Contractors using Sage 100 Contractor often reach the same point: the built‑in reports aren’t enough. Whether it’s work‑in‑progress (WIP) schedules, job profitability analysis, or management dashboards, Sage’s standard reports only go so far.

Two popular options to bridge the gap are Liberty Reports for Sage 100 Contractor and PivotXL. Both tools connect Sage data to Excel, but they take very different approaches — and which one you choose depends on how much structure and automation your team needs.

This guide breaks it down:
✅ What Liberty Reports for Sage 100 Contractor does
✅ Where PivotXL is different
✅ Which contractors benefit from each

What Is Liberty Reports for Sage 100 Contractor?

Liberty Reports for Sage 100 Contractor is an Excel add‑in from Event 1 Software. Its goal is simple: pull Sage 100 Contractor data into Excel without the constant export/import cycle.

With Liberty Reports, you:

  • Insert formulas in Excel that pull live data from Sage
  • Refresh spreadsheets with one click to update numbers
  • Build your own reports using familiar Excel formulas

It’s a powerful connector — but it’s still 100% Excel‑driven. Liberty Reports doesn’t provide pre‑built workflows or templates for WIP schedules, budgeting, or forecasting. You’re essentially given a “live link” to Sage and left to design everything yourself.

✅ Best for: Controllers or accountants who are comfortable building and maintaining their own Excel reports.
❌ Limitations: Every report — from WIP to cash flow — must be built and maintained manually. No automated roll‑ups, no built‑in collaboration, no audit trail.

What Is PivotXL?

Like Liberty Reports, PivotXL connects Sage 100 Contractor to Excel. The difference? PivotXL layers structure, automation, and workflows on top of that connection.

Here’s what PivotXL adds:

  • Multi‑dimensional data cube – Sage data (job costs, trial balances, cost codes) flows into a central cube, eliminating spreadsheet sprawl.
  • Pre‑built WIP templates – Percent complete, revenue recognition, and margin calculations are automated.
  • Projections built in – PMs can enter revised costs, future billings, and completion estimates directly in Excel templates.
  • Automatic roll‑ups – Job‑level data consolidates instantly to region‑level and company‑wide views.
  • Version control and audit trail – Every change is tracked, so you know who entered what and when.

✅ Best for: Contractors who want automation and collaboration without giving up Excel.
❌ Limitations: More robust than Liberty Reports, but requires setup — it’s not just a “drop‑in” formula tool.

➡️ Looking for more?
Check out our full guide on Sage 100 Contractor Financial Reports – The Complete guide to see how we help contractors go beyond spreadsheets.

Sage 100 Contractor Financial Reports – The Complete guide

Liberty Reports for Sage 100 Contractor vs PivotXL: Key Differences

  • Approach: Liberty Reports is a connector. PivotXL is a reporting platform that uses Excel as the interface.
  • Templates: Liberty Reports requires you to build all reports from scratch. PivotXL comes with ready‑to‑use WIP and financial templates.
  • Data structure: Liberty Reports pulls raw data into Excel. PivotXL stores data in a central cube, so multiple reports and users stay in sync.
  • Collaboration: Liberty Reports is single‑user Excel. PivotXL allows PMs and finance to work on the same live numbers.
  • Automation: Liberty Reports refreshes data. PivotXL refreshes and calculates, rolls up, and structures it.

Which Should You Choose?

  • Choose Liberty Reports for Sage 100 Contractor if:
    ✅ You just need live Sage data in Excel
    ✅ You’re comfortable building and maintaining all your own reports
    ✅ You don’t need collaboration, audit trails, or multi‑entity consolidation
  • Choose PivotXL if:
    ✅ You want ready‑to‑use WIP templates, budgeting tools, and forecasts
    ✅ Project managers need to input data without creating duplicate spreadsheets
    ✅ You need multi‑job and multi‑company roll‑ups done automatically

Conclusion

Liberty Reports for Sage 100 Contractor is an excellent connector for pulling Sage data into Excel. But it’s only a connector — you still build and maintain every report yourself.

PivotXL takes the next step. It connects to Sage like Liberty Reports, but also automates WIP schedules, consolidates data, tracks changes, and gives you collaboration without leaving Excel.

➡️ Looking for more?
Check out our Financial Reporting with PivotXL page to see how PivotXL helps contractors go beyond basic connectors.