Cloud based accounting or traditional desktop based accounting software for Enterprise business?

October 14, 2016 3:55 am | by John Adams

Even though cloud computing is on the rise, there are still a number of growing security concerns, like data security and potential downsides such as loss of internet connection and vague pricing. These issues are still a concern among many business owners.

There has been some considerable discussion on the internet, that cloud based computing is not as cheap or reliable as initially was envisaged.

Recently, a web based research company, Gartner has not been as optimistic about cloud based software and has stated it is not as simple, cheap or fast as originally claimed. At a NetSuite event in Sydney recently these claims were questioned.

Data transfer in Australia is costly in cloud based software services because of the quotas normally enforced by ISP’s. If an ISP does not have quotas during busy times data transfer can still become very slow in Australia at times.

With cloud based computing there is a very large question as to who actually owns the stored data. For example, we have had an experience where the owner of the data was told by the cloud based company supplying the cloud storage service that he didn’t own the data and refused to allow a full download of it locally. This was compounded by the fact that the data was stored in another country.
In a recent article “Firms reveal their preferred cloud accounting software”, of Australian Financial review (afr) statistics illustrate that a very large group of small and medium-sized companies are using traditional locally based desktop accounting software.

The SapphireOne accounting software package already provides accessibility similar to cloud based solutions.

It still keeps your data locally and in your control. The SapphireOne server and database may be installed in a single location that is accessible from the internet. Any other locations that the business has, may be granted access to the common SapphireOne server and database.

Since the data file is owned and stored locally by the company, you have full control of your data.

And, one final consideration with storing data on a cloud based system is that Australia is both geologically and politically stable which is a big plus when considering other countries geological stability and various political governments around the world.