Cloud Accounting Software Helps Minimize 3 Barriers to Scaling Up

Cloud Accounting Software: 3 Ways to Scale Up Affordably

Is your business is ready to scale up and grow to the next level?  If so, you probably know that scaling up your business will increase your sales and potentially require additional investments in hardware, software and personnel. When it comes to your IT systems, scalability is a real concern for businesses for several reasons: there is a cost associated with scaling up, there is an additional cost to maintain it, and it has to be technically possible in your current environment. The beauty of the Cloud is that it is inherently scalable: the cost correlates to the amount of resources needed, and the cost to grow is minimal compared to the cost of maintaining your IT on premise.

3 Ways Cloud Accounting Software Helps Your Business

1.    Scalability

What we know for sure is that the Cloud is scalable. We can’t say the same for an on premise configuration. The age of your system could mean that increasing capacity will have technical challenges that impact you financially or keep you from scaling up altogether. Additionally, what if your business is seasonal and you want to scale down? The Cloud is the only infrastructure where you can flexibly scale up or down and pay only for what you use. Try throwing away the server you no longer need on premise when you want to scale down.

2.    Maintenance Cost

When you are working in the Cloud, you no longer have the responsibility to maintain your equipment; it is handled by your Cloud provider. So when it comes time to scale up, you also don’t have to shop for equipment, determine its compatibility with your current system, determine whether or not you should upgrade peripheral equipment, take the added time to investigate the life remaining in your system, purchase the equipment, wait on its delivery, install it, and then of course you will want to do all of the testing before you begin using it. All of this responsibility is eliminated with the Cloud.

3.    Size of Scale

The thing to remember here is that the Cloud can scale in increments. Need a little more memory? The Cloud can do that! An on premise system must be purchased in packaged quantities: 32, 64, 128, which may also have to be compatible with existing memory, and oh by the way, may need to come in pairs.  Adding users is a simple process in the Cloud. When going with an infrastructure only provider, you still need to specify how much resource you need, but if you go with a full service provider, you don’t need to do anything but say that you want to add one or more users! Your Cloud provider will handle all of the IT with ease and almost as quickly as you can request it. Now you can pay for only what you need.

A bonus for public Cloud users is Economies of Scale. The public Cloud can be partitioned so that the server equipment you are using is also being partitioned for security and utilized by other Cloud customers. Each of you is now using and sharing the cost of the Cloud, making it an economically viable solution for small and midsize companies.

About I-Business Network:
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. 

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:

• Microsoft Dynamics AX, GP and NAV
• Sage BusinessWorks
• Sage CRM
• Sage FAS
• Sage MAS 90, MAS 200 and MAS 500
• SAP Business One
• Yardi

Another version of this blog was previously posted on the I-BN Blog website on “Cloud Accounting Software: Seeing Into Your Future, How Will You Scale Up?”