Major Benefits Of Cloud Accounting
Technology plays an important role in our life. We continue to evolve around it, some of us faster than others. Just like we saw yesterday with Apple, who would have thought the new iPhone would not have a headphone jack? Some people are amazed while some are furious with the decision. But, 3 years from now your corded headphones are going to be obsolete. I mean an iWatch 150 feet underwater, how could that be?
What we continue to see is that for those of us that try to fight the changes, eventually find ourselves having to move forward. We often see this with business owners and their outlook on the newest technologies. Some business owners say, “let’s wait till next year to implement that new system”, then find themselves years behind and having to play catch up to their competitors. I agree, if it's not broken, don’t fix it. But, after a while, productivity needs to be weighed against effectiveness.
So how do business owners avoid falling behind? What is holding them back from sometimes wanting to move forward? I'll tell you... it's the cloud. Everyone is constantly asking us "Why should I move to the cloud and how will it benefit my business?"
The cloud is a rather simple concept. The cloud is a safe and secure place to store and transfer data back and forth on the internet. No more in house server rooms, crashing networks, manual system upgrades, or missed backups. There are many advantages to transitioning to a cloud based system. Here are my top 5 reasons why you may want to start thinking about switching to the cloud.
Security
Almost all online accounting solutions offer bank level security which means your data is safer than sitting on your own hardware. Not to mention, your data will always be there. You never have to worry about forgetting to save, losing your computer or even natural disasters. No, they don't happen often, but it could happen.
Control
When your business is living in the cloud, you will always have a reliable, real-time view of your data. Understand exactly what your business is doing and have the ability to make intelligent decisions based on the current situation. Older methods require flipping pages and scrummaging through folders. The cloud gives you a quick overview of your finances in real time.
Flexibility
Smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices will become the main tools for business owners to manage their work. In turn, the integration of these devices will enable more flexibility around when, where, and how the work gets done. Being in your office will become much less important in the coming years, allowing you to work from your home, in the car, or even on the beach. Also, say goodbye to the one size fits all option. You now have the ability to choose a plan that fits you and your business. You can simply turn on features that you need, and turn off features that you never use. It's a solution built just for you!
Accuracy
Cloud technology will completely automate everything, specifically data collection, resulting in improved data quality as well as less time at your desk. With seamless integrations and automatic bank feeds, you never have to worry about duplicate information or accounting errors. Not to mention, with certain reminders setup, you will never be allowed to forget anything. Stop losing track of your outstanding invoices and start getting paid on time.
Collaboration
Mobile connectivity will allow you to work more efficiently and exchange information with your employees and accountant much more effectively. No matter where everyone is, you can experience quick, real-time collaboration which creates a much more efficient process. They no longer have to be sitting next to you in order to make those quick decisions.
The bottom line is…the future of accounting and bookkeeping is going to be all digital. The cloud is radically revamping the accounting software marketplace and you don't want to get left behind. Instead of whining, moaning, and being bitter about it, you can get a head start now and slowly ease into it. It's time to say goodbye to those stacks of documents on your desk, and get your head in the cloud!
