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Leverage The Power Of SaaS Integration

Posted on May 8, 2023 by Epic IT Automations

Gone are the days when software platforms were limited to the devices they were installed into, strictly required an on-premise use for the employees to operate on the same. These were the software solutions that bound users to a specific device or location to avail of their functionality.

Over time, the need for flexibility has increased and employees wanted to break free from the pattern of working from a single dedicated device and location all day. Also, owing to an increase in the amount of data managed by organizations daily, the traditional software platforms often limited the storing and accessing of datasets by the users.

This issue was resolved with the advent of SaaS integrations.

What Is SaaS Integration?

SaaS stands for software as a service. As the name suggests, SaaS involves a dedicated service provider developing an application that can be implemented within your organization, according to your specific needs and preferences.

Integration into a SaaS application involves installing a software platform to serve specific purposes and achieving specific organizational goals. Whether you are willing to integrate a CRM platform to manage your customer database, an online collaborative platform to set up a virtual workspace, or a business analytics platform to make better sense of your datasets, SaaS integration helps you avail of the services that a dedicated local or global developer is willing to provide.

Advantages Of SaaS Integration

A Cloud Based Approach

SaaS integration often comes hand-in-hand with cloud management services. As opposed to traditional software development that restricted the use of applications to a great extent, SaaS integration involves setting up cloud-based platforms that are highly flexible and customizable.

With seamless cloud computing web services, you can get a software platform implemented that can be accessed by your employees from any location and at any time. All they need are their login credentials and an internet connection. This helps you and your team to keep everyone on the same page and make necessary updates in real-time.

Increased Transparency

SaaS integration helps you get rid of the rigid nature of traditional software platforms and increases transparency in the processes carried out.

Unless a user is restricted to access specific tools or records, each of your team member can have a look at the progress your company has been making, access important reports, and obtain valuable insights that help make them work better.

Seamless Upgrades

As mentioned earlier, SaaS applications are highly flexible and customizable. In 2021, technological advancements are rapid and an organization needs to be in sync with the latest trends to stay relevant.

SaaS integration allows you to upgrade to a newer edition of a software platform without having to go through tedious and time-consuming programming. A few simple clicks would provide you with upgraded tools and new editions to scale up your business processes.

Importance Of SaaS Integration for SMBs

Cost-Effective Solutions

Cost is always one of the primary factors influencing the decisions made by small and medium enterprises. Through SaaS integration, you can save up on the cost of heavy installation. As opposed to traditional software development, SaaS integration does not involve on-premise installation or infrastructure required for the same.

Moreover, you can reduce the costs involved in carrying our regular checkups, audits, and upgrades as it does not require you to spend money on hardware resources.

Also, several SaaS platforms come with a “pay-as-you-go” model. This allows you to spend money only on the tools you use instead of paying for the entire package at once.

Saving Time

Implementing a SaaS platform takes considerably less time as compared to setting up an on-premise software platform. All you need to do is go to the dedicated platform’s official website, register yourself as a user, pay for the package you are willing to install and start using it right away.

Even if you are willing to implement a personalized SaaS application within your organization, it does not take much time for the developers to make the necessary customizations and go live with the services.

Mobile Customizations

Not every employee working in a small business has access to a desktop or a laptop. In such cases, they can easily log into a SaaS application on their mobile phones or tablets and carry on with their work on the go.

Guarantee Of Service And Data Backup

Most traditional software platforms do not provide a complete guarantee of service and can crash if faced with unexpected circumstances. On the other hand, most SaaS applications provide users with a guarantee that the platform will be functioning all the time. Also, while backing up data in traditional platforms is quite labor-intensive, the same can be done on SaaS applications with a few simple clicks.

The Future Of SaaS Applications

Looking at how SaaS applications are being adopted by organizations across the world, it is safe to say that their prominence will only increase with time.

Since the summer of 2020, professionals have been forced to work remotely and organizations have started setting up virtual workspaces. In such cases, it is practically impossible to set up on-premise software going the traditional way. Some of the most commonly used platforms in the last couple of years are SaaS applications, whether it is Salesforce, Office 365, Workday, Sharepoint, SAP Concur would suite Fission’s expertise.

This makes it clear that SaaS is the thing of the future and it is advisable for businesses to integrate SaaS platforms before it is too late.

It’s Time For SaaS Integration

Connect with Epic IT Automations today and learn how we can help you implement SaaS into your business processes and strategies. Start reaping the benefits of SaaS integration, call us at 608-496-8660 or schedule a consultation to get started.

5 Ways to Automate Microsoft Excel

Posted on May 7, 2023 by Epic IT Automations

Microsoft Excel is used by millions of users worldwide. And for good reason. Excel is a powerful spreadsheet database that does a lot more than just help you store data. From financial analysis to customer information, Excel can be an essential tool for any business managing cross-functional departments.

But if Excel is a big part of your day-to-day, you may be looking to streamline certain processes involved, particularly when it comes to internal data management and team updates. By pairing Excel with Zapier, you can create powerful workflows—called Zaps—to automatically log form submissions, send team updates, sync databases, and create projects.

