Moving to a new accounting system is a critical task! If you’re one of the potentially thousands of companies affected by this change, you’d be well-advised not to wait any longer. Accounting software is the backbone of your business systems, and it will take time to properly evaluate and select a replacement and manage the migration process. Make sure you factor in budget not just for the software itself, but also for any required consulting support in managing the setup and migration.

A good place to start is by looking at our accounting software directory – this will help you understand some of the options available. If you have  a budget of £3000 or more, then it’s worth considering our free Get A Shortlist service. We’ll talk to you about your requirements on the phone, and can match you up with a shortlist of 2-3 vendors that are well suited to your business needs. For smaller budgets, our review pack and online comparisons provides a good overview of suitable options.

“Research into high growth businesses has shown that they typically spend more on selling than marketing, focus on creating excellent customer experiences and generate a significant part of their new sales through referrals. (…) The lesson here is obvious – to what extent are you working your current customer base and what is the untapped potential under your nose?”

He also points out the important role of relevant technologies – e.g. customer relationship management (CRM) software, sales force automation, lead tracking systems, etc – in enabling you to grow revenues and achieve long term success:

“A focused approach to revenue generation which examines systems and processes in marketing and sales will almost certainly uncover areas where improvements can be made. Many smaller businesses simply do not take advantage of the productivity tools now available for sales force management, customer relations management, or lead tracking, yet significant increases in sales force productivity can be gained with the application of technology.”

If you’re looking to maximise the growth prospects of your business, check out the many available solutions in our CRM directory. You’ll quickly get a sense of what’s available on the market – there’s no shortage of choice, that’s for sure! When you’re ready to narrow down your options to a relevant shortlist, why not submit your CRM requirements via our Get A Shortlist service? We’ll call you to discuss your needs and then match you up with 3 relevant providers. It’s a convenient and free service.

There are various names for this type of software (as is often the way in the IT sector!). Accountants or lawyers often refer to it as practice management software, while consulting and IT firms are more likely to call it professional services automation (or PSA for short). Whatever you call it, it typically includes modules for tracking time on projects, billing clients, and managing client relationships.

To help you start your search on the right foot, we’ve just launched a software directory for practice management and professional services automation (PSA).

If you’re finding the search a bit overwhelming, feel free to call on our Get A Shortlist service. It’s a convenient, free service where we look at your requirements, and connect you with relevant software vendors to continue the discussion.

Defining what LMS means

Our Definition of Learning Management System

A learning management system (LMS) is a software application for the administration, documentation, tracking, and reporting of training programs, classroom and online events, e-learning programs, and training content. This software is primarily focused on the administration aspects of training such as user registration, learning resource scheduling, and learner performance analyzing and reporting. Learning Management Systems also typically house the learning content such as videos, presentations, worksheets, instructions, scenarios, and other activities. Learning Management Systems can be used to facilitate technology-based training, instructor-led training, or any hybrid or combination thereof.

What is not in our definition of Learning Management Systems?

Learning management is not an enterprise knowledge system, help documentation authoring tool, or video screen capture tool; although it can usually be integrated with and supported by other such tools. Typically, course developers develop learning materials and content outside of the learning management system with separate tools and then upload materials into the LMS for management, administration, and access by stakeholders.

Choosing the List of LMS Solutions to Review

Our expert reviewer Stephanie has conducted her own initial screen and identified 19 that she believes are worth progressing to the full review stage. So we’d like to get your input to help us make the final selection. Below is the medium list of 19 LMS solutions: if you believe strongly that any particular ones should be included in the final review list, now’s your chance to say so. Also, if there are any that should be on this list (in your opinion) and aren’t there … speak up now!

Full List of LMS

See our Learning Management Software Directory for the full list of solutions that have been considered for review. If others should be added, let us know.

