In 2012, employee resource planning software, ERP software for short, reached sales of over $45.5 billion across the world. By 2016, sales are expected to increase by an additional 130%. It should be no surprise that ERP solutions have become so popular. After all, they assist with customer service, provide sales and marketing data analytics, and much, much more.
Undoubtedly, one of the most popular types of ERP software is business accounting software. By giving businesses the tools they need to improve their payroll systems and streamline this incredibly important part of HR, the best accounting software just about sells itself. However, having said that, there is a huge volume of accounting software out there that is extremely expensive, offers no advantage over older software, and does nothing to improve business. If you want to find the best accounting software, here are the three things you should look for.
- Low Cost for High Value
- Automated Error Checking
- Intuitive, Helpful Programming Saves Time, Money
The best accounting software shouldn’t cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars on the spot. As About.com writes, the best accounting software is provided as software-as-a-service. Instead of having to buy software outright, a far more expensive method, you simply pay low monthly or yearly usage fees, many as low as $20 a month. That fee entitles you to use the software and gives you access to constantly updated applications. In other words, for a low recurring fee, you’ll never have to worry about buying an overly expensive piece of accounting software again.
Human error is one of the most financially damaging dangers for any business. Consider, an accounting error in September of 2013 cost British taxpayers over £74 million, according to The Telegraph. The best accounting software is written to automatically error check every bit of data and every calculation based on that data your HR team enters into the system. In effect, the risk of human error is greatly reduced. This is one of the main reasons why ERP Cloud News reports that using this type of ERP software can give businesses a 269% ROI in a single year.
The Houston Chronicle points to the intuitive design of the best accounting software as its biggest advantage. The best accounting software is written to be so accessible that anybody, accountants or complete laymen, can competently use the software. Further, with automated scheduling systems, payroll generation, and error checking, your HR team becomes much more productive. It’s not unusual for these systems to result in the shrinking of HR teams, as multiple accountants are no longer necessary. Naturally, fewer accountants means huge savings on yearly salaries.
The rise of ERP software has brought with it many different options for accounting software. However, very few products can be termed “the best accounting software.” Following this guide, you can make sure whatever service you use is one of deserving of the title. Research more like this.