Written by Martin Now
You go to work each day, fire up your computer, and get to work. The software you use is part of your daily routine. But are you using your business applications as efficiently as you could be? Are there capabilities you don’t know you have that could make your work life much easier?
If you’re like most software users, you tap into only a fraction of the features available to you. Changing that could shave minutes, even hours, off your daily tasks and streamline processes company-wide. How can you and your company optimize the software tools available to you?
Here are three effective ways to put your software to better use:
1. Conduct a business IT review
A thorough review ensures your IT applications and infrastructure continually support your business goals and allows you to be as efficient as possible. In addition to looking at your entire IT system, reviews can also uncover software enhancements you may not be aware of. Check with your software provider on how to conduct an IT review for your firm.
2. Join a Users’ Group
What better way to maximize your software’s functionality than to talk with others who use the same solution. A users’ group can give you that real-world, peer-to-peer perspective. Take, for example, TUG. This independent users’ group has been around since 1987 and currently supports the users of various Sage software solutions. TUG members put their software to the test every day in their firms and share their knowledge, tips, and best practices with other members. “I love the comradery, the friendships I have made,” explains TUG member Barbara Morse of Gorman Bros regarding the connections she has made through the group. “The knowledge we bring back (to our company) . . . has actually helped us save money because now we can run things more efficiently.”
3. Take Advantage of Training
This may seem obvious, but training can easily be pushed to the wayside by more pressing demands. Consequently, it takes discipline to carve out time for software training. The good news is training is more convenient than ever. Online options allow you to sit back at your desk and interact with experienced trainers who can help you unlock the potential of your software. If you prefer to learn at your own pace, recorded sessions are also often accessible for you to tap into as your time allows.
Over the years, we’ve talked to businesses who started a new software search only to find out that the features they needed were already in their current system. So next time you think, “there’s got to be a better way to do this,” there probably is. And the answer to your problem could already be available in the software you own.
