Most Sage Intacct systems are set up once and then left alone. That works fine until it doesn’t. User permissions drift, outdated configurations quietly create problems, and small oversights compound over time into something that takes hours to untangle.
The good news is that a quick, routine check-up can catch most of these issues before they become real problems. This isn’t a deep audit or a full system review. It’s a focused 15-minute habit that any admin can build into their regular routine.
User Access and Roles (5 minutes)
Pull up your user list and scan for anything that looks off. Are there active users who no longer work at the organization? Are any roles broader than they need to be? Permissions tend to grow over time as people request access for one-off situations and those changes never get walked back.
Check for any users with admin-level access who shouldn’t have it. In most organizations, that list should be very short. If it isn’t, that’s worth a conversation.
Workflow Rules and Approvals (3 minutes)
Approval workflows are easy to set up and easy to neglect. Start by confirming that transaction types requiring approval actually have one configured. A missing workflow on AP invoices or purchase orders isn’t just a gap in process, it’s a gap in internal controls.
Check that approval thresholds still make sense given current transaction volumes. A limit that was reasonable two years ago may no longer reflect your organization’s risk tolerance. Also scan for any transactions that were posted by admin users outside the normal approval chain. It happens more than most teams realize and is worth keeping an eye on.
Dimension Values and Consistency (3 minutes)
Dimensions are one of the most powerful tools in Sage Intacct and also a commonly overlooked maintenance area. Scan for unused or retired dimension values still marked active, as these create clutter in transaction entry and open the door for miscoding. These should be deactivated.
Also check whether dimension requirements are enforced at the account level. If certain accounts should require a department or location on every transaction, verify those rules are actually set. Gaps here are easy to miss during initial setup and rarely get revisited.
Email Delivery and Notifications (2 Minutes)
Sage Intacct sends a lot of automated emails: invoices, payment notifications, approval requests, and more. Pull up your email delivery logs and scan for messages that bounced or failed to deliver. These failures often go unnoticed, which means a vendor never received a remittance, a customer never got their invoice, or an approver never saw a request that’s been sitting in queue.
If you’re seeing consistent failures to a particular address, that’s usually a contact record that needs to be updated.
Integration and API Activity (2 Minutes)
If your system connects to other platforms or uses smart events and triggers, take a quick look at your API usage under Usage Insights. Any transactions from Sender IDs that have a checkmark next to them count toward your monthly volume, even if those transactions fail. If you are close to or over your monthly volume, it is worth reviewing whether any can be updated to be more efficient. A two-minute check is a low-effort way to catch issues early.
Bonus: Review Quarterly Release Notes
Build in time each quarter to review Sage Intacct’s release notes. New features, configuration changes, and deprecations can affect how your system behaves, and staying current means you’re making intentional decisions about your setup rather than discovering changes after the fact.
Why This Habit Matters
None of these items are complicated. The value isn’t in any single check, it’s in the consistency. Admins who review these areas regularly tend to catch problems when they’re small. Those who don’t often inherit bigger ones.
If you’re a controller or CFO reading this, consider asking your admin to walk through this list with you once a quarter. It’s a simple way to confirm that your system configuration is keeping up with your organization.
And if you’re an admin who just realized some of these areas haven’t been reviewed in a while, the best time to start the habit is now.
At LBMC Technology Solutions, we work with Sage Intacct clients across all stages of their system lifecycle. If you’d like a more thorough review of your configuration or just want a second set of eyes, we’re happy to help. Reach out to our team to get started.
