Ways to Integrate Cloud Applications Into Your Business

Cloud services can provide some amazing outcomes as more of your employees move to working remotely. These solutions used to have a big drawback; they were too expensive for small businesses. Over time though, these cloud offerings are more attainable and all businesses can choose the option that fits their needs and is affordable. Cloud integration is a great choice to connect your employees, reduce costs, and make your company more efficient. With the right solution, you will no longer need to worry about security or compliance issues like you did in the past. If you are interested in integrating cloud applications into your business, some of the ways that you can make this happen include:

1. Storage

One method to use to integrate cloud applications into a business is to use cloud storage. For this to work, a business will purchase a set amount of data space hosted on a remote server. Another company will own the remote server, but this frees up resources with your company because you do not need to maintain the servers on your end.

Anyone with permission will be able to access the data quickly. You can limit or expand the permissions to allow the right people access to the data and they can make changes based on their authorization level.

If storage has been an issue for your business in the past, then consider integrating with the cloud to make this easier. You can choose whether you would like a lot of storage or just a little based on how much data you need to store. This customization helps you get what you need without all the extra costs of using this.

2. File Sharing

Files keep getting bigger with all that data. And with many of your employees working remotely and in different parts of the world, it is hard to send attachments or share files in a traditional way.

Cloud applications can make file sharing easier. With the right permissions, you will be able to have employees share a file, make corrections on it together, and work through projects, even when they are miles apart.

3. Application Sharing

With the use of cloud integration, it is easier to provide licensed access to many applications for use in business, without needing to lock in the application to just one machine.

This results in a way for your employees to produce consistent work with outcomes you are excited for. Hosting inside the cloud will allow the apps to run faster, with fewer bugs, which is an added benefit.

4. Configuration Services

Over time, solutions will change and the software has to be replaced or updated. Using the cloud can help make this seamless. Everyone who is associated with the cloud will get the same improvements and updates, without needing to make changes on each machine.

Using the cloud to help with this makes it easier to make changes while saving time and frustration for all users. You can get the configuration done quickly without wasting any time.

5. HR Integration

Cloud integration has changed a lot over the past few years and one of these changes is integration with human resources. When used properly, cloud solutions can streamline the hiring and onboarding process for any new employee at your company.

Cloud integration will also help cut costs for the company. Traditional hiring and onboarding can take a lot of time. These hours are billable to your company and can cost quite a bit of money.

Since cloud integration can make your HR employees more efficient and can speed the onboarding process up, you will end up saving a lot of time and money in the process.

 6. Cloud Payments

Most of your customers are no longer using cash to make purchases. This means that you need a way to accept cash payments in a secure and efficient way. Cloud integrations may be the solution that you are looking for.

If you only have one physical location, then cloud services may not be beneficial for accepting payments. But if you need to capture payments in many locations, then cloud solutions can make this easier.

Having the Point of Sale system web-based allows your business to take credit card payments virtually and quickly. Depending on how your business is run, you may want to allow access to all computers on the network based on cybersecurity assessment. This can be done without needing extra software installed.

7. On-Premise Integration

Many companies worry that the cloud solution is not effective if it’s on-premise and in the same building as they are. This is not true. You can choose to host all the cloud-based solutions that you want in your own location.

If you handle a lot of sensitive data for your customers, it may be a good idea to host your own cloud solutions. This allows you to have more control over the security, making it easier to protect that information.

There are many reputable cloud-based solutions out there that you can trust for your data. However, many companies like having that extra step in place that will protect the data and keeps it away from hackers.

This type of cloud integration can be a hybrid, with some of the data onsite and some in another location. Or it can be fully on-premise to help your business have the option to keep the data secure, without all that extra physical hardware to do it.

Using the Cloud in the Future

There are already so many great uses of the cloud that can increase productivity and reduce costs for your business. As the popularity of the cloud and cloud integration continues to grow, it is likely that many new innovations will show up in the future.Cloud services can provide valuable resources to all companies, whether they are big or small. Consider some of the great ways that cloud integration can be used in your business and decide if this is a good decision for you.

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