Throughout all the years when you’ve been handling nonprofit financial management, you know that there comes a time when new technology becomes ubiquitous. The fax machine seemed novel at first but now is as common as a telephone. Telephones themselves gave way from rotary dials to touch-tone, then to cell phones and smartphones. Computers are now so commonplace that they’re as necessary as a chair and a desk to most offices.
Cloud computing has also entered this phase of adoption throughout the world of nonprofit financial management. Once seen as an intriguing concept, the cloud is now a part of most nonprofits’ daily business. It’s time you switched to the cloud.
Concerns About Switching to the Cloud
Some nonprofit managers have concerns about switching over to the cloud. They’re used to software running on computers within their office. Accessing everything through the Internet seems both odd as well as risky. Here’s are some of the potential concerns you may have about switching to the cloud and the facts.
- Security: Cloud-based software is very secure. Your account is accessed through secure user names and passwords, and data is kept behind multiple firewalls for added security. Cloud providers must spend a great deal of time, money, and effort on security since they are keeping not just your data secure but that of hundreds of other customers. Cloud security is often better that security individual companies could enact on their own.
- Costs: Cloud software is less expensive than site-based software because it is shared among multiple companies. Best of all, you do not need to invest heavily in expensive hardware and infrastructure to support a cloud-based system. All you need is a reliable and secure Internet connection and your typical PC, smartphone, or tablet to access cloud-based software.
- Mobility: Older software had to be loaded onto an individual computer for users to access it. Cloud software can be accessed from any device connected to the Internet, so you’re not locked into using the same desktop or laptop. Data is also stored on the cloud so that users throughout your company can access the same information. It’s great for nonprofit financial management on the go.
How to Choose Your Cloud Provider
Ready to switch to the cloud? Choosing a service provider may take some time, but with the proper due diligence, you can find a great vendor who offers the support that your organization needs. When choosing a vendor, consider the following:
- References: What do other companies using the vendor’s services have to say about their reliability and response time?
- Support: Does the company provide 24/7 support? If so, how is the support provided – telephone, chat, help desk, user forums?
- Data ownership: Who owns the data?
- Backup: What is their backup plan? How often is their system backed up?
- Security: Ask for details on the security provided on your account.
- Downtimes: What is their average downtime, and why do their systems sometimes go down? Do they guarantee any level of service?
- Costs: What are the costs and are they steady or do they fluctuate with data or storage use? What does the cost include?
Using these questions as a guideline, you can evaluate the services from several cloud vendors and make a smart choice for your nonprofit financial management.
Beck & Company: Cloud-Based Nonprofit Accounting Software
Beck & Company can help you choose cloud-based accounting software and other systems and services for your nonprofit organization. We are a CPA and business advisory firm dedicated to the nonprofit sector. Our many years of experience can help you update your financial compliance or handle all types of accounting for nonprofits. Please contact Beck & Company today for further details.