Finding new accounting software is not a weekend assignment. It takes weeks, if not months, of comprehensive research and assessment to find exactly what you need. Fortunately, there is a bright side to this arduous task because once you find the right accounting software, your entire business can become more streamlined.

Through this process, you will need to identify how the various business activities within the organizations interact with one another. These insights will provide an organization with a good opportunity to identify bottlenecks and redesign processes to make the entire operation more efficient and less costly. By consulting with accounting software reviews, you will realize that the market is divided into four main categories including entry-level, small to medium scale business, small to medium scale enterprise, and enterprise resource planning.

Below is an overview of these market segments:

Entry-level

Entry-level solutions are designed for smaller operations - generally businesses with up to approximately 20 employees and $5 million in sales. It is estimated that 5 million US companies can benefit from packages in this segment.

Small to Medium Businesses (SMB)

Similar in functionality to entry-level systems, these are designed for companies with up to $100 million in sales and a maximum of 100 employees. Around 516,000 US companies can benefit from this software solution.

Small to Medium Enterprise (SME)

Although similar in name to SMB systems, they are not the same. The SME software is designed for organizations with up to $500 million in sales and a maximum of 500 employees. About 17,000 companies in the US fit this profile.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

ERP software is designed for the biggest of the big operations. It can accommodate more than 500 employees and $500 million in sales. It is estimated that 17,000 organizations in the US can benefit from software in this category.

It is also important to note that the above categorizations are not black and white. If you run a SME business but the ERP software is more suitable for your requirements, then you should get the ERP solution. Likewise, if your business operations are relatively simple but you have $100 million in sales, you may be able to drop down a level and still get what you need from the cheaper software.

Before you choose a vendor for your software, make sure you have clearly identified and considered what you need from the software. Remember that you can save a significant amount of money if you don't purchase certain modules that you don't really need. In general, packages in the higher category have more capabilities including imaging, work flow, sophisticated components for manufacturing, and business intelligence. Although these extras can be extremely beneficial for the right companies, they can slow down your system if your business doesn't require them.

When considering cost, remember that you never want to pay for more than you need. However, it is also important to be aware that too little capability can also cause unwanted issues. For example, if the accounting software can't handle certain processes, you may have to use other applications such as Access and Excel to complete the tasks. These resources are referred to as “renegade” applications. Over the long term, the additional time and money necessary to use these renegade applications can can cost more than the systems with built-in capabilities.