| |
|
How to Choose an
Accounting System
|
| Why change at all? |
| Who should consider choosing
a new accounting system? Do any of these describe you
and your organization? |
| Your small company has always
used manual accounting as a low-cost way to do business. |
| You are a fast-growing company
and need a system that can grow with you. |
| You have international requirements
that aren't being properly met. |
| Your company has outgrown
your current system. |
| Your processes have changed
the way you do business. |
| You want an e-business solution
with an integrated financial backend. |
| You're using a PC-based
spreadsheet (Lotus TM, Peachtree TM). |
| You've got a legacy system
some "old iron" customized for your organization-which
people may not necessarily like, but they understand and
can use without much effort. |
| Many organizations stay
with their current accounting system too long. It's comfortable
to use something that's known and understood. There's
usually fear involved (or at least a strong apprehension)
with switching to something new and unknown. Plus, there
are significant time and resource issues, including the
cost to change and the time needed to learn the new system.
But comfortable doesn't always cut it-especially when
it comes to the financial health and long-term success
of your business. |
| What a good system delivers |
| Properly installed and implemented
accounting software can contribute many benefits to your
organization, including: |
| Better decision-making
capabilities |
| Sound
accounting software can provide both a snapshot-in-time
look at our organization, as well as the detailed reports
and other data necessary for long-term strategic panning. |
| Improved cash flow |
| Cash
management is essential for all businesses. Integrated
billing, inventory, accounts receivable and accounts payable
allow you to manage that valuable cash more easily and
efficiently. Better cash management provides your organization
with more options for revenue-generating campaigns and
long-term growth. |
| More accurate information |
| With
fully integrated accounting software, you'll not only
have more information at your fingertips, you'll have
more accurate information. Unlike a manual accounting
system, where a great deal of time is spent cross-checking
figures recorded in different ledgers (and where the potential
for errors dramatically increases)-in a good computerized
accounting system, information is entered only once and
is used throughout the system. |
| More control |
| Integrated accounting software
provides real-time access to your organization's critical
financial information. This provides you with greater
control and the ability to more efficiently manage the
components of your business. |
| A foundation for growth
|
| The right accounting software
can help you as your organization grows: expanding as
your business expands, allowing for additional users and
offering the kinds of reports and other business intelligence
data required. |
| Do more now |
| The
challenges to successfully choosing, installing and implementing
new accounting software are many. But so are the opportunities-
to gain greater control of your organization's financial
affairs, to make better decisions, and to improve cash
flow, among others. |
| The remainder of this guide
describes the six steps to successfully selecting accounting
software: |
| 1. Involve the right people |
| 2. Define the challenge |
| 3. Choose a consultant |
| 4. Evaluate application performance |
| 5. Choose a software vendor |
| 6. Implement the system |
