Choosing between SAP Business One and SAP Business ByDesign

Technology is constantly evolving to introduce better and more efficient ways of doing business. Manual and traditional spreadsheets are no longer the best way to do things. Most businesses are recognizing that technologies like ERP software are more robust when deployed over the cloud. This has got them looking for digital solutions to automate their processes. This is where SAP comes into the picture. 

Growing businesses looking to streamline their business process are turning to SAP, which offers several solutions including SAP Business One and SAP Business ByDesign. With an ever-increasing choice in the ERP market, you might wonder how you can choose from all the different offerings and what is the difference between SAP Business One and SAP Business ByDesign. This article will walk you through the differences between these solutions. It will also help business users and decision-makers choose the perfect ERP solution that fits their business needs. 

Read more: What is Business Process Expertise in SAP and Why You Need it 

Let us begin with an overview of both platforms.

Overview of SAP Business All-in-One Solution (B1)

SAP Business One has been around for many years and has been the go-to product for small businesses. It is an on-premise system built on SAP ERP application. It addresses the fundamental business software requirements of all types of industries. These solutions provide support for your business. With it, you can win a new customer, make innovative products, and reconcile your accounts. SAP Business One is proven and comprehensive with built-in industry best practices. 

Starting from production to distribution, SAP Business One (B1) promotes transparency at every step of the business. SAP B1 powers business growth by tapping into your personalized data to offer actionable insights. SAP Business One solution focuses on streamlining workflows and reducing costs. 

It helps integrate a spectrum of business processes into a single solution to optimize your business performance. SAP B1 offers modules for financial management, reporting, accounting, analytics, customer management, purchasing, inventory management, and industry-specific versioning. 

Overview of SAP Business ByDesign (ByD)

SAP Business ByDesign is cloud-based. It is designed for mid-market businesses and subsidiaries. It is perfect for those who wish to leverage the benefits of large-scale business management applications without the need for maintaining a larger IT infrastructure. SAP Business ByDesign unifies multiple business operations. It enables companies to incorporate business processes that can solve immediate problems and then add processes as required. 

SAP Business ByDesign (ByD) is delivered through a single user interface. It can deliver pre-configured software for business processes. Additionally, it can support best practices for managing customer relationships, human resources, financials, projects, procurements, and the supply chain. This cloud-based ERP solution is delivered on-demand. It is monitored, managed, and maintained by SAP experts in cloud-hosted data centers. As a result, businesses need not worry about the upgrade and maintenance of the solution. Also, this does not require an up-front capital cost. 

Read more: SAP Preconfigured Solutions Boost Efficiency Among Industries 

SAP Business One (B1) vs. SAP Business ByDesign (ByD)

While these two might seem like twin solutions, they have some important differentiating factors. Let us look at these factors so that you can determine which fits better for your business.

1. Customers 

SAP B1 typical customers include businesses that are from the manufacturing, distribution, basic retail, eCommerce, and service industries. 

SAP ByD customers range from manufacturers who create products or processes to professional service firms who are looking to automate their business processes in real-time. Other sectors include life sciences, financial services, and fintech. 

2. Size of the organization

SAP B1 is basically designed for small businesses. It has a minimum user limit. This solution is ideal for small to mid-sized organizations that need a step-up from a basic accounting solution. The sweet spot for SAP Business One is 5-50 users.

SAP ByD is best for upper mid-sized companies with a minimum number of 5 users. It suits businesses that are looking to scale as well as the enterprise subsidiaries. The sweet spot for SAP ByD is 20-1500 users or more. 

3. Features 

SAP B1 offers a lean set of modules that make up the core of ERP. It streamlines business processes end-to-end and is deployed on-site and runs on Windows OS. SAP B1 allows companies to add custom functionality. Users can manage sales, inventory, finances, production, and services. Companies can also use it for procurement, CRM, basic project systems, dashboards, embedded analytics, and basic multi-company functionality. 

Read more: Tackling healthcare data challenges with SAP Analytics

In addition to all the features of SAP B1, SAP ByD offers multi-level bills of material, which makes it easy to manage project systems and allows you to incorporate multiple companies under a single instance. SAP ByD also offers a mobile app, travel expense fields, timesheet integration, and a built-in workflow to assist your employees to stay on task.  SAP ByD streamlines business operations such as transactions, ordering, and logistics from end to end in real-time. It facilitates interactions between various departments and between enterprise branches. 

SAP ByD enables you to customize your package to include the features your company needs. It facilitates real-time interactions. That means you can check your inventory and orders whenever you need it. This solution can be implemented in a matter of a few weeks.

4. Budget

The implementation target budget of SAP B1 ranges between $40k (simple) to $200k (complex) with the total package costing up to $1,700 for limited users and $3,700 for professional users. Apart from the cost of implementation, companies will have to spend money on the software license, hardware, IT support, security, and infrastructure. A company’s deployment options determine if their hardware and support requirements should be assigned to a cloud solution provider. 

The implementation target budget of SAP ByD ranges between $50k (simple) to $200k (complex) with the average user cost at $80/mth/user. Apart from the implementation cost, clients are expected to pay for an annual subscription fee and any other optional technical support. 

5. Deployment 

SAP B1 is an on-premise application that is also available in the intranet cloud. However, it is not a complete SaaS application. Certain features such as Microsoft Outlook will work only through the Microsoft Outlook Integration add-On for SAP Business One. 

SAP ByD is completely cloud-based and so it can help companies connect every function across their business. 

6. Security 

Since SAP B1 is hosted on-premise data center, the client is responsible for security. Because the data does not have to travel via cloud, it may be less vulnerable to remote hacking. However, it is more susceptible to a physical attack or espionage on your premises. It is not as safe and secure as SAP’s data centers.

Since it is a Saas system, the responsibility of security rests on the vendor. SAP ByD is hosted in a highly secured data center. It has the best data security centers with excellent security measures including advanced encryption standards and bulletproofing. 

7. Implementation 

SAP B1 does not support multi-company implementation. It is not possible to have an entity-specific data or entity-specific chart of accounts. 

Whereas SAP ByD can maintain organizational structure, run subsidiaries and overseas branches with a single system. It is possible to have entity-specific charts of accounts. 

8. Integrations

SAP B1 can be integrated with anything. However, it requires expertise and additional cost to do so. For an intercompany functionality, you will need an add-on. This means users will have to switch databases when they access information from another legal entity. 

SAP ByD is a unique solution that offers over 200 pre-built integrations. It is a real multi-company solution. With intercompany capability built-in, SAP ByD can facilitate single-sign-on to offer visibility across various legal entities. 

9. Industries

Manufacturing, trading, retail, distribution, eCommerce, and service industries are best suited for SAP B1.

SAP ByD fits companies that are involved in distribution, manufacturing, construction, software, IT, consulting, pharmaceuticals, chemical, medical and service industries. 

Read more: SAP Focused Industry Templates & Automation Solutions 

10. Financials 

SAP B1 does not allow multiple account charts for one company and neither does it allow linking them with accounting charts. This solution lets you create just one posting period for one company. It does not offer different methods of revenue recognition. Though this version has built-in analytics, not all options are available. In purchasing, SAP B1 provides a direct invoice after receiving goods from the vendor. However, since it does not save the information of that invoice, there is no way you can resolve any discrepancies that occur at a later period. 

SAP ByD allows multiple accounting charts for one company and you can link them with financial books and transactions. This solution lets you have different financial periods for different financial books. Additionally, you can generate financial reports based on these periods. SAP ByD supports different accrual methods for different sales documents. This version offers built-in analytics such as margin information from sales. In purchasing, SAP ByD provides an invoice receipt concept to confirm the invoice from the vendor. That invoice is then saved in the system before booking the final voice. This allows companies to resolve any discrepancies that arise at a later point. 

Read more: Business Continuity Planning with SAP 

What is the verdict?

SAP B1 and SAP ByD are two excellent and well thought out solutions. As discussed, they have a few differentiating factors that can help you choose between them. The best solution for you depends on the size, structure, and growth potential of your organization. A business with a simplified management structure and a more limited growth plan is better suited for the SAP B1 platform. However, a business that is on an accelerated growth plan with multiple operating subsidiaries would better suit SAP ByD. This is because it has the ability to expand quickly with greater functionality and capability. 

We enable e-invoicing integration for SAP users to stay compliant with GST India regulations. Click here to explore

Regardless of whichever solution you chose, ensure to test your ERP system before you go live. Even after you go live, you can continue to optimize the technology’s features. We offer customized SAP solutions ranging from core ERP to innovative and intelligent solutions such as SAP S/4 HANA, SAP Leonardo, SAP Analytics Cloud, SAP Customer Experience, and more. 

Fingent can help you make the right choice as well as implement it seamlessly for your business. Get in touch with us and let’s get the conversation started. 

 

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    About the Author

    ...
    Ashok Kumar

    Ashok leads Fingent’s SAP Consulting practice for ANZ, SE Asia, The Middle East and Africa (EMEA), and other global clients. More specifically, he helps companies improve operational efficiency by enhancing their digital cores and improving their application integration. Ashok has amassed over 20 years of leadership and consulting experience having worked with Global giants like SAP, IBM Consulting, Capgemini, & Oracle in his previous assignments. Connect with Ashok via LinkedIn and learn how your business can excel with recent SAP trends.

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      Digital business transformation: Why Digital Strategy for Business is a Must Today? 

       

       

      What is digital transformation?

      Digital transformation is the process of integrating digital technologies to create a new business model or modify existing business processes to meet changing business requirements. Digital business transformation is also a cultural change that enables an organization to challenge the status quo, experiment, and accept failure as well.

      While digital transformation may involve many technologies, the hottest topics currently are cloud computing, big data, the Internet of Things (IoT), and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Many companies have already started to transform digitally and by 2023, it is estimated that such organizations will contribute to more than half of global GDP.

