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Explore the cloud: A guide to SaaS financial management applications
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Article
Hurdling adoption obstacles in cloud financial accounting software
Because of finance's compliance responsibilities, CFOs are often hesitant to adopt SaaS, citing data privacy and security concerns, and the IT department often shares the same fears. Read Now
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Article
Things to consider about cloud security
Although moving to the cloud means a lack of control of the computing infrastructure, it doesn't mean a lack of security. Knowledge is power: Learn more about cloud security and what it can do for your organization. Read Now
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Article
Still worried about data security? Six questions to ask your vendor
To overcome data security concerns, experts say it's important to ask potential vendors the right questions before making the move to cloud. Read Now
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Photo Story
Need a reason to trust cloud security? Here are five.
Not only are industry experts saying that you can trust cloud security for financial applications, they are also saying the cloud might be safer than some of the on-premises applications organizations use now. Learn five reasons cloud security has become a safer option. View Now
Editor's note
Cloud computing has caught on, but some organizations are still hesitant to get on board. Security and privacy concerns were once the main roadblocks, but, over time, vendor offerings have become more legitimate, and many experts say the cloud is nothing to fear. So why has finance been called the last holdout?
Cloud computing is generally split into three broad categories: Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS). In SaaS, the focus of this guide, applications are hosted by a vendor or service provider and made available to customers over a network, usually the Internet. A key benefit of SaaS is compatibility, meaning all users get the same version of the software. This in turn leads to easier administration and collaboration, according to SaaS proponents. The market is large and contains numerous, high-profile vendors including Amazon Web Services, Salesforce, Infor and Concur.
1Benefits of SaaS financial management applications
Once security concerns are assuaged, companies can start to look at the benefits of cloud financial applications. Many large companies have outdated software and will be looking for replacement options while many small businesses are taking advantage of the ease of use and ROI that SaaS financial management software offers. This section examines the flexibility and return on investment cloud financial applications can provide to businesses of any size.
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SaaS on the rise
SaaS cloud applications offer companies of all sizes a variety of cost and efficiency benefits and are becoming more popular with previously wary organizations. Read Now
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Article
SaaS a key part of financial consolidation
Users and experts agree that SaaS financial software helps streamline the close processes for companies by reducing time and effort; one company's budgeting time frame was cut shorter by two months. Read Now
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Article
SMBs embracing SaaS financial management software
Large corporations aren’t the only ones investing in SaaS financial management software. Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are increasingly turning to the cloud to take advantage of simpler upgrades, subscription payment schedules and easier access. Find out what else is attracting SMBs to SaaS. Read Now
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Are the stars aligning for SaaS financial management software?
As interest and trust in the cloud increases, will 2013 prove to be a banner year for the adoption of SaaS financial management software? Learn what the experts have to say. Read Now
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Large companies increasingly ready for SaaS financial management software
One expert says that because many on-premises systems were installed almost 20 years ago, many large companies will be more and more receptive to replacement options such as SaaS financial management software. Read Now
2SaaS financial management software adoption and implementation
It’s one thing to tell companies that SaaS financial management software is secure and well worth adopting -- it’s completely another to actually do it. But many have. These articles report the experience of several companies that adopted SaaS applications. Before making the decision, all companies researched SaaS thoroughly. Learn the details of the adoption process and whether the end results measured up to expectations.
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Adopting SaaS doesn't have to mean saying good-bye to Excel all together
The Container Store customized its SaaS CPM adoption only where it had to -- budgeting, forecasting and reporting -- but it did not fully dispense with Excel. How well do the two coexist? Read Now
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Article
Furniture retailer finds value in SaaS financial management software
Jordan's Furniture chose SaaS to replace its legacy ERP system when it discovered that SaaS financial management software offered equal functionality at a lower price. Read Now
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Article
Parsons Electric saves reporting time with upgrade to SaaS financial management
After a careful selection process, Parsons Electric chose Host Analytics, a cloud CPM vendor, for financial management and shortened its budget planning by three months' time. Read Now
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Article
TripAdvisor travels to the cloud with Workday Financials
TripAdvisor took a leap of faith in adopting Workday Financials, despite the vendor not being able to provide a similar customer for TripAdvisor to reference check. Find out how Workday Financials fared for the travel company's domestic and global business. Read Now
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Worldwide Clinical Trials uses Anaplan’s cloud-based financial planning software
Everett Truit, CFO of Worldwide Clinical Trials, discusses how cloud-based financial planning software from Anaplan has helped the organization with financial forecasting. Read Now