4 must-ask questions before buying new accounting software

Before you even start to narrow the field of software vendors, be sure you’ve covered these bases.

Most companies may not be looking to drop a small fortune on new accounting software right about now. But when you need a new program, you need a new program.

And because times are tight, it’s more crucial than ever that the right legwork gets done before you start looking at the different packages out there.

These four questions, suggested by Sage Software, can set you up for success:

1. Which manual tasks could we automate? Repetitive manual tasks not only suck up staffers’ time but leave your process vulnerable to costly errors.  If you’re still heavily manual, start prioritizing which tasks would give you the biggest benefits by being automated.
2. Where do we make the most errors now? Certain parts of your accounting cycle are probably hitting more snags than others. Observe your cycle in real time – where are staffers getting derailed? Could be a clue where automation can help.
3. Where are those errors hurting our organization? Is Sales letting some customers go too far out because they don’t have accurate customer account info?  Is Payroll spending a lot of time making paycheck adjustments due to overtime miscalculations? Think about how current system glitches impact inside Finance, inside your company and outside your four walls.
4. What info do people want but aren’t currently getting? You’ll probably want to do a little surveying here. Include anyone who receives data from Finance. Hint: Don’t just ask what they want but don’t have – see if there’s anything they’re getting but don’t need or use. May give you a chance to tighten up or even eliminate some reports that have outlived their usefulness!