Software is a major component of every company these days. From startup to an international brand, software helps to drive our businesses and gives us the features that we need to manage and grow our companies. In the past, on-premises local software dominated most of the market, but it was expensive and was difficult to scale up as our businesses grew. These days, virtually every business is powered by cloud-based software applications that can be scaled to your exact needs.

But what exactly does it mean to use scalable software and how can you start taking advantage of it today?

What does it mean if software is “scalable”?

Imagine if you’re currently using a piece of software that supports 10 users. If you’ve only got 2 employees, then you’re easily able to stay within the 10 user limit. Now let’s say that your business is slowly growing and you’re at a point where you have 15 employees–what do you do? The logical answer would be to purchase a new piece of software or increase the number of users you can support, but this can introduce several problems.

One issue is familiarity. A lot of employees dislike using different pieces of software because it involves learning all of its features. In fact, it can take several days or even weeks to get accustomed to something brand-new. This slows down your business’s productivity and can hinder many of your existing staff members.

The other option, increasing the number of users, could drastically increase the costs of the software. Some software companies demand that you purchase a different type of license if you’re a larger business, and in some cases, the costs of upgrading might also require you to purchase new license keys.

Using scalable software to your advantage

In order for your business to remain agile while staying on a limited budget, it’s important to use software that is scalable and adopt it early on. This will help all of your employees get used to the software so they become more proficient with it, and it also saves you from having to import all of your data to a new system should you require a different software solution.

It’s worth looking into a variety of different software solutions to find a scalable option that can keep up with your business’s growth. For instance, SAP for small business is a wonderful scalable solution that gives you access to a range of different cloud-based applications. Cloud applications are often infinitely scalable since they can easily support more users and even offer collaborative opportunities.

Scalable software is the key to creating a foundation that can easily grow with your needs. A lot of businesses suffer when they focusing on growth because their technology simply can’t keep up, and drastic changes in their workflow can cause productivity issues. This is why it’s important to pick scalable solutions from the beginning so that you aren’t hindered in the future when you try to expand your brand.