Why modern finance leaders in construction are moving to the cloud

Many construction companies are leveraging Sage 300 Construction and Real Estate (CRE) as their financial management platform. Historically, this on-premise solution has been a trusted choice in the industry because of its comprehensive features. However, a growing number of construction businesses are beginning to move away from Sage 300 CRE and are turning to cloud-based solutions like Sage Intacct Construction. According to the 2025 AGC and Sage Construction Hiring and Business Outlook, almost half of the construction companies surveyed now use cloud-based software for their accounting [1].

The primary reason for this shift is that the cloud equips finance leaders in construction with powerful tools and capabilities that on-premise solutions just can’t match. Explore why forward-thinking finance leaders are making the leap from on-prem solutions to the cloud, and how this move could better position your business for the future.

The constraints of on-premise systems

On-premise technology offers certain benefits, but it also brings its own set of challenges that are worth considering. For example, on-premise solutions are challenging to update and maintain because they require manual installations and can even lead to system downtime. Additionally, as your business grows, scaling becomes cumbersome due to its scalability limitations. If a company needs to expand, it is required to purchase additional hardware installations, which can be both time-consuming and costly.

On-premise solutions also have accessibility restraints, which limit finance teams' ability to access critical data outside of the office. This significantly reduces finance teams' productivity and can hinder decision-making when accurate data isn’t always available anytime, anywhere.

When these limitations are combined, they make it harder for a growing business to evolve successfully and can slow down evolution. However, with cloud solutions in place, construction companies can gain the flexibility they need to support ever-evolving operations with technology designed to adapt as needed.  

Access and agility without limits in the cloud

One of the major benefits of the cloud is the flexibility it provides. With cloud-native technology, businesses don’t have to rely on physical maintenance teams to manage their systems. IT teams have the capability to update cloud solutions remotely, allowing updates, upgrades and patches to be easily implemented with minimal to no downtime.