Once you’ve gotten internal buy-in to upgrade or replace your Accounting system, the hard work begins: choosing the options you need without busting the budget.

Even if you have a generous budget — and especially if you don’t — there are two key factors in making sure you have a smooth transition to a new system. You’ll want to:

• Choose areas to automate that will get you the most impact, and
• Know when to say ‘no’ to bells and whistles that look good but only complicate your processes.

The most important areas to automate depend on your own company’s needs. Review your processes and controls to see where you spend the most time, and where the most errors slip through. Those areas should get priority attention.

For reference, most companies have targeted automation at the following functions: word processing, billing and A/R, A/P, and inventory control.  That’s according to data from Sage Software.

But when asked later where they got the most benefit from automating, the companies cited information for decision-making (spreadsheets, custom reports), cash flow information, A/R and inventory control.

Read Part 1 of this report on how to get internal buy-in and support for changes here

Tags: A/P, Accounting, Payrol, Resource, Technology