3 Perhaps Not So Obvious Advantages of a Cloud-Based ERP
More and more companies are choosing a cloud-based ERP. Below are three advantages of running an ERP this way that are not always obvious.
#1. No investment in equipment
Traditional ERP solutions usually require buying a server to install them on. Servers like these represent a considerable investment, in hardware as well as in software. Beyond that initial outlay, they also have to be maintained, which costs more again. With a cloud ERP none of those costs exist, and staff can normally carry on using the equipment they already have, simply working in the ERP through their web browser.
#2. New ERP versions are available immediately
Traditional ERP solutions require access to the server in order to install the latest version. That takes time, because someone first has to reach the server through remote access software, or travel to the site if there is no other way to install it. The result is usually that the company has to set aside extra money for the installation, and cannot get the new version straight away — only once the ERP vendor is able to reach the server the previous version is installed on. With a cloud ERP, every user has the latest version as soon as it is released, with no local installation or local access needed.
#3. Easy access from different devices and different locations
Traditional ERP solutions are generally accessed from a computer, and very often only from computers in the office. Reaching them from somewhere else means setting up a dedicated connection back to the office, and of course there is no access at all if the power or the internet is down. With a cloud ERP you can get in from any location and any device, including a mobile phone or tablet, because you reach your data through a web browser.