Comparison · Light vs CentralGest
Light vs CentralGest
CentralGest is Portuguese accounting and business management software for companies and accounting firms, available as CentralGest ERP and CentralGest Cloud, with SAF-T PT, certified invoicing, payroll, stock and tax returns submitted to the tax authority. Light is the agentic ERP for multi-entity groups: one ledger that consolidates every entity and currency as transactions post, and it does not run payroll, file tax returns or manage stock.
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Light and CentralGest, compared
| Feature | Light | CentralGest |
|---|---|---|
| General ledger and accounting system of recordCentralGest: Portuguese accounting with SAF-T PT, financial statements and tax returns submitted to the tax authority | Yes | Yes |
| Group consolidation and intercompany eliminationsCentralGest: keeps many companies, each with its own books, with multi-company task management for accounting firms | Yes | No |
| Multi-currency accountingCentralGest: accounting in several currencies, with exchange differences, in CentralGest ERP | Yes | Yes |
| Accounts payable and vendor bill payCentralGest: purchases, supplier current accounts and SEPA payments | Yes | Yes |
| Accounts receivable and customer invoicingCentralGest: certified invoicing, recurring contract billing, direct debit and Multibanco references | Yes | Yes |
| Corporate and virtual cardsCentralGest: bank movements from SEPA banks are imported and reconciled | Yes | No |
| Financial statements (P&L, balance sheet)CentralGest: annual, monthly and comparative financial statements | Yes | Yes |
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The world's most demanding finance teams run on Light.
Run every entity together
CentralGest keeps many companies, each with its own books, and gives accounting firms multi-company task management. Light holds every entity on one ledger and consolidates as transactions post, with intercompany eliminations included.
- 01
Keep every currency in one book
CentralGest handles Portuguese accounting, SAF-T PT and tax returns, with multi-currency accounting in CentralGest ERP. Light posts each transaction in its own currency and consolidates into the group's, so a Portuguese entity sits beside the rest of the group.
- 02
Put cards and payments in the books
CentralGest makes SEPA payments and reconciles bank movements. Light pays approved bills from the ledger itself and issues corporate and virtual cards that post to the same ledger.
When to choose Light
- 01
Close every entity at once
Consolidation and eliminations update as transactions post.
- 02
Every currency, one set of books
Transactions post in their own currency and consolidate into the group's, with FX handled natively.
- 03
Cards and expenses built in
Spend posts to the same ledger as everything else.
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fastest growing companies
See how finance teams run lean and global on Light.
Read customer stories-
“We evaluated several vendors. Light won because it covers our full finance stack, revenue, AR, AP, expenses, and consolidation, without stitching together a patchwork of point solutions.”
Tanja, Director of FinanceOmnea -
“Even though we’re three entities, it’s like I’m running a finance department for one entity.”
Thobias, Finance ManagerAlva Labs -
“I really like that Light’s AI already gives me suggestions, GL accounts, cost centers, tax codes. I don’t have to start from scratch.”
Cédric, Finance ManagerOper Credits -
“Nine times out of ten the AI matches everything and posts it to the right account. One click and you’re done.”
Jeppe, CFOKeyShot
Built for the daily work
Bills through to payment
Capture invoices, route approvals and pay vendors from the same system.
Room to grow
One ledger built to handle billions of transactions across your business.
Trace every number
Open a report and drill straight into the transactions behind it.
Spending, under control
Expenses, vendors and cards connected to your ledger.
Expenses
Collect receipts, approve expenses and track spend as it happens.
Vendors
Keep supplier details, bills and approvals together. Apply your purchasing rules as work moves through.
Cards
Issue cards for employees and vendors. Pay with Apple Pay or Google Pay. Send receipts through Slack, Teams or email.
Frequently asked questions
Does CentralGest consolidate several companies?
It keeps many companies, each with its own books. Light holds every entity on one ledger and consolidates as transactions post.
Does Light run payroll or file tax returns?
No. Light does not run payroll, file tax returns, manage stock or run POS. It is the ledger, with AP, payments, cards, invoicing and consolidation built in.
When does CentralGest fit?
When you run a Portuguese company, or an accounting firm serving them, and want accounting, certified invoicing, payroll, stock and tax returns from one Portuguese product.
Does CentralGest issue corporate cards?
Cards are not part of CentralGest. Light issues corporate and virtual cards with Apple Pay and Google Pay, and the spend posts to the same ledger.
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