Skip to content

x Want to ask a question or reply? Click here to join the group.
Sage CRM

Making Sage CRM more accessible for all users

4 minute read time.

Sage CRM is a powerful platform that enables small and medium-sized businesses to manage relationships, processes, and performance efficiently. However, as with any system, visual and cognitive accessibility must be at the heart of user experience design, particularly when interfaces are updated to reflect new branding or visual paradigms.

Brand Refresh and Visual Challenges

In April 2022, Sage announced a global refresh of its brand. This was rolled out in Sage CRM starting with version 2022 R2 and completed in Sage CRM 2023 R1. The new branding aims to represent Sage's commitment to being a trusted network for SMBs, conveying clarity, cohesion, and confidence through a uniform look and feel.

However, not all users have welcomed these changes.

Some users with visual impairments have expressed difficulty with the new visual choices, including:

  • Overuse of the colour green: While this aligns with Sage’s brand identity, green can be difficult for users with certain types of colour blindness to distinguish.

  • Loss of icon differentiation: Previously, icons for entities like Companies, Cases, or Opportunities were uniquely coloured. These have now all defaulted to green, making it harder to quickly identify record types visually.

  • Reduced clarity in search controls: For example, the magnifying glass icon and drop-down arrow in the Advanced Search Select are now visually similar and harder to distinguish.

These changes have also had an impact on neurodiverse users. For individuals who rely on clear visual distinctions and consistent spatial organisation, the flattening of icon styles and colour cues has made navigating the system more cognitively demanding.

Built-In Customisation Options

Fortunately, Sage CRM provides multiple ways for administrators and partners to tailor the system’s appearance and improve usability:

1. Custom CSS Themes

Administrators can override the default Sage CRM look and feel by placing a custom CSS file in:

\WWWRoot\Themes\custom
This method is low-risk, reversible, and does not require modification of core application files. It allows:

  • Customization of colours and contrast ratios

  • Replacement of problematic icon styles

  • Greater alignment with corporate accessibility or branding standards

Sage documentation on Customizing Themes provides guidance, and a sample override file is available on the Sage Community Hub.

2. The Newport Theme by My CRM Manager

This partner-created theme delivers a sweeping improvement to accessibility and screen use. Notable enhancements include:

  • Blue rather than black as the default colour

  • Legacy-style icons with more distinctive shapes and colours

  • Single typeface usage across the application for improved readability

  • Reformatted tables and page headers for better structure

More information is available at: Newport Theme – My CRM Manager

3. Entity Image Component by CRM Together

CRM Together has released a free, open-source enhancement that introduces images and visual cues directly into Sage CRM entity screens. It supports:

  • Enhanced navigation through the use of meaningful icons

  • Improved visual differentiation for records

  • A more intuitive, image-led interface

This component is compatible with Sage CRM 2022 R1 and later and can be read about on the Sage Community Hub.

Supporting All Users

Sage CRM already includes options to tailor dashboards, configure personal preferences, and simplify navigation2025 Getting Started Dr…. However, true accessibility requires thoughtful design decisions and ongoing dialogue with end users. By combining built-in customisation with third-party enhancements, partners and administrators can significantly improve the experience for:

  • Users with visual impairments

  • Colourblind individuals

  • Neurodiverse users who benefit from visual consistency and clarity

Final Thoughts

The refreshed Sage CRM branding aims to unify the user experience across Sage products. But uniformity should not come at the expense of accessibility. Businesses implementing Sage CRM are encouraged to:

  • Actively solicit feedback from a diverse range of users

  • Customise themes to meet specific needs

  • Share lessons and improvements with the wider Sage partner and customer community

Together, we can make Sage CRM more inclusive, more usable, and more effective for everyone.

*Community Hub is the new name for Sage City