Keeping Your Business In the Cloud

It definitely feels like we are hearing more and more about businesses keeping their data “in the cloud.” From home offices to complex databases with thousands or even millions of lines of data about a company’s inventory, it seems like “the cloud” is much more manageable than ever before. Accessible through an Internet connection on smartphones, tablets, and laptops, as well as desktop computers, cloud-based inventory apps are quickly making their mark on businesses who have an investment into the assets and inventory that make their company work.

Businesses are moving to cloud asset tracking software because the model just makes sense. Think about it-- most assets are spread out within a building, perhaps among multiple locations or even around the world.  In order to keep up with all of these items, businesses need an easy-to-use and management tool that goes where ever their employees go and where ever their assets are located. Employees don’t have time to worry about installing software and maintaining hardware to support it.  They just want to know where their assets are, who had what, and what condition assets are in.

What is “the cloud”

Let’s just do a quick recap of what “the cloud” actually is. The cloud is a network of servers that have different functions such as running applications, storing data or delivering a service. Companies typically utilize cloud-based computing as a way to increase capacity, enhance functionality or add additional services on demand without having to commit to potentially expensive infrastructure costs or increase/train existing in-house support staff.

What are cloud-based inventory apps?

A cloud-based asset management or tracking solution is a piece of software and coordinating apps which use encryption to store, process, and access data online. Cloud-based asset management software is more accessible because unlike local storage solutions where users must access their data from a specific location or hard drive, a cloud-based solution means data can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection. And unlike manual tracking methods like spreadsheets, a cloud-based solution is often faster and easier-to-use, which means money and time saved across a company.

Cloud-based inventory apps also tend to be more up-to-date and flexible. By running an online asset tracking platform, the platform’s developers are able to deploy enhancements on a frequent basis, which means users see updates immediately instead of needing to manually update a program across multiple devices. Cloud-based solutions also tend to integrate well with other applications, or, more often than not, a business can work with the cloud-based asset software’s developer team to request new integrations and features.

Other benefits to a cloud-based inventory app

In a cloud-based model, support is much better and affordable. Bug fixes are updated across the platform instantly. A good cloud software company is proactive with support and will in many cases know you have an issue before you know. And what’s important for so many companies … from a financial standpoint, the cost of using a cloud-based app is much lower than traditional models.

What does your business risk not using cloud-based inventory apps?

Still not convinced? While keeping track of important data and assets locally might seem like a safer route to you than storing information in the cloud, this method opens up businesses to many undesirable problems. Consider these very basic issues which can occur when not using a cloud-based asset management solution:

• Data loss
• Financial deficits
• Inaccessible systems
• Reduced productivity/efficiency

Managing assets and data in the cloud is the best solution possible when your primary concerns are the efficiency of your business processes and the safety and security of your data. Because of this, and if you’re considering cloud-based inventory apps for your business, Asset Panda can help you make the transition to the cloud.

Our easy-to-use system can integrate with any previous help desk software you might already use and incorporates some of the most top-level servers in the world to encrypt and safely store your information. Asset Panda is also fully customizable and flexible; for example, you can set role-based security access and configuration for specific users, and even scan asset barcodes with our mobile app.

Cloud-based inventory apps are becoming more prevalent and changing the ways business track and manage inventory for the better. If your employees would rather use a highly intuitive app than a software system they would need the training to use, then maybe it’s time to consider Asset Panda.

Want to learn more? See how MLB’s Seattle Mariners utilized Asset Panda to track their valuable inventory items:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XQZvxiodWs