As I continue to work with clients and refine my processes to make my clients lives better and their accounting more efficient, one thing is for sure; reduced IT costs are a major soft cost benefit.  I recently visited a newly formed business and they showed me their server room.  I was surprised to find out that the applications they were hosting could all be replaced by my cloud applications.  They had to wire a fairly large facility and the owner commented that he doesn’t really like the costs of having the IT guys come out every couple of months and batch or fix something.  Besides my area of expertise which is the accounting, the IT saving could have been huge.  I run my entire accounting practice with WIFI.  There is no reason my client could not have done the same.  And, he would have been able to access all his systems with an ipad.   The only cable I have in my office is an internet cable that plugs into my VOIP phone, which I do love.  I believe the cloud is leveling the technology playing field.  Larry Ellison was quoted recently as saying, SAP and IBM where not his biggest rivals.  He’s more worried about small cloud startups.  He should be.  Check out the seminar posting below.

Paul C. Barrett, CPA – founder Southern Cloud Accounting

Pensacola, FL

Cloud System Benefits

In addition to reduced on-going expenses, the cloud offers multiple benefits over on-premise systems including enhanced data security, reduced maintenance costs and easier workforce management.

Enhanced data security: Keeping sensitive financial data safe is paramount to any operation. Because a cloud-based system resides in a managed data center, the data are significantly more secure and stable that comparable on-site solutions. Offering 24-hour security, multiple redundancy and other forms of continuity, cloud-based systems significantly reduce the risk of theft, damage or other issues when compared to on-site, on-premise PCs within a central office.

Reduced maintenance costs: Cloud-based systems provide software upgrades that are automatically installed, which reduces the need to expend IT resources to install, reinstall or upgrade software programs. Additionally, because cloud-based software is monitored at a data center, any incompatibility issues have already been addressed and resolved before a new program is implemented. Cost savings are also realized due to reduced system downtime.

Easier workforce management: Cloud-based solutions enable software access from any computer. This makes it easier for business partners, such as auditing firms and outsourcing companies, to access relevant data more quickly. Companies also enjoy a greater degree of immediate control over data access when employees leave the company.

Flexibility and Scalability: cloud-based systems offer anytime data access from any computer, which optimizes the systems’ flexibility. Providing real-time data, reporting is more flexible with up to 13 dimensions and visibility for consolidated or multiple entities. Able to expand when needed, cloud-based systems are extremely scalable to suit the needs of an operation. Instead of having to procure user licenses and suitable hardware that is needed in traditional on-site installations, the cloud easily accommodates new users and  multiple entities, as well as multiple currencies through its central data center.

Cloud vs. On-Premise:  A Gift that Keeps Giving

When comparing the features of a cloud-based system to an on-premise system, factors such as enhanced data security, reduced maintenance costs and easier workforce management, as well as flexibility and scalability offer a significant improvement in performance over the long-term. Additionally, the greater costs and risks of on-premise systems associated with hardware, running software and maintaining data integrity make cloud-computing a much more appealing option.

To learn more, register for a FREE webcast titled, “The Economics of Cloud Financial Systems,” which will be broadcast on February 19, 2014 at 1:00 PM EST. The presentation will provide an in-depth look at the total cost of ownership and return on investment using cloud accounting solutions along with a demonstration of cloud accounting applications. Click here to register