Log Forms and Survey Submissions

Whether you’ve just asked your customers to rate your business or you’re collecting responses from team members to host an event, forms apps—like Jotform and Typeform—are undeniably handy.

But if you’re using Excel to store and analyze those responses, you’ve probably experienced the dread that comes with transferring data between your two apps. You don’t want to export hundreds of responses or waste time manually copying and pasting them into Excel. You have better things to do. (Who could blame you?)

Save time by using Zapier to automate this entire process. Your responses will get added straight to your Excel sheet from your forms app any time a new one is submitted.

Send Notifications for Important Updates

The hard part is done: You’ve added vital customer information to an Excel sheet, and it’s ready for sales. Maybe a customer has changed their email address, and you need to update your email list. Or perhaps you’ve logged important company information that you need to hand over to your stakeholders.

The question is: How do you keep everybody in the loop whenever there’s a new update or a new row? You can’t be expected to check Excel 10 times a day, then send your team an email or Slack notification every time something changes. It would take over your life.

Fortunately, you can use Zapier to set up automated alerts whenever new rows are added or updated in Excel. You can choose how to present each message so everybody receives the details they need to know at a glance—without logging in and out of Excel constantly.

Update Data Across Multiple Spreadsheets

Do you store data across multiple spreadsheets? You’re not the only one. Having multiple databases across different teams is pretty common, but it can make it difficult to keep information up to date, particularly when someone updates or edits a row.

This is exactly how mistakes and missed updates can happen, as manual updates take time, precision, and an eagle eye for detail. To keep your spreadsheet data consistent across all sources, you can automatically update your data across spreadsheets whenever a change happens, no matter how small.

Create Tasks and Projects

Do you use Excel to plan out projects and workflows? It’s also very likely that your team uses a project management app to track and manage tasks once you kick off work. But you don’t have to refer back to Excel every time you set up a project manually—you can get Zapier to do the heavy lifting for you.

This means that whenever you add a new row to your Excel spreadsheet, Zapier will automatically create a task or project for you in your project management app with that specific information. This lets you and your team tackle every new item that comes in straight away.

You can forget the tedious admin that goes with setting up projects, ensuring no task slips through the cracks. Instead, you and your team can get straight to the bulk of your work.

Use Webhooks to Connect Excel to Almost Any App

Have data in one app that you need to send to Excel, but Zapier doesn’t support the app? Don’t panic because you can use webhooks to achieve the impossible.

In simple terms, webhooks let your apps speak with each other—sending detailed information back and forth whenever new items occur in the first app.

This Zap, for example, will catch payloads inside your app, which Zapier’s webhooks will catch. Zapier then automatically enters that data into a new Excel spreadsheet row for you.

Do more in less time

No matter how you use Excel, pairing it with Zapier ultimately helps you save time and focus on your most important work.

But using automation to log form submissions, send team notifications, update multiple spreadsheets, and create projects can streamline your IT processes, serving you with better ways to move your work forward at growth speed.

And this is only the beginning: You can easily develop tailored solutions to how you and your team get work done with Excel.

Ready to increase your workflow with the use of Zapier? Give a call at 608-496-8660 or schedule a consultation to learn more.

Source: Zapier

Why Your Company Needs a Digital Workflow IT Consultant

Posted on May 5, 2023 by Epic IT Automations

For most businesses, having systems in place to keep production on task remains a top priority. Lacking consistent and efficient processing leads to miscommunication, delaying or neglecting essential responsibilities, and missing deadlines. This is where an experienced digital workflow IT consultant can create and implement technology-based solutions designed to streamline operations and generate desired outcomes. Here are several ways these specialists help businesses thrive.

How Can A Digital Workflow IT Consultant Help Your Business?

Help Process Efficiency

IT consultants improve efficiency through establishing operating principle guides or identifying gaps in workflow channels. Eliminating redundant tasks and streamlining procedures will help businesses get the most from their employees. Clearly defining responsibilities keeps digital workflow from experiencing breakdowns, avoiding the stall of production.

Offer Objective Perspectives

In some cases, business owners may be too close to workflow procedures to identify operational issues. This familiarity can affect their judgment on what areas need modification. IT consultants specialize in improving digital systems. They provide objective perspectives aiming to spot critical stopgaps impeding workflow processing. They define measurement needs and recommend unbiased solutions to improve internal operational channels. Having someone on your team who can offer a clear assessment means your business benefits from implementation without pressure or influence.

Establish Open Communication Lines

Communication breakdown between employees can result in costly mistakes and delays. Not being on the same page leads to finger-pointing and low morale. Working with a digital workflow IT consultant eliminates distractions, ambiguous language, and redundancies. This allows communication lines to remain open and accessible. As employees strive toward shared production goals, misunderstandings that can affect customer service follow-ups, product deliveries, and other pressing priorities lessens.

Need Help With Process Efficiencies And Digital Workflows?

Connect with Epic IT Automations today and learn more on how we can help your business streamline your processes and turn those paper processes into a digital workflow. Call us at 608-496-8660 or schedule a consultation to get started.

Author: Epic IT Automations