Cloud that is! With the eternally fast moving upgrades in technology and more and more businesses being run remotely is it any wonder that the leaders in accounts software have had to head for the clouds to expand the options offered in the business world. Already we are seeing cloud based accounting packages such as Sage One, Xero, Kashflow which is just a small selection of accounting systems that can be accessed through the internet. So no more loading large software packs on to your computer and being desk bound to get your accounts for a simple monthly subscription you can get all the latest software and back up. However the flip side is that you must have a reliable connection to the Internet and some people have expressed concerns over security and of course privacy laws that are dependant on where the server is sited.

There is of course continued development to existing software packages with greater facilities to make the best use of mobile access. To complement their Sage One, the leading accounts provider Sage UK have enabled users of their Sage Line 50 2012 to have access to the “office bound” version of Sage via Iphones, the Ipad which is a newcomer to the family and Blackberry with Android phones nipping at the heels to join in the race. This is for me the way forward. The accounts are safely stored in the office (and backed up to a suitable external drive) or on a third party online server such as Carbonite , Drop Box or Zip Cloud and yet can still be accessed from another town, village or even country with little fuss. Imagine a sales person suddenly being called upon to visit a customer how impressive would it be if he/she had up to the minute financial information regarding credit limits, recent orders etc at their fingertips – if ever companies need an edge over their competitors it is now so anything that gives you that edge (and carries no additional costs) is definitely worth it.

Also if you are a small company or just setting up and don’t want to have the added expense of a full time financial manager in house you can work with a remote based firm and still be able to access your accounts just as if that person is physically in your office! Isn’t it time we made technology and the clouds work for us rather than the other way round? There is also extensive training available from a variety of sources and at sums that would suit most budgets. Perseverance Works has been operating in the fashion for some time and continues to look at ways of improving their business operations with new and innovative resources . What are you waiting for get in touch for more information and how you can hop on the cloud www.huntingdaleconsultancy.co.uk or drop me an email katetaylor@huntingdale.co.uk.

I’m in the clouds and loving it come join me.