Draft List

The draft list of LMS solutions being considered for full review is as follows:

Have Your Say

Please note that the final decision on which solutions are reviewed will be made by Stephanie. This is not a popularity contest as such, but rather a chance for some community input to guide her decision-making. Well reasoned comments are more likely to influence than simple assertions that “X is best”.  Quality remarks will outweigh  quantity.

Add a comment below if you have a view on which LMS should be included in the reviews.

It’s a great opportunity ahead of you but it also presents some risks and pitfalls that need watching.  The search process itself can also be a big hidden cost. Here are a few things you should be aware of before you jump into the process…

Deciding on software for small business

1. Owners or partners of a small business often delegate the software selection process to employees they see as more technically-savvy or more organised than most. Your job is to present a shortlist of recommended options, to help them make the final decision. Think of the task as a vote of confidence in you.
2. Employees made responsible for software selection often feel overwhelmed and unsure where to begin. There are so many products available, and you may not have been through a process like this before. That’s normal.
3. A sense of personal risk is often involved – this is a chance to prove yourself but conversely you don’t want to make a recommendation that backfires on you. You don’t want to be “that guy” who suggested buying the software everyone hates.
4. Research shows that owners of a business choose software differently than managers. [ref 1] For instance, managers often think the price and popularity of a package are critical … but business owners rate those amongst the least important! Research suggests owners tend to be more strategic, considering more factors and weighing them differently than managers do when evaluating software.

What does this mean for you?

Firstly, it means you should take the task seriously because the owners of the business certainly will.

You should also look for ways to educate yourself about good software selection practices and involve outside experts or information sources if possible. Adhering to a solid process gives the owner confidence, and can help you manage the many stakeholders involved.

You should also discuss what the important factors are with your boss and other stakeholders, and ensure that you are transparent in how you arrived at your recommendations. This focuses the discussion on the evaluation process (not just the end outcome) and not only does it help you choose software more intelligently, it also protects you from any perceived personal risk.

How Software Shortlist can help

Software Shortlist provides a “shortlist + compare” tool that can help you recommend software for your business. It steps you through a more robust software evaluation process than small businesses typically use, but it is still simple and easy to use for non-IT experts.

Software Shortlist also gives you the flexibility to adjust the weighting of different factors (e.g. price, ease of use, scalability). So if your boss turns out to have a different view on priorities you can easily adjust your shortlist accordingly. Plus, we’ve screened out products that aren’t up to scratch and have conducted independent reviews on each software product included in the comparison service. User reviews are available too to give you an additional, external perspective.

Go find that software

I hope this post helps you understand a bit more about the challenge and opportunity ahead of you in choosing software for your small business.

Why not let us know how it goes, and share your thoughts or experiences below so others can benefit too?

[ref 1]: P.Y.K Chau “Factors use in the selection of packaged software in small businesses: Views of owners and managers,”Information & Management 29 (1995) 71-78

This increase in uptake has come about through a strong need for service providers to raise awareness of their specialist expertise and to generate qualified leads. Currently there are very few options available to assist SME customers in finding the most competent IT service providers for thier specific needs. And, conversely, there are very few options available to IT service providers who would like to make easy direct contact with interested SME customers.

In response to this demand, Software Shortlist has now signed up service providers across a number of competences. This includes CRM software, ERP software, Accounting packages, BI software and the like. Software products are now listed on our website from across all of these areas.  This list was included in one of our recent News Postings.

If you know of any IT consulting organisation that may be interested in profiling themselves, to generate much needed contacts and leads, please let them know about our Service Provider Listing options.

Don’t make them wait until their competitors have already gained the upper hand!

If you have software to promote, head over to our software directory and check out the benefits of upgrading your listing today. It’s never been more affordable.

We are also building up a directory of service providers and consultants who help install, customise and support particular software packages. Given the early stages of this offering, introductory pricing has been set at a very low setup fee plus only $1 per click-through. Compared to buying keywords, this represents exceptional value given the more targeted nature of the Software Shortlist audience. See this example profile. Qualified leads for prospective customers will also be available to purchase.