Up until recently, when you wanted an upgraded version of the software, you would either go to the local electronics store and purchase the upgrade or, later on, you would be prompted to purchase the update online and then download it to your computer. Some software titles still have you do something along these lines. However, a large percentage of applications have moved to subscription-based. Another name for this is software-as-a-service (or SaaS). Depending on the program and how you use it, you may love or hate this. However, as a business owner with employees now scattered out not only in greater Charlotte but around the region (and even the globe), software-as-a-service can prove especially beneficial for the entire company.
So, suppose you’re interested in improving the functionality of your business without dropping a large amount of money on software licenses. In that case, you need to look further into subscription software to see just what it can do for you.
What is meant by Software as a Service?
Traditionally, you would purchase a program, and then, when you decided to upgrade, you’d go out and purchase the replacement title. Maybe you bought the title with every new release, or perhaps you waited and upgraded only once in a while. As mentioned above, software-as-a-service is a subscription-based application. Instead of downloading the entire program directly on your computer, the software is often housed in the cloud. Yes, some larger programs may install on your computer and then connect with the software’s host to ensure you have a current subscription. Think of it as an entertainment subscription service such as Netflix. You can watch any television show or program on the service, interact with the programming, and do exactly what you would normally do if you owned the media, but you never actually install the software on your computer.
With subscription software, you do not purchase a new version of the software whenever it is made available. Instead, updates are automatically downloaded and installed onto your system for as long as you “subscribe” to the software. In the past, when you purchased software, you were buying the rights to the program license. With the subscription, you’re essentially renting the license. So when you stop paying the rental fee, you stop renting the license, and you no longer have access to the title.
Some programs give you the option to do one or the other. You may want to purchase a program every few years instead of having the latest version and updates. Other titles will give you only one option, so before investing in a particular title, you’ll need to look at whether you’re buying the license to the title or if you’re renting it and the software will remain off-site on a cloud server.
SaaS Benefits For Your Business
So, what sort of benefits does a SaaS bring to your business? More than you might initially realize. With the old method of installing programs onto computers, there were several issues you’d run into. For starters, you had to install the program on every single computer physically. Taking the disk and passing it off from one computer to the next was time-consuming and not very efficient. Even when the programs became available via download, you likely ran into license issues. When buying a program, you are usually given only a set number of licenses. This meant either buying a license for every single user (which becomes extremely expensive), or you’d need to hope the particular program title had business licenses, which allowed for multiple installations.
As technology progressed and the business license option became a more viable option, you still possibly ran into issues with different employees using different kinds of computers. Maybe some users had outdated Windows computers and could not open all of the most updated features you saved on the files. A few years ago, if someone in your office was using a Mac and everyone else ran a Windows computer, that could cause all kinds of problems as well. All of this is done away with thanks to SaaS. Now, everyone in the office can access the cloud-based program with their log-in credentials. This makes it easier to ensure everyone can work, regardless of the computer they are using. All the files remain centrally located, so anyone within the office can access the files.
With so many employees now working off-site, it is critical to have all work files stored in a central location. Software-as-a-service does exactly that, which is just another valuable reason to look at these subscription-based programs.
Finding The Right License Agreement
Most business programs have varying license agreements available for companies such as yours. Whether you need one license, five licenses, or a few dozen licenses, selecting the right license agreement will help ensure everyone in the office can log on and have the ability to use the SaaS.
Take Advantage of SaaS And Help Your Business
Getting started with SaaS doesn’t need to be a challenge, but often it can prove difficult to get everyone on the same page within the office. Perhaps you want to establish multi-level security protocols to help protect your network against external threats (which greatly enhances your security over only needing a password and username). Getting everything off the ground and running smoothly may take a bit of effort, and you’re already busy with enough on your plate. With the help of Charlotte IT Solutions, you don’t have to worry about this at all.
Here the IT professionals can handle all the SaaS installations and maintenance, so you don’t have to. From helping you select the right license agreement that works best for your business to getting everyone set up and ready to go on the program, the combination of Charlotte IT Solutions and software-as-a-service is a winning team. To take advantage, all you need to do is pick up the phone and give the friendly customer service staff at Charlotte IT Solutions a call today.