If you selected ERP software for your business in the past, you already know that selecting the right software for your business is critical. In this article we will discuss cloud accounting software and the importance of choosing the right cloud hosting provider to get the job done. After all, getting your cloud accounting software properly installed and configured for your unique business is essential to getting up and running in a timely manner.
There are many factors to consider when you are choosing your cloud provider. In order to address this challenge, we offer a free buyer’s guide to reference if you are considering cloud hosting.
Download this Cloud Buyer's Guide to ensure that you are asking all the right questions.
One of the biggest considerations for customers is the bottom line cost of what it will take to get their business in the cloud. Often the less expensive model is not necessarily the best buy economically or for performance.
A generic hosting provider is a service that you pay for to get your ERP software in the cloud. Many times these are IT firms that will host your software but the majority are not equipped to service or support the cloud accounting software you selected. This service allows you to put your software from an in-house/on-premise installation to running it and accessing it in the cloud and that’s about it.
Recently there has been a lot of conversation about using a generic cloud provider to host your ERP system. Their hosting proposal can look very attractive at first glance because they are often a little cheaper than the alternative which is a software-specific host. In our experience, when companies choose this option, the total functionality of your software installation ends up costing your business much more with a generic host than if you selected a software-specific host.
The benefits of choosing a software-specific cloud host is that they are familiar with the cloud ERP software you selected and know what needs to happen to get and keep it running for the long-term. They fully understand the type of configuration your environment needs to have, they have tested their environment to ensure that the software functions correctly, and they provide software-specific support. That alone is very valuable, but I have another scenario that a customer recently experienced with their generic cloud host.
The cloud provider set up the client’s software to function in their cloud. However, not being experienced in hosting that particular software, they set up the environment to function at the current level of need. Well, as businesses grow, they often need to expand the functionality of their software with add-ons and additional functions. The cloud provider did not foresee that the software environment had considerations that other software does not. Now they had to break it to their client that they would need to purchase four additional licenses just to use the expanded function. This is an avoidable cost with a cloud provider who has the expertise in your software.
There are a number of long term considerations to include when you set up the initial environment. Add-ons can require hardware configurations or hardware resources that may include licensing fees and possibly a support fee to set up what would otherwise not be an issue had the environment been set up for long term growth.
Additionally, your cloud provider may have set increments at which they will expand your cloud memory. A small increase needed in memory for software functionality may result in having to purchase a set amount of memory of which you may only use a fraction. These unnecessary costs can be avoided with a software-specific cloud provider.
Getting your environment set up right from the beginning will save you time, money and aggravation. A software specific environment and cloud provider has all the expertise to get it right the first time and provide software support that is targeted to your company needs.
Before you move to the Cloud or purchase an add-on for your system, give us a call and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have. I-Business Network has more than a decade of experience hosting a variety of ERP software and add-ons. We can walk you through the environmental needs of your software, what add-ons are recommended, and what you should expect from a Cloud provider.
Hopefully, this article gives you some useful points to consider to avoid the pains experienced when choosing the cheaper choice of generic hosting providers. We hope our free buyers guide helps you have all of the tools necessary to make this journey pain free. Call software-specific cloud hosting professionals like us. I-BN offers a ½ day workshop to help you determine whether you should consider upgrading and outline your value/budget definition!
Visit us at I-BN.com or contact Bob Tobey at 678-627-0646 ext. 231 or btobey@i-bn.net for help evaluating your ERP options. Whether you are outgrowing QuickBooks, another entry level accounting software, or if you need to move to cloud hosting with a cloud ERP solution or hosting your existing ERP software.
I-Business Network (I-BN) is an ERP and cloud solutions provider since 1999. Established by professionals in the accounting and software industry, I-BN has provided cloud hosting and business solutions including industry-specific solutions for distribution, light manufacturing and professional services. I-BN specializes in sales, implementation and cloud hosting for ERP software. We have deep experience and knowledge of Sage 100 ERP and SAP Business One software and understand its unique requirements and the support that you will need. Our national network of business software solution providers enables us to provide a local presence for training, implementation and support.
I-BN hosts a large number of cloud accounting software (ERP) applications including:
Another version of this blog was previously posted on the I-BN Blog website “Cloud Accounting Software: How the Wrong Cloud Provider Can Actually Increase Your Expenses”