      According to research published by IDC, despite the COVID-19 outbreak, the global spending on digital transformation technologies and services is slated to grow from 10.4% in 2020 to $1.3 trillion. In fact, the pandemic has compelled businesses to increase operational efficiency and improve customer experience. Both of these aspects are not just major goals of the digital transformation of business but also deciding factors that influence a company’s fate during an economic slowdown.

      In general, digital transformation is not just about disruption or technology and not even about transforming for a digital age. In this guide, we help you understand the essence of digital transformation for business and why you should implement it.

      Read more: A Road Map To Digital Transformation in 2020 

       

      What is digital disruption?

      In simple terms, digital disruption is nothing but transformation due to emerging digital technologies and business models. This can cause a significant change in customer behavior and market context, requiring the need for re-evaluation.

      Consider these examples of digital disruption:

      • The film photography and photo processing industry underwent digital disruption with the arrival of digital cameras.
      • The traditional services like taxis and food delivery were disrupted by Uber that pioneered on-demand services.
      • Companies like Netflix and Amazon caused disruption to the subscription-based economy model by transforming how content is accessed by people and monetized by advertisers.

      Both digital disruption and digital transformation present immense opportunities for businesses to gain a competitive advantage. 

       

      Causes of disruption and digital transformation

      1. Technological innovations

      Digital business transformation is more impactful than ever before. Again, it is important to remember that neither does technology drive disruption nor does it cause transformation. It depends on how digital technology in business is used and adopted by partners, customers, competitors, and stakeholders. These technologies primarily include Artificial Intelligence, IoT, virtual and augmented reality, edge computing, and blockchain.

      2. Customer behavior

      The demand for customers’ convenience and simplicity in dealing with businesses is not a new concept. It existed even before the internet era. It will not be wrong to add that transformation is simply catching up. Customer behavior and needs are also affected by disruptions at the societal level.

      3. Innovations and inventions

      Be it science, technology, business or even non-technological context, innovations and inventions can be disruptive. For instance, the invention of the locomotive and the printing press led to drastic changes in our society in the past centuries. Today, we’re experiencing the biggest transformation in every sphere of life with the invention of smartphones, social media, software applications, and so on.  

      4. Ecosystem

      Organizations are part of business as well as natural ecosystems. So, any economical changes, evolutions towards collaborations, regulatory changes, and even a pandemic can impact and drive the need for digital transformation. Most of the organizations that were either postponing or canceling their plans to switch to cloud-based infrastructure have now started migrating their legacy systems to cloud increasingly since the COVID-19 onslaught. 

       

      Why should businesses leverage digital transformation?

      Businesses must focus on digital transformation to steer themselves towards growth, stay ahead of the competition, and make themselves ready for the future. 

      Undergoing digital transformation helps your business gain the following advantages:

      1. On-demand services

      Never have we seen these many businesses demanding more agile hybrid IT services and agile networking capabilities to provide a better user experience. This is not limited to just the usability of applications for employees or customers, it includes the experience of working with the IT team and tools as well.

      2. Improves productivity

      Digital technology enables employees to become more effective in their primary roles.

      Digital transformation helps core business functions such as HR and finance to automate crucial areas such as payroll, enabling leaders to focus on more productive opportunities.

      It also enables remote working and provides access to technology and services on demand, which is important to create an environment that helps employees to be efficient.

      3. Security

      Data security is one of the biggest concerns of many IT leaders. While this is a highly complicated task requiring stringent enforcement around access, data compliance, and protection from attacks, it is useless if network forces have to go elsewhere for faster speeds and flexibility.

      So, businesses must surround themselves with technology partners as well as cybersecurity experts that understand the business objective and can operate honestly and transparently to achieve those objectives.

      Read more: How IT-as-a-Service Boosts the Digital Transformation of Enterprises 

      4. Strengthen business partnerships

      Demands of customers are changing more than ever before and so is the competition within industries. Most companies are relying on each other, working with suppliers and distributors, contractors, and specialized consultants to produce a myriad range of products and services to attract customers.

      Though these partners can be managed via document-based communication, it is an exhausting obstacle to efficiency. However, technology can be used to streamline and redesign the process and make it more transparent, accurate, and timely.

      With the digital process set at an early stage, businesses can stay ahead of the competition and make themselves available to future partners. Internal processes can be streamlined and over time, digital transformation for small businesses can produce tools to generate time and resource gains that will help strengthen business partnerships.

      Read more: InfinCE – Digital Transformation for Today’s Small Business 

      5. Informed decision making

      Most organizations have access to greater volumes of data today. This data can be converted to valuable business insights and used to make more informed and faster decisions.

      The famous American food brand McCormick & Company’s “FlavorPrint” is a smart platform that allows consumers to discover personalized recipes and receive product recommendations. This use case shows how digital transformation helps McCormick to make informed decisions driven by data. Through personalization and added insights, the FlavorPrint program helps meet consumer needs with an enhanced and relevant food experience.

      Leveraging AI-based technologies, analytics, and the Internet of Things (IoT) can support leaders in their endeavors to make quicker and better decisions resulting in progression.

       

      How to start your digital transformation journey?

      A few steps to set off your digital transformation journey:

      1. Determine what digital transformation means to your business

      First, identify all the challenges your business is facing and then figure out the likely digital solutions that will help you achieve your business goals.

      Read more: 5 Questions that Define Your Digital Transformation 

      2. Define a digital strategy for your business

      Once you have identified the challenges your business faces, the next step is to evaluate the various digital transformation solutions that you can consider for your case. For instance, it could be front-end transformation such as products and customer experiences, or back-end transformation such as cloud and IT.

      3. Give importance to executive buy-in

      Make sure to obtain executive buy-in within your company after you have defined a digital strategy for your business. Executive buy-in is one of the most reliable signs of your company’s commitment to digital transformation.

      4. Identify partners for your digital transformation journey

      Partners or stakeholders are critical to your digital transformation success. A reliable and strong partner can support your journey by:

      • Delivering capabilities to help you transform
      • Offering consulting services to help integrate digital technology
      • Assisting you to navigate the digital transformation landscape
      • Sharing successful approaches and practices 

      5. Communicate your plan to your employees

      To gain the trust of your employees and obtain intrinsic buy-in, you must ensure to communicate the value of digital transformation to your employees. Make sure to provide your employees with a clear structure and plan, and train them adequately to prepare them for the digital transformation.

      6. Execute your digital transformation

      Start executing your digital transformation plan at all levels of your organization, that is, from the top-level leadership to your employees. It is important to remain committed throughout the journey to ensure successful digital transformation. Setting your sights on the end vision and working towards the future business success and growth will help you deliver a more unified experience to your customers as well.  

       

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        About the Author

        ...
        Tony Joseph

        Tony believes in building technology around processes, rather than building processes around technology. He specializes in custom software development, especially in analyzing processes, refining it and then building technology around it.He works with clients on a daily basis to understand and analyze their operational structure, discover (and not invent) key improvement areas and come up with technology solutions to deliver an efficient process.

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          A Complete Guide to Understanding Offshore Software Development

           

           

          What is offshore development?

          Offshore development simply is synonymous with outsourcing. It means you’re sending your software development to be done remotely by people who are located in different geography. Though ‘offshoring’ is perceived as risky in ROI, many software companies are considering offshoring software development as it can actually help a lot. Often, the main reason for outsourcing is the lack of human resources required for software development or lack of needed qualification level.

          From simple coding to custom development, mobile application development, software support and maintenance, and website design and development, you can outsource tasks to a third-party offshore software development company.

          Offshoring development will spare you from the challenge of hiring and training new staff and at the same time ensure you get the best quality software delivered to you in a short time. Offshore application development is used by many of the world’s largest and most famous corporations, so there is no question about its effectiveness.

          Read more: Why Software Development Outsourcing is a Smart Move Now 

          In 2019, the global IT outsourcing market was valued at USD 333.7 bn which is only expected to grow further in the coming years. The inevitability of digital transformation is motivating organizations worldwide to offshore their software development needs.  Offshore development companies thus become an extremely important part of the global economy.

           

          What is the difference between onshore, nearshore, and offshore?

          Onshore: Onshore outsourcing is when you decide to hire software developers within your country. Most companies find this option convenient and approachable.

          Nearshore: Nearshore outsourcing is when you decide to outsource to developers from countries with a similar time zone. Typically, customers count on geographic proximity and cultural similarities.

          Offshore: Here, the company of the service provider is located in a different country from yours. It can even be in a different continent with a notable time zone difference.

           

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            ...
            Bhuvana O G

            Bhuvana is a Senior Content Specialist at Fingent. She loves to research and develop creative and unique content related to technology and marketing. When not involved in full-time writing, you can see her pitching into editing and proof-reading all sorts of marketing collateral crucial for the company's branding.

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              Why IT is the guardian angel of businesses during a recession?

               

               

              Introduction

              Decreased revenue churn and the uncertainty in the global economy is making it difficult for many businesses to keep their financial wheels turning during the COVID-19 slouch. They are forced to revisit their strategies w.r.t. how they manage and operate their business, and vital to this is re-visiting their use of technology. 

              IT solutions lead to new ways of innovation and this can help organizations make lasting improvements to recession-proof their business. IT solutions allow leaders to redesign processes from the ground up. IT automates processes, with data captured at the right moment to deliver insights on processes and how to streamline them. IT innovative solutions rewire organizations to perform better through a fundamental reboot of how work gets done.

              This article presents 

              • How businesses are adopting IT solutions to improve productivity and cut costs, while they recession-proof their business.
              • 9 practical examples of IT solutions.

               

              Advantages of cutting-edge IT solutions

              – Improve productivity

              Lack of technology has been one of the reasons why employees are unable to reach their productivity targets. According to a recent Workers’ Experience Survey, 85% of employees said they would prefer their organizations to provide them with the entire IT ecosystem (including tested and supported devices, accessories, and so on) that will help them to be more productive in their work. 

