Cloud computing versus on-premise – what’s the difference?

Cloud accounting software, that’s to say, true cloud accounting software is a very different beast to on-premise systems such as Sage 50/100/200. 

Contemporary finance directors, chief financial officers and board members that require quick and easy access to financial reporting to satisfy fast-paced decision-making, can be held back by the capabilities offered by an on-premise accounting solution.

Whereas a true cloud accounting system can offer the flexibility and scalability required to make informed decisions, based upon up-to-the-minute data.

5 questions to ask accounting software providers to ensure you’re getting a true cloud native solution 

1. Do you charge a separate fee for hosting the software?

Generally, true cloud accounting software hosting fees are borne by the software provider as part of their business model. Fake cloud computing solutions may have an additional hosting fee. 

2. How many upgrades in a calendar year can I expect? 

This is an important question – true cloud accounting software providers tend to offer constant, secure upgrades which are delivered seamlessly with minimal impact to daily operations. 

3. Do you charge for upgrades? 

As with number 2, digital-first, true cloud providers generally don’t charge for upgrades. Research and development costs to move the product forward are baked into the monthly subscription cost. 

4. Does the software have a public API allowing other software solutions used by the organisation to connect simply? 

Integration to other tools is paramount in today’s business environment. Companies cannot afford to stitch their reporting together using Excel, wasting qualified accounting resources on data entry work. 

True cloud computing has been built specifically to streamline processes and maintain reliable information for users to dissect and make business-critical decisions from, so the answer to this question will give you a good idea if the software is cloud-first or merely adapted for cloud. 

5. Is the software available on-premise too? 

True cloud software is almost always only available via the cloud. Whereas fake cloud (also referred to as SoSaaS (Same-Old-Software-as-a-Service) is likely to still be on-premise with backup to the cloud, which affects performance and functionality significantly. 

If your finance team is running into performance, accessibility and integration issues with your current software, it could be time to make the move to cloud computing. 

To summarise the benefits of cloud computing finance software solutions:

1. Remote access from anywhere in the world; only a browser and Wi-Fi required
2. Real-time information providing fast, accurate reporting
3. Seamless integration to CRM, e-commerce, HR and project management information
4. Scalability – as your company grows, your cloud accounting software meets your needs
5. Cost-effective – no expensive upgrades, servers and maintenance packages to pay for
6. Increased security for your data

To find out more about iplicit’s cloud native software, book a demonstration so you can ask us the questions above and more to help you make the decision to switch. 

Our team of dedicated account managers can explain all the benefits and walk you through the functionality. Book a demo today by calling 020 7729 3260, emailing: info@iplicit.com or complete our contact form for a call back.