Two questions always come up when choosing business software: where will it run, and how will it be used? We compare the pros and cons of each option and who it suits.
When choosing business management software, two questions come before any screen or module: Where will it run? In the cloud or on the company's own server? And how will it be used? In the browser or as a desktop application installed on the computer? Neither question has a single right answer; it depends on how the business works. Below we compare the strengths and weaknesses of each option and who it suits.
Cloud or your own server?
| Cloud | Your own server | |
|---|---|---|
| Getting started | Start without buying a server or waiting for installation. | Requires server hardware and installation. |
| Where the data lives | In the provider's data centre. | On your company's own network. |
| Server maintenance and backup | You don't have to manage a server. | Hardware, backup and security are your responsibility. |
| Remote access | From anywhere with internet. | Depends on your network setup. |
| Who it suits | Businesses that want to start quickly and have no IT team. | Organisations that want, or are required, to keep data on their own infrastructure. |
Choosing your own server increases control but also hands you the responsibility. Backing up, updating and protecting the server becomes your company's job. That is why organisations that choose their own server need a backup and security plan from day one.
Our business management software runs both ways: in the cloud or on your own server. When it runs on your own server, the database stays on your network; an internet connection is needed for licence verification at first installation and at regular intervals afterwards.
Web or desktop?
Here, too, the choice doesn't have to be one or the other. Each way of working has different strengths:
Where the desktop application shines
- Heavy data entry: fast keyboard navigation, shortcuts and smooth work in large tables.
- Large lists and reports: working with thousands of rows and preparing reports.
- Side-by-side work: opening several records at once in separate windows.
Where the web shines
- No installation: sign in from the browser.
- Access from anywhere: in the field, on the road, from your phone.
- Updates: no need to install anything on each user's computer.
Desktop for heavy work in the office; web in the field and on the road.
In our software, the web and desktop applications connect to the same database; a record entered in one appears in the other. The user account is the same too: an employee works from the desktop in the office and from the browser in the field with the same user.
Questions to ask before deciding
- Is there a rule or a customer requirement that you keep your data on your own infrastructure?
- Do you have an IT team or service provider to look after servers, backup and security?
- Does your team mostly work in the office or in the field?
- How much of the daily work is heavy data entry and reporting?
The answers largely show which setup and which way of working suit you. For many businesses, using both together is the most practical solution.