              – Cut costs

              Most businesses are understandably reluctant to loosen the strings of their purse in the current situation of uncertainty. However, done in the right way, IT innovative solutions can be self-sustaining, and each of the incremental improvements will pay for the next leg of the journey. Take cloud computing for example. Cloud computing allows you to get rid of the hardware cost. Instead of purchasing your own equipment, the provider can offer you all that you need to keep your business running. Since it works on a per-per-use pricing model, it saves you from paying for any unused software/ hardware. 47% of IT executives report that their IT costs have dropped by 30-50% after they started using cloud infrastructure and apps. 

              – Recession-proof business

              Technology will help you ensure that your business not only survives the imminent recession but also thrives. Among the many things, IT solutions will help you gauge customer engagement in real-time, keep your data clean to maximize new business growth potential, free up more time for employees to sell, and manage client experience. 

              Read more: Recession-proof Your Business with Digital Alternatives, Go Paperless! 

               

              9 practical examples of how IT solutions recession-proof your business

              1. Cybersecurity

              Data privacy continues to be a major cause of concern as incidents of phishing and other threats are on the rise. Businesses must rely on new and innovative IT technologies to help them differentiate and ensure growth in the evolving marketplace. Businesses that lack effective security measures face the ever-looming risk of exposing themselves to data theft that would result in breaking the trust of their stakeholders, customers, and the marketplace. Now is the time for a new take on protecting your organization.

              Read more: Safeguarding IT Infrastructure From Cyber Attacks – Best Practices 

              2. Contactless shopping 

              The COVID-19 led safety norms such as social distancing have pushed businesses to use technology to lower interaction between people, products, and infrastructure. Contactless shopping allows your customers to conduct entire transactions on their mobile devices without touching anything else. For those who prefer stepping out to shop, technology solutions can be integrated and implemented for contactless shopping.

              Read more: How Retailers Can Revive Sales While Adhering To Social Distancing Norms 

              3. Omnichannel for retailers

              Innovative technology ensures that retailers have an omnichannel presence across all touchpoints. This means that they can go beyond brick-and-mortar locations to mobile browsing, social media, online marketplaces, and every online channel where the customer is inclined to browse. It helps retailers manage their tasks effortlessly while allowing customer engagement through a common quality service across various sales channels.

              Read more: 6 Hot Technologies that Handhold Businesses Amid COVID-19 Impact 

              4. E-commerce

              E-commerce solutions enable centralized management of all the orders as well as the inventory of both the digital and brick-and-mortar stores. This technology can direct the order placed online to the nearest store for faster delivery providing enhanced customer satisfaction. Automatic updates of the inventory ensure better stock management across all the stores. It further assists in automatic stock replenishment.

              View Infographic: The Truth About E-Commerce, 2017-2020 

              5. Self-checkout systems

              Secure cash handling machines and automated self-service checkouts are a huge success for retailers. Though initially it was used to reduce cost and for security reasons, now it has proved helpful in limiting staff contact with cash that is touched by other people, an essential technology in the current scenario.

              6. Digital payments 

              For businesses that do not have access to expensive, automated machines, contact with cash can be limited by digital payments for in-store transactions. Low-value payments can be made contactless with just a ‘tap.’

              Read more: Trends Shaping Mobile Payments Market Worldwide 

              7. Virtual trial rooms

              Retailers can use several options available for customers who would like to see and experience the product before they make a purchase. Magic Mirror is one of those trends. it helps customers see what they would look like in different clothing styles by responding to their hand gestures and voice commands.

              8. Chatbots

              Based on machine learning, chatbots copy human conversations and react to written or spoken requests to deliver a service. Chatbots provide extensive customer assistance while your customers are shopping online. It allows you to provide customer support 24/7 leading to greater customer satisfaction. It keeps your customers engaged with interactive communication. Chatbots ensure that the buyer’s journey continues uninterrupted in the right direction. Since they are automated IT solutions, they allow your organization to handle several customers at the same time.

              Read more: Capitalizing on AI Chatbots Will Redefine Your Business: Here’s How 

              9. Robotics in logistics

              Use of Robotics in your logistics will ensure that you accomplish the same amount of work with improved efficiency and less cost. Businesses need workforce capability while they adapt to changing environments. COVID-19 has forced a large number of the world’s working population to go on extended periods of sick leave which has resulted in an increased need for workers. However, robotics could eliminate such concerns as these technologies become more widely used, becoming increasingly affordable and available. It has the potential to create a limitless workforce that does not claim retirement benefits, paid time-off, and other additional aspects of costs associated with human workers.

              International Finance Corporation reports that logistics companies (including 3PL players) have increasingly turned towards robotics and automation for surviving the coronavirus crisis. 

              Read more: How Robotics in Logistics Helps Improve Supply Chain Efficiency 

               

              Use the present crisis as an unprecedented opportunity to lead

              As the world is increasingly moving toward newer technologies, the expectations of consumers are also rapidly changing. The present scenario with the pandemic is further accelerating existing trends that push products and services towards emerging technologies. Organizations must be led by this change in behavior and meet their customers where they are. The current pandemic is a serious wake-up call for all businesses to recession-proof their business and mitigate the risk from such adverse conditions. Pick the right technology to propel your business growth. Partner with us and allow us to get you there!

               

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                About the Author

                ...
                Saheen Najeeb

                Saheen is a Business and Tech Savvy Digital Marketing Analyst by profession. He believes Marketing has to be interwoven with Technology. Embracing the role of Marketing Technologist, he helps organizations working closely with the business leaders to prioritize strategies and to put their marketing efforts at the leading edge.

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                  Identifying 7 Common Mistakes in Tech Projects

                  As a non-tech business, you are an expert on the product or service that you are selling. That is your core competency, not information technology. Still, some businesses feel they can do it themselves. That could cost you a lot more than you think. Technology by nature is like a moving target and pinning the best technology solution requires quite a bit of work. Treating tech projects as an afterthought is a mistake that non-tech businesses make far too often. Worse yet, those mistakes can stall the growth of your business. Avoiding tech mistakes, especially the high impact ones, will be the thing that ensures the success of your business. 

                  What are the 7 deadly mistakes non-tech businesses make on tech projects and how you can avoid committing those mistakes? This article will help your company navigate the complex and confusing world of technology. 

                  Mistake #1. Skimping on Security

                  Most small businesses might conclude that their business isn’t that big to become a target for hacks and data theft. Unfortunately, security has become the number one issue even for small businesses with increased online scams, software vulnerabilities, and networks using improper architecture. Can you imagine the impact on your business if your trade secrets, customer information, HR records, and confidential communication fell into the wrong hands!

                  One of the top security risks most businesses often ignore is the failure to encrypt their emails. Some discard email encryption either because it is costly and complicated, or because they feel that the threat is insignificant. You can prevent much pain and loss by encrypting your emails. Always assume that every email you send could be intercepted by unethical hackers. 

                  Try this: Set up an email encryption system to protect all your emails and their attachments.

                  Read more: Emerging Security Technologies To Consider For Your Organization

                  Mistake #2. Patching New Software On Old Hardware

                  Most often than not software publishers release new upgrades that require a significant hardware upgrade in order to run the newer version. Many businesses purchase the latest version of the software without considering its hardware requirements. The use of old computers and their hardware can be problematic since these devices generally lack the latest features, hang too often, and are slower at common tasks like launching the application, booting up, printing, and internet search. This can result in a failed upgrade and can bring your business to a screeching halt until new hardware can be put in place or until the old version is reinstalled.

                  Try this: Before you purchase an upgraded software, check the minimum system requirements needed for the software to run smoothly and ensure that your existing system meets those standards. 

                  Read more: Tips for choosing the right Business Software – Tools vs. Solutions 

                  Mistake #3. Skipping The Planning Phase 

                  Planning for IT may seem tedious and time-consuming especially when you have so many things to get done with the running of your main business. However, it is vital that every business, big or small, must plan out their IT initiatives at least once a year. Failing to map-out your technology path can impact your entire business. You must plan your budget for new software and hardware upgrades while considering the need for additional manpower and/or technical support. Planning ahead will ensure business continuity and will spare you from unanticipated problems and setbacks when something fails.

                  Try this: Decide on a particular month of the year for taking stock and planning your IT structure and requirements.

                  Read more: Plan Less and Learn Faster Through Lean Business Planning 

                  Mistake #4. Inadequately Trained Employees

                  Some of your employees may understand technology, perhaps because they had some experience with it formerly or just because they are tech geeks. This is by no means enough to put them on the job to handle tech requirements. One of the most common mistakes that many non-tech companies commit is to try to get the job done with employees who are not adequately trained to use the technology they have at work. There is no alternative to training, it is an absolute must for business growth! Forgoing on the training of employees may render well-intentioned purchases useless and result in a massive loss of ROI. By training your employees you can lessen the likelihood of mistakes and improve overall productivity.

                  Try this: Take the “train the trainer” approach with your software provider. It is cost-effective and helpful.

                  Mistake #5. Ignoring Reliable Backup And Disaster Recovery

                  Businesses today are reliant on their records and data, which are almost completely stored electronically. It is extremely dangerous to assume that your backup system is working properly. A sudden power outage or a server crash can delete all your data within seconds increasing your downtime and the expenses that accompany it. It is a good practice to back up a test directory, erase it, and then do a test restore to ensure that your backup device is working. Also, ensure that the proper data is backed up.

                  Try this: Have a right backup solution and disaster recovery procedure in place.

                  Read more: COVID-19- Ensuring Continuity and Building Resilience- How business leaders can respond, survive, and thrive in the new normal 

                  Mistake #6. Not Leveraging Cloud Computing

                  Most businesses either embrace cloud inconsistently or treat it as an unnecessary expenditure for their tech projects. Cloud computing has emerged as the most efficient platform for businesses than on-premise counterparts. This is because it makes it possible for employees, customers, and other authorized users to access the data at any time from any place. In most cases, cloud-based applications offer greater functionality and are less expensive. Cloud computing is more secure than an in-house computer operation that may lack proper antivirus solutions, firewalls, or backup systems. 

