Cloud dominates Softworld

Clouds gathered at the latest Softworld Accounting and Finance exhibition, but there was more silver lining than doom and gloom.

The big topic of discussion was cloud computing. What is it? What does it mean for an FD of a business struggling to make ends meet? Is it the future, and will it drive businesses forward?

A roundtable involving some of the UK’s pre-eminent software industry experts on finance and accounting technology met to discuss the issues at hand.

Be sure of what you are signing up to when it comes to cloud computing, was one of the main themes from the exchange.

Changing online technology is seen as the way to the future, but users have to be sure before they consider implementation as this is a “new technology”, said David Turner, Coda group marketing director.

“The reality is that this is a new type of technology and we will obviously try to make it easier, but the reality is it is completely new technology”.

Bryan Richter, UK manager at Mamut, warned: “Make sure you know what you are signing up for.

“Not all cloud providers are created equally.”

Turner said that, while online accountancy software currently accounts for less than 5% of the “on-premise” market, it is growing.

Toby Davidson, director of professional services at NetSuite, the online software provider, said there were three main categories cloud computing can offer that on-premise can’t ­ flexibility, reduced costs and the ability to manage and make the most from their business.

Richter advised that a company has to look at the functionality of a cloud product before purchase.

He added: “Buy software on functionality not architecture.

“If it is available in the cloud then great, but don’t just buy software [because it] is in the cloud.”

Roundtable chair and ICAEW IT faculty head Richard Anning said: “I was amazed at the interest shown in our panel debate on cloud issues; it was literally standing room only, which is an increasingly rare site these days. It shows that cloud computing is increasingly moving mainstream.”

The panel included Toby Davidson, director of professional services at NetSuite; Tim Knight, senior director of salesforce.com; David Turner, group marketing director of CODA; and was chaired by ICAEW IT faculty head Richard Anning.