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In addition, our recent round of investment financing provides us with additional resource to expand our service and to reinforce our position as the leading Sage Authorised Application Service Partner.
Finally, may I remind all Champagne lovers among our bureaux that the Upgrade Conversion Challenge is still running. We are continually impressed by the success of a number of our Online<>50 accounting partners. Keep up the good work and the fizz that's on ice will be yours!
Online<>50 Opens Second Datacentre
In our last newsletter we announced the opening of our Second Data Centre and promised more on the underlying technology and architecture of the solution. Additional capacity has been installed to enable greater security for your data, but also to provide the basis to expand the range and scale of services that we offer.
Our equipment is housed in tier one, purpose built, secure facilities with backup power supplies, sensitive smoke detection and fire prevention systems in place. No one has access to our servers without the correct clearance and without passing through rigorous security checks, including biometric and visual identity confirmation. The two data centres are some 7 miles apart to ensure continuity in the event of a disaster affecting one of them.
Within this shared environment our equipment is locked in reinforced steel cages. You can be confident that the infrastructure supporting the Online<>50 service is secure and will enable optimum performance levels and accessibility.
In the second data centre we have now installed:
- 15 servers
- 5 Terrabyte (TB) backup library
- 3.5 Terrabyte Fibre Channel Storage Area Network
We have a direct connection between the two sites allowing users to access the service in either site. At present the storage is configured with the original data centre as the primary (master) set of data and the second site updating changed files periodically. For users running higher end systems on a database server (rather than on a file based database) we are able to configure real time updates between sites to ensure availability of data.
With our market leading infrastructure we are able to provide the most advanced, scalable and resilient support for our users' business needs. We cannot guarantee what may happen in the future, but we can prepare to provide an advanced and scaleable solution that will support our clients' needs now and into the future.
Think Online<>50 for Upgrades
Keeping the accounting software that you and your clients use up-to-date can have significant benefits. Not only do you get the latest features and developments, but you also ensure maximum efficiency of data exchange between you and your clients. But when you next discuss accounting software requirements with your clients, or suggest an upgrade, you now need to consider the application service (ASP) option as well. Moving to Online<>50 includes all future upgrades, is payable monthly, and offers a number of additional benefits that may make it a better long-term solution for some of your clients.
Since we launched Online<>50 in October 2003, one of the most common frustrations voiced by accountants is that clients don't always upgrade their accounting software, and are consequently always on a different version to the practice. To cope with this, some practices set up dedicated workstations for particular previous versions, but clearly this comes at a cost in terms of equipment, office space and support. There is also the inconvenience of having to email and restore back-ups, with your client unable to work while you, as their accountant, have the 'Master File.' Alternatively you may have to travel to your client's premises to conduct relatively routine tasks that could easily be done remotely. In many instances this may be only a minor inconvenience for the individual client, but when magnified within a practice across a portfolio of clients this becomes a significant inefficiency with an 'opportunity' cost.
In a market where small businesses are increasingly looking to outsource accounting related functions, while retaining control of key processes and above all access to their data, there is much improvement to be made in terms of the delivery of remote business support services.
And as accountants keen to shift away from compliance work to higher value and ongoing advisory services, you will need greater 'hassle-free' access to your clients' data in order to support them and keep their accounts up to date, but without restricting their own access in any way.
The Online<>50 application service provides the solution to all these requirements. It gives you, as accountants, the infrastructure and common software application that enables the more efficient and flexible delivery of outsourced services. As an Online<>50 provider, you will be clearly differentiated from your competitors. Your service will be more proactive, and will include software and annual upgrades for your clients in a single scaleable 'pay monthly' package. Your clients will also be able to retain control of their data by taking back-ups of standard data files to their local machine or network.
In short, the availability of a single real-time accounting system, fully licensed, including upgrades, accessible from any location and available around the clock, has made all other forms of data transfer redundant. For the proactive accountant wanting to get closer to his clients, and the business owner wanting to focus on growing his business, the marginal cost of a hosted service is small compared to the 'opportunity cost' of the inefficiencies in current industry practice. So, if you are still thinking of upgrading your clients' accounting software, think Online<>50, as it may well be the upgrade that you both need.
Online<>50 Bureau Licence
Any practice or sole practitioner requiring flexible access to a 'bureau' version of Sage Line 50 should consider the Online<>50 hosted bureau licence. You pay a monthly licence fee for access to unlimited companies so there is no need for significant capital outlay. The monthly hosting fee provides a fully managed and supported technical infrastructure.
Online<>50 'bureau' gives practice users increased flexibility, including the ability to input data remotely from another location without limiting concurrent access within the practice. And of course it is a simple matter to extend access to the client as and when required by licensing them for the Online<>50 service.
By running a bureau (or proportion of a bureau's client base) on the Online<>50 service, accountants can adopt more flexible and cost efficient working practices without the need to support their own IT infrastructure.