                  Try this: Prepare a cloud strategy and as soon as possible, consider moving some of your applications and data to the cloud.

                  Read more: Cloud Migration: Essentials to Know Before You Jump on the Bandwagon

                  Mistake #7. Ignoring Preventive Maintenance

                  The most common mistake made by businesses on tech projects is the “repair when it crashes” strategy for IT infrastructure. While it may not hurt too much on some issues, can you imagine your 10-year-old server crashing! Now that could cripple your business. If your mission-critical hardware crosses its shelf life as it were, it is time to consider replacing it well before it actually crashes. Just like your automobile, IT software and hardware require regular maintenance and adjustments. Both the software and servers need continued care to perform at optimal levels. 

                  Try this: Avoid overextending the life cycle of servers. Start planning to replace it well in advance. Look for the manufacturer’s instructions on MTBF (mean time between failures) for your equipment.

                  Read more: Why Get a Maintenance Contract With Your Software Solution Provider? 

                  Don’t Make a Costly Mistake

                  As a business, you are constantly juggling multiple roles and duties to ensure that everything runs smoothly. Too often, the panic call comes after a technology mistake has been done already. It is crucial to remember that a single mistake could lead to catastrophic loss of data that your business may never recover from. Don’t take chances with your business. Get our experts to help you make those tech decisions and implement them smoothly. Give us a call and let’s get talking. 

                   

                   

                   

                   

                   

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                    About the Author

                    ...
                    Vinod Saratchandran

                    Vinod has conceptualized and delivered niche mobility products that cater to various domains including logistics, media & non-profits. He leads, mentors & coaches a team of Project Coordinators & Analysts at Fingent.

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                      Fingent Helps Ensure Hassle-free Filing of B2B e-Invoices for SAP Users in India

                      e-Invoicing is fast becoming the norm rather than the exception across industries and is being deemed mandatory by many governments as well. The Government of India has announced that starting from 1st October 2020, e-Invoicing will be mandatory for enterprises with a turnover of ₹500 crores while they submit their B2B invoices to the IRP and GST portal. 

                      Invoices that do not comply with the set requirements will be considered null and void.  All registered businesses under the notified class of taxpayers with an aggregate turnover of ₹500 crores and above must get ready and take advantage of solutions that facilitate the automatic issuance and receipt of electronic invoicing. 

                      In today’s fast-changing world, enterprises are under increasing pressure to adapt and perform. One way to deal with this challenge is to simplify processes for both buyers and suppliers. e-Invoicing is an excellent step in that direction. By making the transition from physical to digital invoicing, many companies are reaping the benefits of a more reliable, traceable, secure, and streamlined process. Fingent helps you accomplish the change in the simplest way. 

                      This article covers how SAP provides an automated solution for your business and how easy it is to file e-Invoices through your SAP ERP system. 

                      Without further ado, let us get into the details of e-Invoicing for B2B businesses.

                      What is the difference between a digital invoice and an e-Invoice?

                      Is there really a difference? Yes, there is! A digital invoice is either a Word or a PDF file of a paper invoice that is scanned. An e-Invoice on the other hand, is a data file that is transferred between computers. It contains structured data making it easier for a computer to comprehend and book automatically.

                      Why switch to e-Invoicing?

                      IRN has become mandatory on invoices and it is a requirement to avail the credit. False filing of credit with fake invoices has caused a considerable loss of revenue for the government. The e-Invoice system can provide a better taxpayer service resulting in an enormous reduction in evasion. e-Invoicing can also enhance the efficiency of tax administration by setting up enterprises on paper to generate invoices. 

                      An e-Invoice helps you detect and avoid false claims made through fake invoices. It restricts tampering with invoice value and other details. It can also simplify GST reporting. 

                      Here are some benefits of e-Invoicing:

                      • Convenient: Processing is digital and automated
                      • Fast: No waiting time for the paper to move from one desk to another
                      • Accurate: Minimized human error
                      • Cost-effective: Printing and postage cost is eliminated

                      Read more: Recession-proof Your Business with Digital Alternatives, Go Paperless! 

                      What is involved in e-Invoicing?

                      Having seen the benefits of e-Invoicing, let us get into the nitty gritty of e-Invoicing. Electronic invoicing or e-Invoicing is a system that is used to generate and authenticate an electronic document containing transaction information between the seller and the buyer. It is automatically sent over the internet and can be easily integrated into a customer SAP ERP or third-party system.

                      The IRP (Invoice Registration Portal) gives an identification number to these e-Invoices. The IRN (Invoice Reference Number) generated by IRP will then be used to transfer all the information to the e-Way bill portal and the GST portal. This system reduces human efforts and a lot of paperwork. These e-Invoices are specially simplified with web apps while still allowing for SAP systems to process them easily. 

                      The documents that are valid for e-Invoicing are invoices by a supplier, credit notes by a supplier, debit notes by a recipient. In the SAP system it is extremely easy to determine if the customer is eligible for e-Invoicing. Currently, the SAP solution is valid for B2B customers. If a customer has a registered GSTIN (goods and services tax identification number), the standard SAP solution determines if the customer is eligible for e-Invoicing or not. 

                      How to generate an e-Invoice under GST?

                      Here is a look at the steps involved in generating e-Invoices:

                      1. e-Invoices must be generated in the standard format prescribed by the GST network.
                      2. After generating the e-Invoice, it will be updated on the IRP and sent through an asynchronous call.
                      3. The IRP will then assign an IRN to the e-Invoice and digitally sign it.
                      4. Then, IRP will generate a unique QR code that contains vital information on the invoice.
                      5. Lastly, the e-Invoice is emailed to the recipient of the document. 

                      The e-Invoice process and its advantages

                      The e-Invoice system aims to avoid data mismatch errors by addressing various challenges and enabling better data reconciliation. The generation process allows for interoperability, thus minimizing data entry error. It allows you to track the e-Invoices prepared by suppliers in real-time. As the relevant data of the invoices are auto populated when filing different returns, it makes the tax return filing process much simpler and easier.

                      How SAP rose to the occasion

                      With most aspects of the business being digitized, the government process is not far behind. This approach towards digitization by the government has generated a need for electronic tax compliance. The e-Invoice system with regulatory obligations has become mandatory for businesses in most countries, including India. In order to cater to the need for a country-specific legal requirement integration, SAP developed its own SAP document compliance solution for S/4 HANA systems and SAP ECC for India users.

                      Benefits of navigating e-Invoicing through SAP document compliance

                      • A Global platform: SAP e-documentation is a globally used platform to generate e-Invoices and real-time reporting. 
                      • Live status update: It offers a live status update for each e-Invoice.
                      • Health check: By validating transaction data, it ensures an error-free payload to the IRN and NIC portal.
                      • Three solutions in one platform: It consists of e-Way bill, e-Invoice, and SAP digital compliance service of India.

                      SAP document compliance can offer businesses real-time generation of e-Invoices, auto-generate part-A of the e-Way bill while creating an e-Invoice, smoothen reconciliation between the e-Way bill and IRN and make cancellation of IRN possible. 

                      How Fingent can help you stay compliant with GST India e-Invoicing

                      Being a Silver Partner of SAP, Fingent offers e-Invoicing integration for SAP ERP users in India. We provide:

                      • API integration to authenticate, generate, cancel, print, and track e-invoice as per the prescribed format
                      • Follow SAP billing transactions to generate e-invoices directly
                      • MIS Reporting, Reconciliation, Status, Alerts, and Dashboards
                      • Extensive configuration options and easy-to-manage customizations
                      • No conflict with any of the existing SAP functionalities 
                      • SLA-driven support under AMC 
                      • On-demand support to handle any statutory changes made by the Govt. 

                      Read our case study: Automated Integration between SAP SuccessFactors-Employee Central and SAP S/4HANA– How Fingent helped the customer gain real-time insights for improved decision-making

                      The right implementation of e-Invoicing has the potential to transform the transactional landscape of the Indian commercial economy into a transparent digital system. It is an opportunity to create an automated e-trail and the SAP solution is designed to help you make this smoother and keep a tight control over legal requirements and compliances. 

                      Future-proof your business by giving it the edge it needs with our customized SAP solutions, which will help you with your e-Invoicing as well as offer you a host of other competitive advantages. We at Fingent are experts at creating intelligent business solutions with SAP. Give us a call and let us get you started. 

                       

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                        About the Author

                        ...
                        Ashok Kumar

                        Ashok leads Fingent’s SAP Consulting practice for ANZ, SE Asia, The Middle East and Africa (EMEA), and other global clients. More specifically, he helps companies improve operational efficiency by enhancing their digital cores and improving their application integration. Ashok has amassed over 20 years of leadership and consulting experience having worked with Global giants like SAP, IBM Consulting, Capgemini, & Oracle in his previous assignments. Connect with Ashok via LinkedIn and learn how your business can excel with recent SAP trends.

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                          The Growing Application of AI in Insurance Leads to a Radical Transformation

                           

                          Introduction

                          Digital transformation is not a business decision, it is a survival strategy. The Insurance industry is slowly recognizing that this vital truth is applicable to them as well. As insurers face several strategic and operational challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they are recognizing that technology is the only answer and solution. Armed with this knowledge, the insurance industry is undergoing a swift and tremendous transformation, driven by the burning need to improve customer experience. 

                          Artificial Intelligence lies at the heart of these changes and is fundamental to success. AI tries to solve the age-old problems by integrating them with existing infrastructure or by replacing legacy systems. This article answers some of the pertinent questions that will assist industry leaders in making an informed decision.

                          Why does the insurance industry require AI now?

