were embedded into Sage's Accounting and Payroll products so customers experienced payments as part of the software they already used.

Payments inside the product

EFT, debit-order collections, and card processing embedded in Sage Accounting and Payroll.

A platform for growth

The acquired business became the platform for Sage's South African payments offering.

A lasting brand

Later rebranded Sage Pay in 2013.

Integration is where deal value is won or lost.

The transaction takes weeks. The integration decides whether it was worth it.

Buy capabilities your customers already need.

The best acquisitions make an existing product more useful on day one.