Sage Copilot: Secure by design, AI made ready for finance

Finance teams of all sizes are integrating AI into the core of their functions.

And Sage Copilot is right there at the heart of it, trusted not just to transform organisations. It’s also trusted to be secure and trustworthy.

Why? That’s what we discuss in this blog, as follows:

Where businesses use AI today

CFOs and controllers are using simple prompts to get live numbers as part of the feedback.

Finance operations are tracking close progress without digging through files.

Accountants are reviewing exceptions with the supporting entries easily in view.

Small business owners are getting quick answers on cash, invoices, and spending.

Partners and firms use in-product assistance to prepare client reviews faster.

If you see yourself or your needs in these scenarios, this article explains how Sage Copilot addresses your challenges with simple, streamlined solutions.

We’ll cover what Sage Copilot is, the outcomes it delivers, and the common security questions that come with exploring AI assistance in business finance.

Then we’ll end with how Copilot’s secure-by-design approach protects sensitive customer data so you can deploy it with confidence, even in strict environments.

What is Sage Copilot?

Sage Copilot is the AI assistant built into Sage products. It’s the experience for users that’s a core part of Sage Ai, the intelligence engine under the hood.

Sage Copilot lets you ask clear questions about your financial data, and in return, it reviews your live records and returns the numbers or actions you need within the workflow you already use.

It understands ledgers and subledgers, approvals, purchasing, receivables, payroll, and tax, so responses align with how you work.

Integrating Sage Copilot into your workflow has been proven to:

• Improve the smoothness of the month-end process by surfacing mismatches early and nudging you before deadlines slip.
• Speed up daily decisions because answers come from the system of record.
• Give you time back because first-pass summaries and supporting entries happen together.

What security by design looks like in daily practice

Sage Copilot is built into Sage products, so if you use single sign-on and multi-factor, Copilot follows suit.

There is one place for admins to grant and remove access.

Your assigned roles still control what people see.

If a user doesn’t have permissions to view an entity, project, supplier, or report in the core product, Copilot won’t override those permissions.

Least-privilege stays intact, and accident exposure drops.

Copilot works best where teams already draw hard lines around data.

Multi-entity groups keep access split by region or legal entity, while finance leaders still see what they need. Your data stays inside a governed boundary.

Customer environments remain separate, and firms that serve regulated clients get a clear audit trail for every prompt, response, and action.

Teams that handle payroll, customer, or supplier data keep those records in the system of record while moving on to faster reviews and approvals. IT and auditors have a clear line of sight with this setup.

Encryption applies in transit and at rest, reducing the risk of interception or loss without adding extra tools.

Every step leaves an accessible trail.

Sage Copilot links prompts, responses, and actions to users and data sources, so reviewers can trace what was asked, what was returned, and what was changed.

And every answer comes with context. When Copilot flags a variance or suggests a next step, it points to the entries, transactions, or documents behind the call.

Sage and AI risk management

Sage approaches risk as any other financial control: Document it, publish it, and maintain consistency. Three public sources support this approach:

First are the corporate commitments.

Sage’s five AI commitments set expectations for safety, transparency, and customer control, and they include an explicit promise from CTO Aaron Harris to protect trust.

Next is product-level clarity.

The Copilot pages and knowledge-base articles explain how data is protected, including encryption in transit and at rest, and access governed by your existing sign-in and roles.

For reviewers who want something concise, Sage publishes a Copilot Data Protection Statement that is a helpful resource.

Third, independent transparency is at the forefront.

The AI Trust Label explains, in simple terms, how Sage features handle data, comply with regulations, and implement safeguards against bias and harm. It’s currently available in the US and UK for Sage Intacct, making it easier for IT and compliance teams to access the information they need at a glance.

For deeper due diligence, Sage’s Trust & Security site lists security controls, subprocessors, and regional privacy notes so you can complete third-party reviews without guesswork.

Moving forward: Implementing Sage Copilot

Sage Copilot keeps data where it belongs, carries your identity and permissions into every interaction, and records a trail for audits.

It’s security by design in action, which is why you can use it in teams that handle payroll, customer, and supplier data without loosening standards.

Start by focusing on a specific use case, such as close orchestration or exception reviews. Name the people involved, the records they oversee, and the decisions needed to move faster. Give the pilot two to four weeks to maintain momentum.

Define what success looks like before activation.

Most teams track three signals that move quickly in finance: close duration, number of exceptions, and average time to clear flagged items. Capture a simple baseline from the last month.

Instead of a lengthy manual, craft a concise introduction with illustrative prompts that show how to make the most of Copilot. A brief 30-minute training session can make a significant difference, and recording it will be a valuable resource for the future.

Designate clear decision-makers for actions Copilot can handle independently versus those that require human oversight, integrating this smoothly into your existing workflows. Collaborate with IT and Security by sharing information on the pilot’s scope, access requirements, and success metrics.

Share one page with links for reviewers: Copilot product page, Data Protection Statement, Trust & Security hub, and the commitments. Include who has access during the pilot, the datasets in scope, and how long you’ll keep prompt logs. Clear documentation speeds sign-off and keeps everyone aligned.

Close the pilot with numbers and a plan. Share the metrics, a few real examples where Copilot saved time or flagged risk earlier, and any policy tweaks you made. If the results hold, add the next finance pod and repeat the cycle.

You get faster decisions, fewer surprises, and confidence that your guardrails stay intact.

Final thoughts

Sage Ai is more than artificial. It’s accounting software built with over 40 years of experience supporting British businesses. Sage has spent nearly a decade delivering AI solutions already.

Our AI platform brings everything together. Sage Copilot works with intelligent agents on a powerful platform, all guided by authentic intelligence.

Few other companies make such bold and transparent claims about their use of AI, but for Sage, it’s unthinkable to not harness the transformative potential of AI responsibly, embedding strict security practices to remain leaders in delivering advanced, secure, and ethically sound AI systems.