                          Unlike many other challenges that are usually contained to one geographic location, COVID-19 is impacting essentially every corner of the world. It gave the entire planet a crash course in connected living and has made massive changes. Small insurance companies are now struggling to survive the onslaught of new requests and most larger firms may need to downsize to make it through these stressful economic times. In this climate of uncertainty, AI will be one of the key factors that will help winners survive. Until recent times, the insurance industry has only used AI in minimal ways. But there are several processes that could be improved drastically using AI.

                          1. Marketing and sales: 

                          AI technologies can be used to price insurance policies more relevantly and competitively. It can be used to recommend the most beneficial products to their customers. Insurers can customize the price of their products based on individual needs and lifestyles so that their customers are happy to pay only for the coverage they need. This heightens the appeal of insurance to a wider audience while attracting some newer customers. 

                          2. Risk management: 

                          Neural networks of AI can be used to red flag fraud patterns and minimize fraudulent claims. AI can also be used to improve actuarial models and risks that could lead to working out more profitable products. 

                          3. Operations: 

                          Chatbots can be developed to understand and answer the bulk of customer queries over chat, phone calls, and email. This is especially helpful during situations like the pandemic where customers and insurers are unable to meet with each other. This can free up significant resources and time for the insurers that can be used in more profitable activities. 

                          Read our white paper: How can your business use AI to achieve higher profits now?

                          What are the benefits of AI in the insurance industry?

                          1. Efficient process: 

                          Currently, we are witnessing the first wave of tangible opportunities. The automation provided by AI is offering insurers reduced costing along with more efficient processes. The work dividends form the first wave of benefits. Monotonous, low-level, hazardous, and long-drawn-out tasks are taken over by machines freeing humans to do the high-level and more productive tasks. It also ensures efficiency without the margin of human error.

                          2. Accurately measured and priced data: 

                          The role of underwriters is changing as AI is set to re-engineer and amplify insurance underwriting. Powered by the disruptive growth of data, AI has the potential to help underwriters analyze vast amounts of information, locate red flags, and help them make more accurate decisions. While we are not expecting to eliminate human underwriters, working alongside AI systems will ensure that all risks are accurately measured and priced. 

                          Read more: 6 Ways Artificial Intelligence Is Driving Decision Making

                          3. Claims processing made easy: 

                          Claims processing has long been a pain-point for the insurance industry. Managing claims requires a significant manual effort right from document processing to flagging potential fraud. Restricted movement during the COID-19 pandemic makes this task especially difficult. AI can be used to automate document processing. It can scan complex forms quickly and accurately. The insurance company can cut its claims processing time from weeks to just a matter of minutes. AI can help ensure that rejection of any claim is based on solid reasons. This way, insurance companies can drive cost efficiencies by reducing the number of denials that prevent claimants from going for appeals which insurance companies may ultimately have to settle. 

                          Top 3 primary use cases for AI in the insurance industry

                          The advent of AI represents a quantum leap in how insurance is bought and sold, and how customers are served. Also, it is creating opportunities for insurance companies to affix their leadership positions within the industry. 

                          Here are five primary use cases. If beginners can use this approach to disrupt the old guard, established firms can stave off new competitors and differentiate themselves from conventional foes. 

                          Use Case 1: Always-on customer service

                          Insurance companies are expected to meet the customer’s expectations themselves. Gone are the days when we companies used to delegate customer service to brokers or agents. Customers expect to reach their insurance providers through any channel-like website, email, mobile app, voice call, chat, social media, etc. It’s become mandatory for insurance providers to possess multi-channel capabilities to handle queries and attend service requests. This is where AI comes to the rescue enabling insurance firms to be on the job 24/7. Always-on, multi-channel service available through chatbots, and customized interactive tools will be your secret sauce to exemplary customer service. 

                          Read more: How AI is Redefining the Future of Customer Service

                          Use Case 2: Automate processes that are difficult to automate

                          Insurance companies employ a large workforce to manually perform operational processes. Variations in products, state-specific rules, and lack of adoptions of standards across the value chain previously made it harder to automate the process. With AI, it is now possible to predict and continuously improve the process by leveraging ML thus automating the processes effectively. By combining RPA tools with cognitive technologies, insurance companies can automate processes such as customer service requests, endorsements, and claims-processing, and provide a faster turn-around time. 

                          Use Case 3: Continually improve the value from data

                          Predictive models help insurance companies determine business-critical aspects such as the maximum possible loss, probability, and pricing. However, as the companies innovate products, reach out to newer customer segments, and address new risks, these predictive models quickly get outdated making it difficult to keep up with changes. AI makes it possible to provide a feedback loop for machines to learn and adapt to ever-changing insurance business needs. 

                          Read more: How Blockchain Enables the Insurance Industry to Tackle Data Challenges

                          Must-have AI technologies for the insurance industry

                          AI has become the cornerstone of digital transformation for the insurance industry. Leveraging AI technologies can help insurance companies address various issues that they may encounter. These are some must-have AI technologies in the insurance industry:

                          1. Image analytics 

                          Insurance companies must carry out inspections to validate their decisions based on actual facts. This helps them spot any existing or potential risks and support their customers in risk management. This can be very time-consuming. The use of AI focuses on the reduction of inspection time and increases the surveyor’s productivity. It can be applied in property and casualty insurance to analyze the images of cars at the accident scene, determine the parameters, and assess replacement costs. 

                          Advanced image analytics enables quick analysis of photos to determine parameters crucial from the perspective of life insurance. These parameters enable insurers to decide whether medical underwriting is required or not and provide an instant quote and formulate policies.

                          2. Internet of Things

                          IoT allows insurance companies to cross-sell to existing customers. They could offer discounted insurance to existing customers. There are several IoT backed devices that can detect and alert a customer when there is an issue within their home or commercial property. Integrating IoT with AI, insurance companies can offer a far superior service and enhance the customer experience. 

                          3. Machine Learning in underwriting

                          The automated process eliminates the tedious and error-prone job of dealing with unstructured documents and extracts information from them to make business decisions. AI, ML, and Deep Learning can help in extracting such information, aligning it to common vocabulary, and making that information accessible through virtual assistants or search engines. This way underwriting now becomes an automated process that lasts just a few seconds. 

                          4. End to end automation

                          AI helps insurers automate complex processes, end to end. Using RPA, you can tackle simpler and repeatable tasks. For example, the claims assessment process can be automated to enable the assessor to receive evidence through more advanced AI-based techniques.

                          Insurance companies receive data from brokers in a variety of formats and require many people to convert the data to a standard format. AI can map this data accurately allowing insurers to reduce inefficiencies in their processes. It can also improve data quality by detecting gaps and addressing those gaps in the incoming data. 

                          Read more: Scalable Benefits of RPA in Banking, Insurance, and Logistics

                          5. Machine Learning for price sophistication 

                          Price optimization techniques with the help of ML and GLMs help insurance companies to understand their customers, allows them to balance capacity with demand, and drive better conversion rates.  

                          6. Connected claims processing

                          Advanced algorithms can help insurance claims to be automated which allows insurers to attain high levels of accuracy and efficiency. Data-capture technologies can replace manual methods. Evaluation of the validity of a claim is also made much simpler.

                          Read more: 5 Steps to Gain Business Value with AI Adoption 

                          Are you ready to ride on the wave of AI?

                          Rapid advances in AI will lead to disruptive changes in the insurance industry. The winners in AI-based insurance will be those who harness the power of new technologies. Most importantly those companies who do not view disruptive technologies as a threat to their current business will thrive in the insurance industry.  Get started on making sure you are one of them! Contact us to adopt the power of AI into your insurance business.  

                           

                           

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                            About the Author

                            ...
                            Vinod Saratchandran

                            Vinod has conceptualized and delivered niche mobility products that cater to various domains including logistics, media & non-profits. He leads, mentors & coaches a team of Project Coordinators & Analysts at Fingent.

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                              Types of Application Software: Guide for 2025

                              Application software offers a plethora of options tailored to meet the diverse needs and objectives of users and businesses. Today, AI is a major force in application software. AI-integrated applications are the hot cakes now; they significantly enhance efficiency, speed, and productivity. Choosing the right application software can transform operations and profoundly influence your bottom line, positively impacting business outcomes.

                              Deep dive into everything you need to know about application software and how to choose the right type of application software for your business.

                              Understanding Application Software: Types and Business Benefits

                              What is application software?

                              Application software offers a plethora of options tailored to meet the diverse needs and objectives of users and businesses. Today, AI is a major force in application software. AI-integrated applications are the hot cakes now; they significantly enhance efficiency, speed, and productivity. Choosing the right application software can transform operations and profoundly influence your bottom line, positively impacting business outcomes.

                              The application software has evolved remarkably, and it consists of AI capabilities, cloud-native architecture, and cross-platform compatibility. Companies today are making use of different intelligent applications to simplify their activities, improve customer experiences, and boost strategic plans.

                              Examples of application software

                              Today, we have many high-end application software that define how we live and accommodate our ever-evolving requirements. Widely used application software includes office productivity tools, business applications, project management tools, creative tools, communication tools, and many more.

                              Microsoft Office 365

                              (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Copilot)

                              Google Workspace

                              (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Gmail)

                              Infince

                              (Enterprise Application Cloud)

                              Salesforce CRM

                              Oracle NetSuite

                              Zoho CRM

                              SAP S/4HANA Cloud

                              Microsoft Dynamics 365

                              Asana

                              Trello

                              ClickUp

                              Monday.com

                              Adobe Creative
                              Cloud Applications

                              Figma

                              Canva

                              CorelDraw

                              AutoCAD

                              Slack

                              Microsoft Teams

                              Infince

                              Zoom

                              WhatsApp

                              Wynk

                              MX Player

                              VLC Media Player

                              Spotify

                              Pandora

                              What is the difference between system software and application software?

