Accounting automation software has become an essential tool for modern businesses. It can streamline financial operations, automate manual tasks, and provide valuable insights into the health of a business. However, implementing accounting software is not a straightforward process. It requires careful planning, a good implementation strategy, and effective training to ensure that the software is used to its full potential. In this blog post, we’ll explore the critical role that implementation and training have on the ultimate success of your new accounting software. 

Maximize ROI

One of the primary reasons for implementing accounting software is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of financial operations. However, if the software is not implemented correctly or if users are not trained properly, the benefits of the software will not be fully realized.

A good implementation strategy and effective training can help ensure that the software is used to its full potential, maximizing the return on investment.

During the sales process, it is wise to thoroughly explore the implementation process, including who will be conducting the actual implementation. Oftentimes third parties are used, who may or may not have a vested interest in your long-term success, which can directly impact your ROI.

With Flexi, you can be assured that all accounting software implementations are done in house by our team of  experts. This includes our own best practice framework that has been refined over our three decades of experience. If you’d like to know more about our RAPID implementation process, request a demo.

Avoid Errors and Mistakes

Accounting software is designed to be accurate and reliable. However, if the software is not implemented correctly, it can lead to errors and mistakes. This can have serious consequences for a business, including inaccurate financial reporting, compliance issues, and potential legal problems.

A good implementation strategy and effective training can help minimize the risk of errors and mistakes, ensuring that the software is used correctly and consistently.

Flexi customers are in good hands. Flexi’s services team members are experts in their field, and will likely have just completed a similar implementation when they start to work with a new customer. Given Flexi Services’ expertise and constant implementation schedule, they have developed a series of strong best practices that help our customers avoid common errors and mistakes, leading to faster and less expensive implementations.

This is one of the reasons why Flexi’s customer satisfaction score of 96% soars above the industry average of 79%. The personalized service that Flexi customers enjoy begins during that very first touch point and extends throughout the life of the account.

Ensure Data Integrity and Security

Data integrity and security are critical for any business. Accounting software typically contains sensitive financial data, and it is important to ensure that this data is secure and protected.

A good implementation strategy can help ensure that the software is set up correctly, with appropriate security measures in place. Effective training can help ensure that users understand how to use the software securely and responsibly, reducing the risk of data breaches and other security incidents.

Adapt to Changing Business Needs

Business needs are constantly evolving, and accounting software must be able to adapt to these changes. A good implementation strategy can help ensure that the software is configured to meet current business needs, while also allowing for future growth and expansion.

Effective training can help users understand how to make changes to the software as business needs change, ensuring that the software remains a valuable tool for the business.

Increase User Adoption

Finally, it is important to ensure that users actually use the accounting software. Even the best software will not provide any value if users don’t use it. A good implementation strategy and effective training can help increase user adoption, by ensuring that users understand the benefits of the software and how to use it effectively. This can help ensure that the software becomes an integral part of the business, providing value and insights that help the business grow and succeed.

Conclusion

Implementing accounting software requires more than just installing the software and giving users a quick tutorial. It requires a good implementation strategy and effective training to ensure that the software is used to its full potential.

When evaluating accounting software providers, excellent implementation and training can be as vital as the software itself. By ensuring that your investment includes a good implementation and training process, your business can maximize the benefits of accounting software, avoid errors and mistakes, ensure data integrity and security, adapt to changing business needs, and increase user adoption. When seeking new accounting software, request a demo and discover the Flexi difference.

As businesses evolve and grow, so do their software needs. Accountants are often the driving force behind financial technology upgrades, as they rely heavily on software to manage financial data and streamline their workflows. However, convincing decision makers to invest in new software can be challenging. In this blog post, we’ll explore some tips for building a compelling internal business case to buy new accounting software.

1) Identify Pain Points

The first step in building a business case for new software is to identify pain points that can be addressed by the new system. This could include issues like slow processing times, manual data entry, or difficulty accessing data. Once those pain points have been clearly defined, you can then begin identifying how your new accounting software will solve each of those problems.

By creating a “before and after” picture of the business processes – including the vast improvements expected in time savings, accuracy – accountants can make a more compelling case for the need for new software. Some helpful statistics can be found in our eBook, Accounting Automation and AI.

2) Quantify the Cost of Inaction

A very real, yet overlooked cost is the cost of inaction. In other words, what is the cost to your organization of doing nothing? This could include lost productivity, increased risk of errors, falling behind competition, or other missed opportunities.

One such hidden cost is the inability to recruit top talent. Outdated technology results in a lack of automation, which in turn creates highly manual, mundane processes for accounting – a big step backwards that forward-thinking financial talent is not willing to take. This topic is addressed in more detail in this blog post.

By putting a dollar value on these costs, accountants can make a more compelling case for the need for new software.

3) Research Options

Before making a case for a specific software solution, it is important to research and compare available options. This can involve talking with vendors, reading reviews, and downloading case studies and product brochures.

Software companies understand the need for research, and typically publish enough content on their websites to allow buyers to self-identify a potential fit. Once your needs are aligned with the few selected software options, it is time to demo the software. As an example, Flexi takes a consultative approach to the sales cycle and welcomes the opportunity to help you through your decision-making process, including a no-obligation request a demo option.

By understanding the options, accountants can make a more informed case for the best software solution for their needs.

4) Build a Business Case

Once pain points have been identified, costs have been quantified, and options have been researched, it’s time to bring all the pieces above together to build a strong business case. Included in this business case should be a clear explanation of the problem, the benefits of the proposed software solution, and a cost-benefit analysis.

With the intelligence gathering conducted in the research stage, the business case should also include a clear implementation plan and timeline, along with an explanation of how the new software will be integrated into existing workflows.

5) Gain Buy-In from Stakeholders

To successfully implement new software, it is important to gain buy-in from all stakeholders. This can include executives, IT staff, and other departments that will be affected by the new software. By clearly explaining the benefits of the new software and addressing any concerns or objections, accountants can gain buy-in and support for the proposed solution.

Although we have included gaining buy-in from stakeholders as our last point, it is advisable to begin securing initial support upfront. While this does not guarantee success, it does tell you whether the final approvers will consider a change. The rest is up to you, and the compelling case that you build.

In conclusion, building a compelling internal business case for new software requires careful research, quantification of costs, and a clear explanation of the benefits of the proposed solution. By following these steps and gaining buy-in from stakeholders, accountants can successfully implement new software and improve their workflows and productivity.

If new accounting software is on the horizon for your organization, we invite you to request a demo and discover the Flexi difference.