5 Reasons Why OKC CPAs Should Move to the Cloud

Is your CPA firm looking to move to the Cloud?

If you’re a senior partner or a top executive in an OKC CPA firm, you’ve probably thought a lot about the Cloud lately. You’re not alone. More and more CPA partners and executives in Oklahoma City are evaluating the power of this technology. Many of them have decided to move to it.

Migrating to the Cloud makes sense for CPA firms regardless of their size. Put simply, it can help CPA firms contain IT costs, improve quality, and increase customer service. So while migrating software applications and file storage sometimes has its challenges, it’s an option that most accounting firms in our area should consider.

Since every accounting firm is different, the specific reasons for moving to the Cloud will be different for each firm. But the ones below are among everyone’s reasons for moving:

1. Boosts scalability — Migrating to the Cloud can help you run a lean ship. That’s because the technology allows you to add IT resources on demand. You can add servers or software when you need them and discard them when you’re done with them. And you can do it quickly, easily, and cost-effectively.
2. Improves customer service — In addition to accessing IT resources on demand, the Cloud helps you improve service to your clients. For example, you can take advantage of sophisticated versions of software applications, like tax packages and accounting programs, for a lot less than you'd pay if you  bought the applications off the shelf and ran them on your own servers. Modernizing applications in turn almost always improves customer service and quality.
3. Improves efficiency and productivity — The Cloud provides employees access to live real-time financial data anywhere and anytime with just an Internet connection. Employees no longer have to transfer data from one computer to another, manually input the data themselves, or have to wait for someone to input the data for them. Put simply, the Cloud provides instant access to the data 24/7, letting employees get more done in less time, regardless of location. (This is great for staff accountants that spend days or weeks on site at your clients’ offices.)
4. Reduces IT costs — No matter how you look at it, the Cloud reduces IT costs. By migrating to SaaS (software as a service) applications, you’ll largely eliminate – or at least dramatically reduce – the need to add costly hardware or software. Because cloud-based SaaS tools are updated automatically and regularly, you also won’t have to worry about updating Cloud-based software applications. That means you’ll have fewer resources to maintain and fewer IT people you’ll need in the department.
5. Mobilizes workforce — The Cloud allows CPA firms to enjoy all the benefits that mobility offers. With the Cloud, for example, your employees can have instant access to up-to-date records and information, as long as there’s a way to connect to the Internet. This not only boosts collaboration between employees, it also helps level the playing field somewhat for smaller CPA firms.

Bottom Line

The bottom line here is simple. It makes sense to move to the Cloud. It cuts costs, mobilizes your workforce, and improves productivity and efficiency. More important, it helps accounting firms in Oklahoma City remain competitive.

So whether you're a new CPA firm with a few employees, a young fast-growing CPA business with dozens of employees, or an established CPA powerhouse with hundreds of employees, you and your firm can benefit from moving to the Cloud.

Just make sure that you carefully check out the security measures of any cloud service providers (CSPs) that you use.

 

Has your CPA firm benefitted from a move to the Cloud? Tell us about it in the Comments section below.

And to follow up on the tips introduced in this article, be sure to download your free Information Technology Guide for Oklahoma City CPAs.