Accounting Software Solutions

Buying new software? There are hundreds of accounting software solutions that might potentially meet the needs of your organization.  Of course you don’t really face that many meaningful alternatives, so most buyers try three or four options, and sometimes one or two, and occasionally only a single product.  It’s human nature to get down to only a few choices quickly.

But in doing this, buyers of accounting software solutions sometimes make what can be a very costly mistake: trying to shoehorn the accounting software decision into a predefined option.  Five of these accounting options are listed below.

• Industry-specific vertical vs. general accounting software
• A recommended (or familiar/upgrade) accounting solution vs. a more comprehensive assessment of alternatives
• "Low-cost" vs. "expensive" software
  (however these terms are defined)
• OTS (off-the-shelf)  accounting software vs. custom-developed software (always the wrong decision)
• Performing analysis and implementation in-house vs. hiring accounting software  consultants ( for selection and implementation)

When coming up with a "short list" of solutions, it is very important to first ensure that those solutions lie within the correct solution set  -- a complex decision based on the particulars of your company.  Sometimes the options themselves have to be tweaked before a satisfying solution can be found.

Thus except for the smallest firms, it often makes sense to have a consultant assist in ratifying these decisions.  The biggest mistakes generally are not made in picking Package A instead of Package B; they are more likely about the kind of packages and solutions to be considering, and the kind of help a company requires when implementing these accounting packages and training personnel to use them.

It is best to discuss issues like these with your in-house experts, with an objective outside accounting software expert, and with a qualified vendor who can realistically tell you what his product can offer your company.

For more than 20 years, CTS has been helping companies make smart technology decisions that minimize your possibilities of implementation failure tremendously. Now, in conjunction with our software screening and referral service, you can access detailed accounting software evaluations, comparison charts, and other tools for FREE when you download our Accounting Software Selection Kit.