Univiz Extra: News

Welcome to Univiz Extra

Started September 2008 this is an on-going project to provide a one-stop resource for small business owners, their staff, managers and entreprenuers.

The main focus will be on technologies, both new and old, and their impact on productivity and way of working for today's businesses with discussions, articles, features, reviews, tips, polls and links etc.

Topics to include:

* Comparisons of accounting, payroll and back office software.
* Open source software -v- Conventional bought software
* SaaS (Software as a Service) - v - In-house software
* Discussions of marketing strategies for small businesses.
* Review of tools and utility programs.
* Help, advice and tips on using various business software
* Directory of links
* Polls on topical items.
* Videos and gallery
* And anything else that looks interesting, amusing or takes our fancy as a sideline for the coffee break.

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SaaS (Software as a Service) - Is it right for your business?

A few years back the only choice to make when deciding how to do your accounts was which software to choose. Before that, the choice was whether to do them manually or computerised. Prior to that there wasn't any choice at all as all accounting was done by manual bookkeeping.

Now there is not only a bewildering array of software to run your accounts in-house (Sage, TasBooks etc) but a completely new way of doing your accounts - and other business functions - and that is online.

SaaS, or software as a service has been building up momentum for a good few years now and some analysts claim that by 2010, 30 percent of new software will be delivered via the SaaS model. Sometimes referred to as 'on-demand software' or 'hosted software', with SaaS you rent the use of web-based software hosted on secure servers by the SaaS provider, similar in idea to renting or leasing vehicles or computer equipment - although the analogy stops there.

Although we are focusing on the accounting function, this SaaS revolution has permeated all areas of business software from accounting, to CRM (customer relationship management), project management, ERP (enterprise resource planning) to name but a few and the points raised here are largely relevant to all arenas.

Apart from the financial advantages SaaS opens up the potential for a whole new way of working and communicating information without the worry of over stretching your company's IT skills and resources.

Financial Advantages:

No up-front investment in software purchase (unless of course you've already purchased your software)
No annual software upgrade fees as it's all included in the rental fees. It would be prudent to establish if or when price hikes are likely.
Ability to budget and plan for the known costs
Potential access to software solutions that might not otherwise be affordable via outright purchase.

Working & Communicating Advantages:

24/7/365 access from anywhere with internet access - this completely blows out of the window the 9-5 working concept. No more remote desktopping or juggling backups and restores from work to home computers or waiting for reports to be emailed or posted.
Freedom to do your accounts or other business functions whenever and wherever you wish - You can keep up to date whilst on holiday or away at a conference.
Share information with remote branches, departments, home workers, field workers etc.
Access to live up-to-date information - for example your sales force can check customer records, account status or latest communications prior to meeting with the customer etc.

IT and Technology Advantages:

Support, upgrades and maintenance of the software is shifted from you the customer to the SaaS provider. The SaaS provider is in essence working for you as the software is run from their secure servers. For small businesses with little or no in-house IT skills this is one less chore to worry about and can give you access to software functionality that you may not otherwise be in a position access. For larger companies it can relieve the work burden of busy IT departments.
Security. The SaaS providers know that security of your data is fundamental to their services and this has to be at the core of their business model otherwise they will not stand the test of time. It is more than likely that their security and backup regimes will be far superior to non-hosted solutions.
Potential access to software solutions that some businesses may not otherwise have the in-house IT skills to install, configure or support on an on-going basis.

SAAS has now proven itself and is here to stay and so we come back to the opening paragraph of this article and need to insert a new line: Today, the choice of accounting (and other business functions) is whether to do it in-house or on-line and is SaaS the right choice for your business?

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