                              Software can be categorized into two categories: System Software and Application Software. System software is used to manage the main functions of the computer and hardware devices, and application programs enable users to accomplish certain tasks such as writing documents, sending emails, or even managing data.

                              They both differ significantly when it comes to design and purpose.

                              Application Software

                              System Software

                              Key functions of application software for businesses

                              Application software programs are designed to execute a wide array of functions. Its primary functions can vary depending on the users' requirements. Depending on the industry or business area, it is possible to develop the application software to fulfill a particular purpose.

                              Task Automation

                              Automating routine tasks, such as data entry, sales emails, and marketing emails, saves a lot of manual work and allows employees to perform more strategic tasks.

                              Data Management

                              Gather, store, sort, and classify large volumes of information, make informed judgments, and trace patterns.

                              Communication and Collaboration

                              Maximizing smooth communication among the employees, partners, and customers, as well as working together on common projects.

                              Process Optimization

                              Enhancing organizational workflow and efficiency in different departments, resulting in cost cuts and enhanced productivity.

                              Innovative and efficient production

                              Allows the production of high-quality files, presentations, designs, and multimedia output.

                              Problem Solving

                              Providing targeted tools to handle specialized business purposes, be it in the field of inventory management, sales forecasting, or data security.

                              Benefits of application software for businesses

                              Most organizations invest in buying or building application software to suit their business model. This software comes with innumerable benefits that you can't resist executing the ideal application software in your business/organization.

                              Types of Application Software

                              Application software can be broadly classified into General Applications, Business Applications, AI-powered Applications, and Custom Applications. Application software is no longer a one-size-fits-all solution. In today’s business landscape, software tools are categorized based on functionality, complexity, and the specific needs they serve. Picking up the right application software for your specific needs improves function and efficiency. The use of the software is rampant across every domain, including banking, healthcare, education, retail, travel, logistics, etc.

                              General Applications - Everyday Productivity & Collaboration Tools

                              In present-day companies, general-purpose applications play a crucial role in digital productivity. Such programs assist people and groups in crafting content, handling data, communication, and staying organized. They are usually cloud-based, cross-platform, and are becoming more and more run by embedded AI.

                              To draft, format, and edit text-based reports, proposals, manuals, and other business material. These applications are rich in formatting, collaboration, and version control.

                              Examples: Google docs, Microsoft word, notion

                              Spreadsheets find a lot of applications in organizing and tabulating data, calculations, budgeting, and reporting. They facilitate functions, charts, filters, and conditional formats in order to make data management easy.

                              Examples: Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, Airtable

                              These tools assist users to author and present slide-based presentations during meetings, pitches and training. They include features such as templates, transitions, and multimedia support.

                              Examples: Microsoft PowerPoint, Google Slides, Canva

                              Calendar and e-mail clients are used to coordinate and communicate, as well as organize meetings. They facilitate time-zone conscious scheduling, contact organization, and inbox management.

                              Examples: Microsoft Outlook, Gmail, Google Calendar, Calendly

                              Tools that help teams communicate more efficiently by messaging, group channels, file spaces, and video calls. These tools assist in sustaining continuity and visibility in scattered groups.

                              Examples: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom

                              Cloud file storage services enable an enterprise to access, store, and share documents on devices anytime, anywhere. It has features such as versioning of files, rights of folders, and managing backups.

                              Examples: Google Drive, Infince, Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive

                              Business Applications

                              Business applications are software tools used in businesses to enable, streamline, or support the main processes within an organization. These applications are critical in enhancing scalability, decision-making, and efficiency in terms of handling customer relations and operations of financial processes.

                              The CRM software assists firms in handling customer and prospect relationships through the sales and service lifespan. It stores customer information, monitors interaction, and provides marketing and sales automations.

                              Examples: Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoho CRM

                              ERP systems have merged more crucial functions of business, like finance, supply chain, procurement, and human resources, under one roof. They give real-time visibility and increase the consistency of data, as well as allow smooth operations within departments.

                              Examples: SAP S/4HANA, Oracle NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics 365

                              These tools help teams plan, organize, and follow up on projects and daily activities. It has features such as timelines, the distribution of tasks, progress monitoring, and collaboration to maintain alignment and responsibility.

                              Examples: Asana, Monday.com, ClickUp, Jira

                              The accounting program helps with financial processes such as bookkeeping, invoicing, expense management, dues, and tax reporting. These instruments play an important role in ensuring legal conformity and fiscal disclosure.

                              Examples: QuickBooks, Xero, FreshBooks

                              HR applications can assist in managing personnel data, staff hiring, employee training, staff onboarding, payroll, benefits, and performance. They are supportive of compliance, reporting, and workforce planning as well.

                              Examples: Skill Lake, Workday, BambooHR, Gusto

                              AI-First & Intelligent Applications

                              AI-first applications are developed from an intelligent core, streamlining processes, boosting decision-making, and amplifying productivity through automated actions and thoughtful suggestions. These tools are progressively integrated into diverse business functions, enabling organizations to work more swiftly and more efficiently.

                              Such tools make the production of written, visual, or multimedia content possible with minimal human intervention. They have found extensive use in marketing, customer communication and design

                              Examples: ChatGPT, Gemini, Jasper, Copy.ai, Canva Magic Write

                              By proposing code snippets, flagging errors, and crafting whole functions from natural language input, code assistants ease the work of developers. They accelerate the development process while cutting down on repetitive work.

                              Examples: GitHub Copilot, Amazon CodeWhisperer, Microsoft Copilot

                              These platforms examine historical data and discover trends, forecast outcomes, and underpin strategic decision-making. These tools are routinely applied in finance, marketing, supply chain, and operations to assist with planning and manage risk.

                              Examples: Microsoft Power BI, Tableau, Qlik Sense

                              Conversational tools imitate human interactions and are employed to raise the quality of customer support, speed up user onboarding, and respond to internal queries. They speed up response time, lower support expenses, and provide continuous service around the clock.

                              Examples: Intercom, Drift, Zendesk AI, ChatGPT integrations

                              Custom Applications

                              A custom application is an application specific to the requirements of a business, or may involve applications specific to processes or industry. These applications are more flexible and have control and the ability to integrate with their internal systems as compared to off-the-shelf products. They are a great fit for organizations looking to secure a competitive edge via technology that conforms to their operational needs.

                              Using these platforms, users can deploy applications swiftly with only a minimal amount of coding knowledge. They provide a drag-and-drop interface, pre-configured components, and the capability of integration, which makes them the right choice when it comes to building internal applications or automating processes. No heavy development is required.

                              These applications are developed in cloud environments to be efficient and resilient. They accommodate complicated business applications, multiple users, and real-time processing of information. Built largely with contemporary frameworks, they can be thoroughly tailored and seamlessly connected to existing enterprise systems.

                              They constitute tailor-made mobile applications crafted to enable business operations while on the move, field services, logistics processes, and customer engagement. They emphasize on responsive design, offline access, GPS capabilities, and mobile-native features like push notifications.

                              Modern Software Delivery Models: Scalable, Flexible, and Built for the Future

                              Software development, deployment, and delivery have changed radically. The new models of delivery include flexibility, scalability, and a reduced time-to-market. This helps businesses feel free to adapt to the changing needs of the users and infrastructure. The methods also allow modular development, on-going refinement, and wider device support, making software future-proof.

                              Cloud-Native Apps: SaaS, PaaS, FaaS

                              Cloud-native applications are designed to be run and scaled in the cloud without any challenges.

                              Hybrid & Edge Applications

                              Hybrid apps utilize cloud-based systems and on-premise or edge computing to enable the use cases that need low latency, real-time data processing, or an offline state. The edge applications bring the data processing nearer to the source, which is suitable in the case of IoT, manufacturing, and field operations. This ensures they are less reliant on central servers and can act faster.

                              Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) and Cross-Platform Development

                              Similar to native apps, PWAs provide app experiences through the web, with the same aimed focus as websites (reach) but with the capabilities of native applications, such as working offline and sending push notifications. Developers can write the code once and then deploy it on iOS, Android, and web using Flutter or React Native, with cross-platform development working to make delivery faster and far less expensive.

                              API-First and Headless Architecture

                              API-first requires all features to be available through APIs, which means that integration is flexible, platform-wise. The headless architecture separates the front-end from the back-end because it enables a business to publish content in a consistent manner on websites, mobile applications, smart devices, and so on. It is perfect in the case of omnichannel experiences and accelerated innovation.

                              Licensing & Monetization of Application Software

                              As a fundamental aspect of the software lifecycle, licensing and monetization are serious considerations for any institution that wants to make money, regulate its use, and govern intellectual property. Selecting the appropriate licensing model and monetization approach guarantees the sustainable development process, and its usefulness matches the expectations of the target audience and target market.

                              Here’s a breakdown of the key licensing types and monetization models:

                              How to Choose The Right Application Software For Your Business

                              As your business grows, there's always an impulse to improve operations and get work done smarter. With the advancement of AI applications, there are a plethora of options to choose from. Whether it is to replace an old system or discover a new solution to modernize your inefficient performance, the hunt for the perfect application software is no cakewalk.

                              Picking the right application software for business involves wise decisions, brainstorming sessions, and critical thinking. Before investing in a software application, you must ensure that it aligns with your business operations, streamlines your processes, improves customer experience, and eliminates risk. The success of your business model, its anticipated goals, and its requirements depend on choosing the right application software. Selecting the right application software can be overwhelming, but the right one can become a real game-changer for your business!

                              Here's a checklist to help you be confident in choosing the right application software for your business.

                              Key Trends Shaping Application Software Development in 2025

                              With the development of technology being quite fast, the software applications are increasingly getting smarter, more connected, and more integrally embedded into all the business areas. There are a number of trends that have been transforming how applications are designed, delivered, and experienced as a result of differing user needs, technological advancements, and organizational philosophies. Knowledge of such trends can enable businesses to future-proof their software investment and remain competitive.

