Despite its growth, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) is still misunderstood by a surprising number of IT and business decision makers

The notion that SaaS is a peripheral trend is no longer true. SaaS is becoming a mainstream movement and uptake for SaaS applications is growing year on year.

Another misconception is that SaaS offers just one type of application. In fact, SaaS tools vary in form and function as much as the overall assortment of software available today, such as CRM, Accounting, Procurement, HR and Finance.

Users can also configure a growing number of SaaS applications to meet their individual needs.

It is often thought that SaaS just offers skinnier versions of more sophisticated applications. There’s no question that most SaaS applications have succeeded because they are simpler to deploy, use and maintain than inhouse applications are. But that doesn’t mean users are sacrificing functionality when they move to SaaS offerings.

Organisations often fear SaaS is less reliable and less secure than on-premises applications. Although downtime or outages can occur those incidents don’t happen very often, and they don’t last as long as many enterprise outages. SaaS providers will adhere to a strict SLA.

There hasn’t been a major compromise of a SaaS operation reported yet, even as we continue to read regular accounts of security breaches in traditional IT environments.

It is also often thought IT professionals are uniformly opposed to SaaS. While some might worry that SaaS is too risky or could threaten their livelihoods, the number of people who feel that way is dropping. More IT professionals are recognising that SaaS not only rids them of the day-to-day hassles of traditional software, but also that a new generation of SaaS-based IT management software can actually help them better manage their own IT operations.

While myths about SaaS linger, the realities are quickly overtaking them.

Claritum has been delivering its print procurement software as an online service for over 6 years and so have the experience and knowledge of how SaaS works and how it doesn’t.

There is a new revolution underway as the software world gives way to Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). Many SaaS providers are now taking their place at the forefront of enterprise computing.

SaaS, in its infancy represented mostly a small/medium sized business opportunity. Over the past few years SaaS vendors have evolved to service more complex enterprise customers.

Software-as-a-service (SaaS) means just that. You pay for what you use, without the big upfront investment which on premise software requires. Most vendors, including Claritum, offer pay as you go pricing models that have low start-up costs, so return on investment can be greater and payback faster.

Software-as-a-service can be delivered to thousands of users and multiple locations at minimal incremental cost.

Increasingly business applications such as CRM, HR and procurement are being delivered this way.

Claritum has been delivering its print procurement software as an online service for over 6 years and so have the experience and knowledge of how SaaS works and how it doesn’t.

For most business users IT is a needless hassle. It is complex and expensive to specify, purchase, install, maintain and the IT department are just too overloaded to keep up.

So why not have your applications delivered as easily and as reliably as your electricity? Software-as-a-service (SaaS) means just that. You pay for what you use, without the big upfront investment which on premise software requires.

This means you’re not trying to get large capex approvals from under pressure senior management, you’re up, running and seeing a benefit faster. SaaS doesn’t require any more hardware or software than a recent browser and so the IT guys don’t need to worry or get too involved.

Increasingly business applications such as CRM and HR are being delivered this way. Claritum has been delivering its print procurement software as an online service for over 6 years - so we know how it works (and how it doesn’t).