Cloud-based invoice solutions are used so businesses and customers can safely and quickly send and receive payments without the lag and risk of a manual invoice. It’s a method of simplifying the ways businesses handle sales, generate invoices and track their movement.
The following list provides a range of benefits provided by cloud-based invoice systems that are allowing companies to shift their IT operations to the cloud.
1. Security
Invoices that are not handled properly are vulnerable for a myriad of reasons, as was made evident in a recent case in which $100 million was stolen from fake invoices sent to google and Facebook.
Manual processes are one of security’s largest culprits creating critical paths to errors and mistakes. The main way to reduce such errors is by switching to a system that uses full automation. Automation streamlines a process, reducing the number of channels sensitive information needs to pass through – the fewer people with access to sensitive data, the fewer opportunities for breaches and hacks.
The cloud also creates segmentation between computing and storage. This separation builds a barrier that reduces the risk of data being compromised even if a hacker can breach the system. Segmentation also limits the number of people with access to certain data, keeping sensitive information to only those who need it.
But having an automated structure is not enough. If a company has not created a secure channel for the transferring of data, then vulnerabilities will still exist. That’s why cloud-based encryption is the safest method for mitigating breaches. These encrypted channels are so much more secure than we are seeing other company processes such as payroll moving to the cloud.
2. Speed
Time is everyone’s greatest resource and making sure it’s not wasted should always be a top priority. Paperwork is tedious, manual processes are time-consuming, and the amount of time it takes to type up information is only exceeded by the time it takes to then find it. With daily tasks constantly piling up, the capability to remove hours of invoicing creates opportunities to focus your attention elsewhere. Thankfully automation can eliminate all of these inefficiencies and creating invoice efficiency is as simple as moving to the cloud.
The cloud also makes information much more readily available, allowing for customer and product information to be easily accessible. Instant access makes for a much simpler and rapid transaction of invoices – no more wasted time spent searching for the correct invoice to send out. Sending invoices has never been faster or more secure than it is now.
3. Simplicity
Ease of invoicing through the cloud is done by various tools specifically designed to simplify the process. It maintains organization, sets reminders, consolidates a company’s documents, allows instant viewing, and creates sorting and tracking of invoices. And all of this can be done quickly and from anywhere. Companies are global and having the freedom to complete tasks from any location is a requirement today. Remote employees and distributed teams are becoming more common every day and invoicing must be available from anywhere.
Not only does the cloud make it easier to create and send invoices but it also makes the process simpler for the clients to pay them. With a single click, payments can be made, tracked and recorded with the knowledge that it was all done securely. That means ease of use and ease of mind.
4. Cost
One of the main considerations, when changing systems or making an internal switch at a company, is how it will affect the budget. That’s why finding an effective solution that also reduces company costs or increases income is so beneficial.
The first and most obvious cost that is cut by moving to the cloud is the removal of paper, ink, postage, and all other supplies that are required for manual processes. And going paperless always cuts costs, but it’s the time not wasted that saves the most. This is achieved by minimizing steps and reducing setbacks from costly manual mistakes – human error is bound to happen, so it’s best to switch to a cloud-based system before it transpires.
Productivity is also key to cutting costs and earning more. The more time allotted for strategic projects or business ventures means more money coming in and less going out. The cloud makes this possible by allowing users to access information and send a payment invoice quickly, and that saves time.
Moving to the cloud also reduces cost by removing the need for in house servers. Instead of massive IT investments, invoices can now be handled securely through expert software for a low price.
5. Automation
Automation is the driving force behind security, speed, simplicity, and cost. It is the process that guarantees safety by minimizing human errors creates ease for clients to boost functionality and productivity, and it does it all fast. That’s because it can turn all the most complex processes into simple and manageable solutions. What was once a tedious manual task has become as simple as clicking a button.
Conclusion
Cloud invoicing makes running your business a much easier journey. It gives you an easier way to charge your clients, it delivers a simpler way for your customers to make a payment, and lets you deal with multiple tasks simultaneously. It is also a great instrument for keeping track of your client base.
It is important to understand how cloud-based invoicing helps simplify the whole process of billing because it provides a much safer way of storing sensitive data and saves more time and money by automating various manual tasks.
So, whether you want to make payments fast, create custom templates, track transaction histories, or simply have the peace of mind that your payments will be secure, a cloud-based invoicing system is your best choice.