The software industry is an interesting place at the moment.

The software market is evolving at a rapid pace and currently presents more options than ever before. Beyond the desktop, cloud computing offers online software applications with propositions that shouldn’t be ignored. Of course there are a host of desktop/web combinations that are available and don’t forget about the integration possibilities of the ‘smart’ phone.

I challenge clients to approach any future buying decisions strategically.

The Sage Pastel challenge

The evolution of our industry presents Sage Pastel, and its customers, with opportunities for growth like never before. The challenge we face is doing justice to these new technologies and developing accounting software that enhances the businesses of our 200 000 existing customers.

To do this, we have increased our investment in research and development significantly. Such investment is only possible because of the ongoing revenue we receive from our Cover customers - your annual subscriptions ensure that your software is at the cutting edge of what’s available. We have started our foray into these new technologies and have some applications on the market already, with more expected over the next 12 to 18 months.

The customer challenge

The users of Sage Pastel Evolution are all multi-user configurations. However many of our Partner and Xpress users are still single user. This implies that they only use their accounting software for record keeping. This surprises me as one would think that in today’s competitive, knowledge-based economy, owners and managers would use their systems to analyse and understand the business instead of just submitting tax returns and printing customer statements.

I’m not saying that systems will ever ‘drive’ your business; human skill will always do that. But if all its functionality is used, your accounting system can provide valuable information to support your decision-making process and give you the competitive edge.

So, as we unfold more technology options, I extend the challenge to our clients. It is imperative that before adopting any new accounting software, you must know what is necessary to run the business more effectively and efficiently.

Once the strategy is clear, then assess the available technologies to deliver that vision.

The questions to ask

Some guidelines to consider when choosing new software include assessing the manpower available to operate the system. I say this because time and again, I see business owners buying great technology only to find that staff don’t have the technical or analytical skills to use the product.

Also remember that while this new technology is exciting, it may not deliver any value to your business. So, if you have a mobile sales force, then smart phone integration is probably really valuable. But if your sales force is office bound, don’t waste your time or money.

Accounting in the cloud (internet) is also a great idea but remember that many systems (and Pastel MyBusiness Online is probably one of the finest out there) aren’t as feature-rich as their desktop equivalents, although they are catching up quickly.

Future choices

I have said it before and I will say it again; accounting software can and should be the hub of your business. As we introduce new technologies into our products they will continue to be user-friendly and innovative business tools.

With this in mind, I encourage you to make your future accounting package purchases in the same way you make all of your business decisions; strategically and with the success of your business at the core.