                              Frequently Asked Questions

                              SaaS (Software as a Service) is a cloud platform where the software has subscriptions and can be accessed through the internet - nothing to install, nothing to maintain on the user end. A good example of SaaS is Microsoft 365. Traditional application software is generally deployed directly to local machines or servers and frequently has to be manually updated, as well as pre-licensed. Application software includes old versions of Microsoft Office.

                              AI-first applications integrate smart capabilities into workflows themselves, including automation, intelligent recommendations, natural language interfaces, and predictive intelligence. This saves manual work, accelerates decision making, and enables users to concentrate on high-value activities.

                              Examples: Sorting inboxes using AI, automatic reports, and prioritization of intelligent tasks.

                              A mobile application is a special software application that runs on the smartphone or tablet or can be installed through app stores. The word application is an expanded term referring to any kind of software such as desktop, mobile or web-based and used to accomplish specific duties.

                              API-first development is an approach in which APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) are central to both design and implementation. It allows anyone to integrate the application easily, has a modular structure, and can be connected to other systems, platforms, or services. This would enhance flexibility, speed up development, and offer natural cross-platform experiences.

                              PWAs are web sites which provide the functionality of native apps (including offline, push-messages, and the ability to be installed on the home screen) all through a browser. To companies, PWAs are cheaper to create, have wider device coverage and are reliable in features and rapid delivery of user experience that do not require separate mobile apps.

                              Indeed, low-code/no-code solutions are gaining popularity in the work of enterprises to develop their own tools, automate business processes, and expeditiously develop prototypes. They might not be a complete substitute to fully custom-built systems in complex use cases, but they greatly reduce the project time, IT dependency and enable the employees in any business department to make a solution adapted to their needs.

                              Top Emerging Technologies in Application Software

                              Develop Your Application Software With Fingent

                              As online transactions soar and digital workplaces emerge, different types of application software will continue to evolve. As a result, the demand for custom software development tailored to a business's requirements is increasing now more than ever before. From simple customizations to full-cycle application development, Fingent can help address all your specific business requirements, leveraging our application software development capabilities. Explore our range of services.

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                              If you have further questions or want to start choosing and implementing the right application software for your business, contact us immediately. We will help you get there.

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                                About the Author

                                ...
                                Sreejith

                                I have been programming since 2000, and professionally since 2007. I currently lead the Open Source team at Fingent as we work on different technology stacks, ranging from the "boring"(read tried and trusted) to the bleeding edge. I like building, tinkering with and breaking things, not necessarily in that order.

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                                  Experience remote hiring success with custom hiring and onboarding platform

                                  Even before the pandemic hit, the number of employees working remotely has grown considerably over the past few years. The number of people telecommuting in the US increased by 159% from 2005 to 2017. 

                                  Even if the threat of COVID-19 ceases, we may not return to the traditional office structure any time soon. In other words, remote work will matter to business much more than it did earlier. Employers, therefore, need to find ways to facilitate remote work. This includes creating the best remote hiring and onboarding experiences for employees. Strong onboarding processes improve new hire retention by 82% (Glassdoor).

                                  By making a switch from a traditional to a digital workplace, organization across the globe are embracing the new normal. While there are many off the shelf remote hiring and onboarding platforms available in the market, for long term flexibility, it is necessary to fine-tune the features, user experience, functions and so on to fit your organizational requirements. Fingent, as a top custom software development company, can help you create custom applications to power your recruiting and onboarding.

                                   

                                  Challenges of remote hiring and onboarding

                                  Companies want all of their employees to feel inclusive and want a collaborative environment. But how do you make people feel that they are a part of something when you’re working remotely? Remote working is not just video conferencing and chatting, but a comprehensive set of practices that organizations need to develop. Remote employees require more trust. This is what makes hiring remote employees so much different. With remote employees, you don’t have any physical control or direct supervision to know whether or not people are on Netflix or YouTube all day. Building trust over time is the main challenge that organizations need to address while bringing in remote employees. While hiring a remote employee, we’re investing in a person where we’re going to trust him/her to represent our company.

                                  Read more: Check out how Odoo can help meet HR requirements

                                  Remote employee hiring and onboarding is here to stay

                                  Despite these unprecedented challenges that COVID-19 has presented, various organizations have reacted positively and made rapid changes to their remote workflow management priorities and expectations. This ultimately shows us that the need to hire and onboard new staff will continue. Businesses will have to come up with innovative ideas and creative best practices to continue with their hiring and onboarding processes. 

                                  How can a custom platform for remote hiring and onboarding help you?

                                  The hiring and onboarding process of each company is unique. Employers always look to incorporate the requirements of a particular LOB into their induction programs. A customized remote hiring and onboarding platform helps you edit your workflows the way you want. You can use different task types to create a unique workflow for a new hire, through which you can send forms, trigger emails, conduct training sessions, and much more. You can even generate reports to review the progress of each workflow. 

                                  Let’s see how a custom platform can add value to your organization: 

                                  1. Digitization of your recruitment process 

                                  With traditional HR practices becoming archaic, organizations look for recruitment technologies that help streamline processes, giving them the best talent available in the market. A remote recruitment and onboarding platform that is customized to integrate ATS (Applicant Tracking System) allows you to post jobs, screen applications, conduct interviews, and centralize all this information in one shared place. When you’re hiring remotely, you have to find the best fit for your company from a large pool of candidates. Incorporating functionalities like intelligent screening, document parsing, video capabilities help you gain a better understanding as well as organize your recruitment process.   

                                  Read more: Applicant Tracking System-Transforming Hiring Norms

                                  2. Electronic documentation helps you go paperless

                                  A custom platform that takes the paper out of paperwork is what you need today. An online onboarding solution with features that enable your new hires to complete their documentation procedures from wherever they are, using any smart device makes the workflow as painless as possible. This custom platform automatically triggers email reminders to employees if they have not completed their documentation before their joining date. The onboarding platform can be configured to give automatic error notifications and tips to resolve those errors to ensure that all your employee documents are accurate. Additionally, functionalities like fingertip signatures, photo upload, and OCR make paperwork a breeze.

                                  3. Self-Service onboarding improves employee engagement 

                                  Remote employees do not have the liberty of walking to their managers’ desk time and again for necessary guidance. Employee self-service onboarding comes to the rescue here and acts as a key to employee engagement. Self-service portals help to organize the onboarding process of your new hires helping them find all the information they need in one place. A customized remote platform with self-service onboarding capabilities helps your recruits access essential documents that help them learn and get up to speed quickly and with confidence. Thus employees are satisfied as communication channels are improved leading to higher productivity.

                                  Read more: A Chatbot Story – How We Built a Comprehensive Onboarding Assistant for a Leading Research University

                                  4. Project management on-the-go 

                                  Onboarding and managing a remote team requires overcommunication. An online project management tool helps you do this with ease. You can opt for integrating a project management tool with your remote hiring and onboarding portal to reap the benefits in a single solution. This helps remote workers track the progress of their projects, collaborate effectively, and complete projects efficiently from anywhere, using any smart device. New hires can interact effectively, helping them learn fast. Managers can also track time and analyze what needs to be done in their projects. With a real-time overview, you easily get an idea of who’s working on what. Inbuilt video conferencing tools help you to stay in constant touch with your new hires working remotely.

                                  5. Virtual mentoring and training programs 

                                  Mentoring and training programs are an indispensable part of onboarding. They help an employee get accustomed to her new job, learn about the company culture, and update her skills to better perform his duties. You can integrate virtual mentoring programs in your onboarding process helping new hires know about their roles and get personalized training wherever they are.

                                  Read more: Optimize Workforce Management with SAP SuccessFactors and Qualtrics

                                  A company is indeed as good as its employees. Hiring and onboarding new employees was a time-consuming process traditionally. When all or most of your staff works remotely, things become complicated. A tailored platform for remote hiring and onboarding helps you deliver awesome onboarding experiences to your employees, fostering productivity, efficiency, and better employee retention. It also allows you to promote your company brand and culture which gives your remote employees a sense of belonging. 

                                  So did you get a custom platform for hiring and onboarding remote employees? Now is the time if not done yet. Partner with us to develop a tailored platform to meet the unique needs of your company.  

                                   

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                                    About the Author

                                    ...
                                    Saheen Najeeb

                                    Saheen is a Business and Tech Savvy Digital Marketing Analyst by profession. He believes Marketing has to be interwoven with Technology. Embracing the role of Marketing Technologist, he helps organizations working closely with the business leaders to prioritize strategies and to put their marketing efforts at the leading edge.

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                                      Top Digital Alternatives to Go Paperless and Survive the Recession!

                                       

                                       

                                      Introduction

                                      Running a manual, paper-based organization in the digital age is inefficient and costly. It escalates the total cost of operations and carries a higher risk of errors. Paperless solutions offer process automation that saves valuable time by streamlining operations, releasing useful resources, and improving business efficiency. 

                                      A paperless structure can help businesses keep their data more safe and secure. Digital alternatives like a Document Management System store and search your digital documents quickly and securely. Workflow automation helps improve the efficiency of document processing through automatic document routing. Digital signature policies help you significantly increase your document turnaround time. You can store, edit, and manage digital documents from anywhere in the world. 

                                      Digital Transformation is leading the way to a paperless future. If you want to empower your business with digital alternatives, you have to adopt the right digital transformation solutions. At Fingent, we provide digital transformation services to businesses around the globe. Simply enhance your business operations productivity by going paperless. It’s the right time to embrace digital alternatives to stay productive and competitive.

                                      In this blog, we discuss at length, the various paperless initiatives that can make your business recession-proof and other benefits of going paperless.

                                      Document Management Software

                                      The pandemic has brought about lasting changes in customer and business behavior. While weathering the storms of recession, you need to have a robust document management software. 

