Many accountants and financial planners have been aware of the cloud for years, but have been hesitant to embrace the technology because it seemed advanced and mysterious. For these apprehensive finance pros, sitting on the sidelines is no longer a viable option. Every day they run outdated budgeting software solutions is more of an opportunity for a competing firm using advanced technology to take a larger share of the market. Although there will be a learning curve to the cloud, adopting the technology and integrating it into a system can make the budgeting and accounting process that much easier and more efficient.

Take on the fears head-on

Some accountants remain reluctant to transition to cloud-based budgeting software because of whispers they've heard on the web casting a shadow on the cloud's security. These professionals are doing themselves a disservice. The cloud is no longer in its infancy, it's a vetted solution that has proven to increase efficiency and flexibility. After accountants and financial planners find a cloud solution that shows them these benefits first-hand, their fears about the transition will subside. This change of heart doesn't typically take very long, either.

In today's fast-paced world, using the cloud has become the norm because it allows financial planners and accountants to host their budgeting and forecasting software on the web, which allows users to share software with their clients and access data from any internet-connected device. It's hard to put a price tag on that type of flexibility.     

Get everyone to buy in

The sooner accountants and financial planners realize the benefits of the cloud, the better they will be able to cater to the needs of their clients. By hosting accounting services in the cloud, accountants and their clients will both have access to their financial records, which increases collaboration between the two parties. This type of open and transparent collaboration was not possible before, and can be a major selling point when trying to attract new clients. 

Find the best solution

Accountant and financial planners need to be smart when making the transition to the cloud. There are several paid services that can offer a wide range of benefits, but there are other cloud services that are free that can also meet the needs of their users. It all depends on the type of service a financial planner is looking to obtain. Some businesses opt to split their cloud services by hosting their email and documents in a free service, then purchasing budgeting and forecasting software from a different provider. Although the free budgeting options, such as online spreadsheets, can be beneficial for budgeting beginners, professionals will likely need to look for affordable software that is easy to use.

Taking a shortcut when it comes to adopting a cloud-based budgeting solution can lead to problems down the road, so it's important for accountants and financial planners to research the market carefully and find an option that really fits their specific needs.

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