WebEdify is available in SAAS model as well as a one-time purchase with Life-time license. Edify is the on-premise version of the same software, which is available with Life-time license. This article explains the benefits of SAAS model.
Some people feel that if software is available cheap, it could be incomplete or inadequate. Contrary to this belief, Software-As-A-Service (SAAS) based models are highly functional and affordable. It is the best model for acquiring, using and paying for business functionality. Its best-known characteristics are its relative speed to implementation and low upfront costs for acquisition and deployment. As a result, SAAS is widely adopted for a variety of business and IT functions. Less well-known are the business advantages of SAAS for ERP/enterprise business applications, especially those advantages specific to smaller organizations. Enterprise level SAAS can deliver tremendous value to small and mid-sized businesses. The SAAS model is not only cost effective for the users but a surety of service as well, because the client has option to walk out any time if the service is not 100% satisfactory.
Time to Value – SAAS is quickly installed and more quickly made part of the work process when compared with on-premise software. Typically, once licensed, a SAAS purchaser is up and running in a matter of days or weeks, rather than months, as is more frequently the case with traditional vendor software. As a consequence, the SAAS purchaser can begin to realize the business benefits earlier. The payback period is much quicker, and the ROI is significantly better than with vendor software.
Affordability – SAAS does not require large up-front investment, and especially in a recession presents less of a financial hurdle when compared with on-premise software. Businesses with limited capital budgets and limited IT support will find SAAS is far more suitable to their needs than vendor software.
Upgrades – Instead of twice yearly upgrades, SAAS solutions can be enhanced on a regular and almost continuous basis. Major releases may also appear annually, consolidating all of the enhancements along the way. One of the key enabling SAAS technologies, multi-tenancy, makes possible this continuous stream of enhancements. SAAS users do not have to wonder whether a new release or upgrade will break their system or cause a significant delay in parallel testing prior to switching over into full production. The SAAS provider assumes this responsibility behind the scenes and without intrusiveness.
Customization – It has become increasingly easy to adapt SAAS solutions to fit the needs of small and mid-sized enterprises. Some SAAS solutions exploit multi-tenancy to enable customization by programmers or system integrators. Other SAAS solutions target end users with easy-to-use configuration capabilities that allow non-programmers to easily modify their look-and-feel or their business processes. For many businesses, configuration may be a more appropriate approach, due to its simplicity and lower cost (no programmer required).
Integration –Web services and APIs address the needs of SAAS customers with website and on-premise applications that had to integrate with the SAAS provider’s solution. Today Service Oriented Architectures (SOA) and web services APIs are hallmarks of leading SAAS providers, making integration with on-premise software and home-grown systems considerably easier.
Fewer Technical Resources – Possibly one of the least-anticipated SAAS benefits is that it requires significantly fewer technical resources to manage than on-premise software, reducing the strain on IT organizations. For the small or mid-sized enterprise, this is an enormous advantage. At the same
time, by utilizing the expertise of the SAAS provider, which has state-of-the-art data centers and technology at its disposal, even the smallest firm can take advantage of the latest in leading-edge technologies, including messaging and collaboration capabilities that might otherwise be beyond its reach. In this way, the firm can obtain access to next-generation technology without having to manage it.
Focus – Without the distraction of managing the IT function – hardware, software, networks and technicians – the company will be freed up to focus on its core competencies, its core value-add. SAAS is a way of outsourcing the onerous aspects of the essential IT systems the small or mid-sized company needs to run its business and manage the challenges of growth, regulation and competition.