What is SaaS?
SaaS is the abbreviation for Software as a Service – a term that is inevitable when talking about today’s software landscape. SaaS gives users the opportunity to connect with and use cloud-based apps/solutions via computers and mobile devices.
You can handle electronic invoices automatically with Acubiz
For many companies, the use of SaaS provides flexibility, availability and security. There are several considerations in connection with investing in cloud-based products.
Since the solution is stored in the cloud, the company and user do not have to worry about installations on computers, back-ups, updates etc. All underlying infrastructure and data are handled by the SaaS vendor.
Examples of SaaS are CRM systems, ERP systems, Expense Management systems like Acubiz. Others include Dropbox, MailChimp, Microsoft Office 365, etc.
Benefits of SaaS
The benefits by using a SaaS solution are many and includes:
Economy: SaaS rarely requires large start-up investments and the payment is usually made on a monthly or annual basis. Although the payment takes place continuously every month or every year, it will often be cheaper than an “on-premise” software, where the company must cover the costs of the purchase itself, IT salaries for maintenance and costs associated with ensuring a high degree of security.
Customization: It is often possible to tailor the subscription to the company’s specific needs by selecting and deselecting certain functions in the solution. The company is therefore only paying for those functions being used.
Scalable: Scaling can often be done very quickly if your business needs to increase or decrease the number of users. At Acubiz we work with both licenses (per user) and transactions, which makes it easy to manage the consumption.
Accessibility: Since SaaS is cloud-based, you always have access to the solution with a computer or mobile device. As long as the computer or mobile device have internet connection. Another advantage is that the data is stored in the cloud and you will therefore not lose data if an error occurs on your own computer or mobile device.
Security: Data security will often be a concern for business when choosing a SaaS solution, as the responsibility for data security is placed externally at the vendor. The vendor’s livelihood depends on being able to keep data secure, and security is therefore highly prioritized and customer data is protected extremely well. However, it is important to emphasize that your company should, when choosing a vendor, ask about their strategy related to data security and make sure to sign a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) with the vendor.
Disadvantages of SaaS
You cannot perform your work in the SaaS solution without an internet connection. Another disadvantage is that the SaaS vendor’s databases may crash. Therefore, look for solutions and vendors with a high degree of operational reliability on their servers.
The disadvantages are overshadowed by the many advantages, and SaaS is therefore facing a bright future.
Do you want to know more?
Are you in the market of investing in such service, there are some considerations that you should do about security and data. You are also always welcome to contact us. We can guide you through the jungle of considerations regarding SaaS services. We can also help you with our own cloud based service for Expense Management.
Contact us if you want to know how we can help your business or book a free online demo to learn more.