Tuesday, June 30, 2009
In the very large and sometimes treacherous world of accounting, there are many terms, software programs, bills and receipts to keep track of - ask any accountant or billing department, and they’ll nod their head in agreement.
So why then are we going to spend time talking about something as trivial as an invoice or a purchase order? Well, believe it or not, these two terms are quite possibly the most mistakenly interchangeable terms in the entire industry. There is a large difference between an invoice and a purchase order, and it basically comes down to this - an invoice is a document issued by a seller to a buyer, and a purchase order is a document issued by a buyer to a seller.
Normally, invoices are sent as ‘after the fact’ documents for money that someone owes someone else in return of goods or services provided. The exchange of goods for services has already taken place, or services have already been performed, and now, money must be collected. Invoices aren’t negotiations or requests - they are requests for payment for services rendered.
On the other hand, Purchase Orders are ‘before the fact’ documents for products, services, or quantity that the seller of a good or service will provide to a buyer. When a purchase order is sent out, no money is owed to anyone and no services have been performed. The buyer must first agree to the price and terms of the Purchase Order before anything happens. Unlike an invoice, a purchase order resembles a stage in the negotiation process.
As we mentioned earlier, these two very different types of documents - Invoices and Purchase Orders - are very often used as one in the same by many individual contractors and businesses. A lot of times, invoices are sent out as estimate requests, and purchase orders are sent out to collect money. It may not seem like a big deal - that is, until you haven’t received your payment or your products or services! Normally, invoices and purchase orders are legally binding documents, and the absence or mixed use of said documents can prevent you from collecting your hard-earned money. We can’t think of a better reason to use Abakoos Invoicing Software, for this reason as well as many others. Our software solutions ensure you send out the right document in a professional manner so you can get paid for your hard work.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
There are a lot of terms that you may have heard about or read about online that have to do with the computer industry. Many of them may leave you scratching your head. Here at Abakoos Invoicing, we try to simplify things for you so that you don’t have to worry about being bogged down with tech-speak and you have more time to focus on running your business.
However, it’s always good to add knowledge, and continuing (or starting) your education in areas of technology can be beneficial for any business owner. Let’s face it; just about every business relies on computers in some way to conduct their business. Today, let’s break down three popular terms in computer programming, that you may have come across at one time or another - SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS. Do not let the acronyms deter you from learning more, they are actually quite straightforward.
SaaS - this stands for ‘Software as a Service’, and is usually associated with a low-cost way for business people to interact with applications over the internet, without having to install programs or obtain license codes on their own computer. SaaS has become very popular, mainly because of maintenance costs being very low, but also due to its ease of use and ease of distribution.
PaaS - PaaS is the four-letter acronym for ‘Platform as a Service’. It’s the grand-daddy to SaaS, because instead of being able to access a single program or single application, you are able to access and work on an entire environment. Platforms bring an entirely different level of complexity to development and applications, making PaaS very attractive for power developers.
IaaS - If PaaS was the grand-daddy to SaaS, then IaaS - ‘Infrastructure as a Service’ - is the grand-daddy of them all! IaaS is also known as ‘Everything as a Service’, because servers, software, data center space and network equipment is all made accessible over the internet, without having to rent space and lease servers. These are really attractive for mid-size and even some large-sized companies, looking to save a lot of money and maintenance costs.
Just for the record, Abakoos Invoicing Software is considered as a ‘SaaS’, because instead of installing software on your computer, you can log-in via our secure portals and do everything that you need right over the comfort of your favorite browser (no installations or multiple licenses per user needed!)
Monday, June 15, 2009
As we recently discussed, Cloud Computing is technology that allows users to access programs over the internet, without installation. Cloud computing technology is used by Adobe, Google, Yahoo, Intel, and other global technology companies. We here at Abakoos also are firm believers that Cloud Computing is the future, and believe in its ease of implementation, flexibility, and cost. We feel it is the best solution for all types of clients who want to leverage robust and powerful software tools without expensive, complicated, or technical installations or implementations on company wide computers.