                                      A document management system surpasses a digitized record room. A contemporary document management system will help you find records and documents in a few clicks that would have otherwise taken days to dig out. You can also access documents and records in their business context. All changes are carefully logged. Versioning ensures that a new document version is automatically created and stored. That way no one accidentally overwrites content. When one team member works on a document, she can leave comments for her colleagues making teamwork much smoother. 

                                      Post-its, slips of paper, and verbal agreements are things of the past. Document management software supports your daily work. All processing steps of your documents like invoices, purchase orders, etc. are seamlessly recorded, making them audit-proof and compliant with regulations. It’s high time that you bid adieu to those dusty file cabinets in your office. 

                                      Read more: Features of a Document Management System

                                      Electronic Invoicing System

                                      Electronic documentation is the need of the hour. A typical paper invoicing process involves multiple steps. Assembling data from spreadsheets or ERP systems to delivering the invoice to your customer and getting paid eventually takes a long time. You can get rid of most of these steps with e-invoicing services, as it connects your billing and the recipient’s invoice processing system. 

                                      Rather than connecting to the receiver’s web-based servers for sending the invoice, you can use service providers that are connected. This allows both you and the receiver to use your preferred service providers and send your invoices to any recipient without any additional hassle. Thus, the e-invoice travels from your computer to the receiver’s invoice processing system through servers instantly. The recipient can pay the amount with the click of a button, without having to resort to any paperwork. This saves you both manual work, lowers invoicing costs, and speeds up your cash flow.

                                      Digital Signature

                                      Once you improve your business processes and adopt digital alternatives like document management systems and e-invoicing, you’ll need to ensure that the documents you send or receive are authentic and have not been tampered with. This is where digital signatures come in handy. 

                                      A digital signature is an advanced and secure type of signature that authenticates all electronic documents like spreadsheets, emails, pdf files, and text files. A digital signature is unique to every signer. It uses a mathematical algorithm that creates a digital fingerprint to electronically sign the document, thus validating the signer. You can purchase a digital signature from a trusted certificate authority only after submitting your ID documents. So, a person receiving a digitally signed document can easily find out who has signed it. 

                                      The digital signature and the document are encrypted and secured with a seal that makes tampering conspicuous. The recipient cannot open the document unless he receives the public key from the owner. These features make digital signature ideal for e-commerce, software distribution, and other businesses that are prone to document tampering.  

                                      Digital signatures reduce the steps involved in signing a document and help replace the traditional paper-based approval process with a faster and cheaper digital process. You not only move towards a paperless office but also reduce costs involving printing, shipping, delivery, filing, archiving, and so on. Digital signatures help improve workflow efficiency as document tracking and organizing become much easier. 

                                      Read more: Going paperlessMachine Learning To Accelerate Paperless Offices

                                      Remote Work Collaboration Software

                                      Today, working remotely is no longer an office perk but a new normal. With businesses grappling with an economic downturn and ongoing lockdown restrictions, remote work can help reduce expenses and keep up the morale of your team. 

                                      While adhering to the rules of social distancing, you may have to allocate some or all of our staff to remote work. This situation has further highlighted the need for remote work collaboration software. These solutions help you to automate business processes and save costs in paper, office space. However, without the right set of remote work collaboration tools and communication platforms, a company would be dealing with a staff that is adrift. 

                                      Today you have a wide variety of tools that keep an office running even while on-the-go. Mobile app versions of these tools enable collaboration anywhere and everywhere. 

                                      1. Video Conferencing

                                      Web conferencing tools have gained prominence around the world as face-to-face communications keep everyone in the loop and foster better visualizations of new projects and ideas. A short video call can solve issues that would have taken endless emails or phone calls to sort out. Video conferencing software like InfinCE, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Remo Conference, and MeetFox provide solid video quality and inbuilt interfaces that facilitate video calling and screen sharing. 

                                      2. CRM Software

                                      When you have a teleworking team that handles clients all over the world, you need a CRM software to reduce the gap. The right CRM will help your team to connect as though they were sitting next to each other in an office even when they are actually in different countries. A CRM software gives you a 360-degree view of your customers in a single page. When all your customer data is aggregated, you gain a better understanding of customer behavior helping you make informed decisions. Today, most CRM software have built-in analytics tools that help your sales team analyze their performance while on the go, thus enabling them to better focus on their targets. Odoo, Microsoft Dynamics, Zoho, Salesforce, Hubspot, etc. are some of the best CRM software available out there.

                                      3. Team collaboration tools

                                      A common problem that managers face with remote teams is not knowing what their team members are working on. This can be easily sorted with online team collaboration tools. These tools help streamline your team’s communication by providing a consistent and common digital space for your team to collaborate. They can share project updates, files, and comments within the company to create an efficient and cataloged communication channel. Integrated features such as instant messaging, video conferencing, and task management make workplace collaboration effortless. 

                                      4. File Management

                                      An efficient file management tool is unavoidable for organizations aiming to go paperless. A scalable document management system is essential to automate and streamline workflows. Besides storing and sharing documents, a file management system with features that help secure data, track changes, maintain audit trails, and map workflows can improve the performance of your organization. Since document handling is key to many business processes, your document management system needs to integrate with other business apps. So, before making the choice, you should find out what pre-built integrations or APIs the file management system has to offer.

                                      Virtual Hiring and On-boarding

                                      Traditionally, hiring and onboarding have been manual processes. Automating these processes can promote employee engagement and retention. This, in turn, brings in business value by reducing HR man-hours through employee retention and cost savings. A comprehensive and recession-proof onboarding process requires digitization, automation, and personalization. These three steps bring various business processes together, streamline them, and create a seamless onboarding experience for your new hires. This further reduces the cost of hiring and time-to-hire. 

                                      Collecting digital feedback and reviewing video interviews help in tackling prejudices if any. Virtual recruitment drives can centralize the entire process by involving many interviewers from within the organization. This instills consistency in managing candidate RSVP, sending reminders, and establishing prompt communication channels. 

                                      Though switching to the process of virtual hiring and onboarding is challenging, the right tools and training can ensure successful execution. Organizations must refine their recruitment and onboarding processes by employing remote tools, recording the processes accurately, and training their staff on best practices. While the lack of face-to-face interaction with candidates may bother your team, appropriate training and adaptation will help you improve efficiency.

                                      Read more: Digitalization of BusinessWhy Digitalization is Inevitable for Businesses

                                      Workflow Automation

                                      This technology is used to replace paper-based and manual processes with a single platform that combines business processes thus eliminating errors. Workflow automation helps to transform legacy processes that require a lot of paperwork into digitally automated tasks. Most organizations grapple with digital transformation since communications via whiteboards, post-its, and spreadsheets control their task management. These tools hinder smooth collaboration and visibility as they rely on human intervention. Workflow automation reduces this reliance on human intervention by ensuring communication within the platform and maintaining a record of all relevant data. Later, anyone with permission can access this information easily. 

                                      Workflow automation software can help you automate almost all processes from IT, Sales, HR, Marketing, Finance, and so on. Once you bring all your applications under a common platform, with a workflow automation software, you can do away with the monotonous work of transferring data between these applications. 

                                      Workflow automation gives you a competitive advantage by helping you deliver better quality services at a lower cost and speedy decision making. The benefits of workflow automation include better accountability and communication within the organization, reduced costs and errors, improved employee engagement, improved business processes, and better efficiency.

                                      Read more: How Automation Helps BusinessHow Automation Ensures Businesses Stay Afloat During COVID-19 Crisis

                                      Mobile Payments

                                      The new normal brought on by the pandemic demands digital transformation. One technology that has helped businesses and economies stay afloat in quarantine and social distancing is mobile payment. As regulations stipulate the reduction of in-person transactions to prevent consumers from stepping out of their homes, mobile payment facilities have come in handy. 

                                      You can equip your mobile customers by investing in contactless payment technologies like facial recognition, QR codes, and NFC technology. COVID-19 will have a lasting impact on the way we conduct transactions. Companies struggling in implementing mobile payments need to find ways in establishing payment systems that are on par with the global standards. Businesses may hesitate to spend on digital payment technologies, during such unaffluent times. However, you need to remember that by enabling mobile payments, you are expanding your customer base and making it easier for customers to buy.

                                      Read more: How Retailers Can Revive Sales While Adhering To Social Distancing Norms

                                      Choosing the Best Way to Implement Paperless Initiatives

                                      Advances in IT and organizational design can drive cost reductions while improving quality and timeliness. To equip your business with these digital alternatives, you need to have clear goals and instructions for upgrading business processes. These tools have to be used in a systematic and coordinated way to improve efficiency and avoid chaos. Once these digital tools are managed in the right order, they enable restructuring of processes and building up resilience resulting in higher productivity.

                                      Going paperless ultimately narrows down to improving processes. The real value of the aforementioned paperless technologies can be realized only once you go back to the beginning of a process and retool it making the whole process electronic. So going paperless is not just an afterthought, but you have to go for redesigning whole processes, making them more electronic. This, then helps you save time and money by streamlining your work and improving the efficiency of what you’re doing. 

                                      In other words, you should not opt for paperless technologies to just manage your storage needs. If you simply convert all of your paper into a digital format, you’re just converting your problem from one format to another. When you’re scaling paperless, you need to view it as an opportunity to look at your processes from A to Z and check whether you can make improvements. Then paperless becomes a part of the good business that you practice.

                                      Read more: Prepare for the Future of Digital Innovation with these 10 Services From Fingent    

                                      If you wish to know more about how paperless initiatives can recession-proof your business to survive and succeed in the new normal, send us a message right away!  

                                       

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                                        About the Author

                                        ...
                                        Bhuvana O G

                                        Bhuvana is a Senior Content Specialist at Fingent. She loves to research and develop creative and unique content related to technology and marketing. When not involved in full-time writing, you can see her pitching into editing and proof-reading all sorts of marketing collateral crucial for the company's branding.

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