However, not everyone in the tech sector is on the bandwagon, which raises the debate of Cloud Computing’s security. John Chambers, Cisco Systems’ Chairman / CEO, recently spoke during a keynote address at an annual security conference, and said [Cloud Computing] is a security nightmare and it can’t be handled in traditional ways.* Other conference speakers, such as MIT Computer Science Professor Ronald Rivest, were more cautiously optimistic, saying that it would takea lot of hard work to make it secure. There will always be intelligent debate about all things internet and technical and we are constantly scouring different sources for the most up to date trends and information. Our feeling is simple when some of the largest technology companies in the world buy in to new technologies, like cloud computing, they do not do so lightly. There are tons of money and man hours spent on research and development before these large Fortune 500 companies adopt and utilize new technology and cloud computing is no different.
Fortunately for you, we’ve put in tons of hard work here at Abakoos to make our software as secure as technologically possible. The bottom line is your sensitive data stays completely encrypted and un-hackable. Your invoicing data is completely secure and safe with us - we guarantee it. Try out our software today! We are sure you will be more than pleased with the easy of use, the time and money you save, and the peace of mind your data is secure.
*Source - http://www.csoonline.com/article/490368/Cisco_CEO_Cloud_Computing_a_Security_Nightmare_
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
You would be astonished if you knew just how many small and medium businesses use Word, Excel, and even PowerPoint for their invoicing needs. They create spreadsheets, documents, presentations - anything and everything to get their clientele to pay their invoices on time. But do these programs specialize in creating a professional looking invoice that properly represents their business? Unfortunately, the answer to that question is No, and some businesses are probably still using handwritten invoicing!
Why would you create bulky, ugly-looking spreadsheets and tables that hog up disk space and valuable time, when you can create an account with Abakoos Invoicing Software, and use our online software program? With Abakoos, you don’t have to worry about font sizes, type-faces, word-wrap, or spending hours meticulously designing a template. All you need with Abakoos is to log-in to our easy-to-use website, create an account, and you’ll see how simple life will be for you. Spend more time cultivating new business with the time you save by using our easy to use and powerful invoicing software.
That Access database or that Publisher file can get really big, and it can wind up costing you a lot of time and energy managing it. At Abakoos, you don’t have to worry about saving files and creating attachments. Everything is stored on our encrypted, 256-SSL authenticated servers, and you never have any software, patches, or updates to install on your computers ever. Our professional look and feel is a perfect upgrade to your system of using office products for your invoicing needs. When conducting your business you probably use the best when servicing your clients, why would your invoicing after the sale be any different?
Learn how you can save time and produce a higher quality invoice that better represents your professionalism. If this sounds interesting to your business, visit our homepage where you can start a free trial of our software today!
Monday, June 01, 2009
One of things that separate our Abakoos Invoicing Software from other invoicing programs is the vast array of people and businesses that are able to use it. Whether you are billing $10 or $100,000 - from landscaping services to top-notch business consultancy services, you’ll be able to take advantage of Abakoos great software for invoicing. Professional looking invoices are a way to brand your business as a top of the line organization no matter your company’s size. With Abakoos Invoicing Software you can create these professional invoices with ease and at a very low cost.
Small Business Owners - Abakoos Invoicing has no software to install on your computer, and costs pennies on the dollar. This is great for keeping your overhead at a bare minimum, and never having to worry about installation, configuration, getting IT involved, or licenses for separate computers.
Large Business - Abakoos Invoicing is great for large businesses that span multiple office locations, across multiple networks, and in separate countries! No need to worry about communication breakdowns or mishandling accounts - in fact, Abakoos Invoicing Software can improve your speed and overall process, as multiple users can collaborate on the same invoicing project.
Any Type of Business - Whether you’re a plumber, writer, actor, lawyer, doctor, carpenter, or owner of a local pub, Abakoos Software will fit your invoicing needs. You don’t have to belong to a certain field, industry, or have a master’s degree in Accounting - business people, office managers, and entrepreneurs from all walks of life will find Abakoos Invoicing Software an easy, powerful tool in their business arsenal!
