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Technology

Why an Expense Management Software is Crucial for SMEs

Last Updated on October 3, 2022 By Ifama Leave a Comment

Managing expenses is necessary when running a business. It involves implementing necessary policies and procedures to track expenditures or costs, such as funds used for marketing, travel, utilities and rent, and insurance.

In the past, businesses relied on manual processes to manage expenses. With the advance in technology, they now use practical tools, such as an expense management software.

An expense management software is a kind of application that lets finance teams manage expense reports, travel requests, and reimbursements. It also allows employees to handle and record their business expenses. In simple terms, it’s a tool that helps automate every aspect of business expenditure to address issues associated with manual or traditional expense management, including delayed employee reimbursement, unclear expense policies, and poor expense visibility.

In fact, using this software is one of the types of expense management. Expense management involves tracking employee spending and figuring out how your company will reimburse the costs. So, without it, you won’t be able to distribute reimbursements accurately and efficiently.

Small and medium-sized businesses face many challenges, one of which is the inability to manage their expenses effectively. But with expense management software, they can categorize and identify expenditures, such as those for mileage and office.

Keep reading to learn more about how SMEs can benefit from using an expense management software.

Table of Contents

  • To Improve Employee Productivity
  • To Minimize Errors
  • To Promote Compliance
  • To Enhance Operational Efficiency
  • To Implement An Expense Policy
  • To Enhance Visibility
  • To Prevent Fraud
  • To Simplify Reporting
  • Takeaway

To Improve Employee Productivity

One of the benefits of expense management software is that it can help save time, thereby improving employee productivity. Through the use of this tool, employees can log all their expenses instead of filling out reimbursement forms. Plus, they’ll feel reassured about organizing their reimbursements.

To Minimize Errors

Whether you’re an SME or an SMB, keeping track of your finances is paramount to achieve success. It enables you to understand the performance and financial position of your organization. Hence, you should avoid mistakes.

Unlike an expense management software equipped with automation features, manual expense reports lead to delays and inaccuracies. For instance, employees may make several data-entry errors that could worsen when the finance team adds the details to spreadsheets.

On the other hand, an expense management software can identify duplicate entries and errors, as well as put a stop to overpayment or inform managers if the figure seems rather high. It can even send alerts if payment or a report is behind schedule.

Furthermore, data gathered from credit card statements and bank accounts can be merged with corporate travel management systems. Staff members can use their mobile devices to get a snap of receipts and include them in reports with an app-enabled optical character recognition (OCR). Thus, potential errors caused by trying to type on a small screen are prevented.

To Promote Compliance

Another reason why it’s worth investing in expense management software is to promote compliance. It allows your company to follow rules and regulations set by government tax agencies. For instance, by using the software, you can categorize expenses, such as travel, mileage, and office, and tag them accordingly. This is important since some expenses, including dues to golf, athletic, country clubs, are no longer tax deductible. 

animation-and-screen

In addition, expense management software provides you with electronic copies of receipts and reports, which are easily accessible and extremely useful in case your company is audited.

To Enhance Operational Efficiency

Aside from ensuring your organization stays compliant, expense management software can help enhance operational efficiency. It can be merged with accounting and enterprise resource planning (ERP), project management, and time tracking software. So, it makes the process of generating accurate, timely reports of employees simpler.

As a result of a smooth process for managers who need to approve and report and employees who need to track, cash flow is improved. What’s more, employees can focus on other projects and tasks that are of vital importance to your company, such as planning strategic budgets and conducting sales calls.

To Implement An Expense Policy

It can be difficult to keep abreast of changes to expense policies and tax rules and regulations. Expense management software can carry out custom rules fit for your business, flagging out-of-policy travel expenses. For instance, because of federal guidelines, per diem meal allowances might have increased. However, staff are still sending expense reports based on the old amount, or an employee may try to request reimbursement for a new addition to the policy, such as an ergonomic keyboard, but is denied.

To Enhance Visibility

Expense management software enhances visibility too since it’s equipped with a dashboard that collates workers’ expense data and conveys it in the form of charts and graphs. With this information presented clearly, managers can check metrics, such as how much your organization spends for each employee or for each category or how long it usually takes to approve expense reports.

To Prevent Fraud

In the past, business owners reported fraudulent activities within their organizations. Finance managers and teams tend to overlook fake entries from employees, including trustworthy ones. Money can no longer be returned after expenses are paid.

Expense management software can reduce and prevent fraud cases by notifying managers if the amount seems exorbitant or suspicious, thereby calling for further investigation before payment is approved and sent. 

To Simplify Reporting

Last but not least, expense management software simplifies reporting. By utilizing this tool, you can combine all expenses into one report.

Aside from consolidating expenses, you can do the following to maximize the software:

  • Motivating staff members to save money
  • Recommending which car rental, restaurant chain, or hotel your company can choose for volume discounts
  • Pinpointing individuals that tend to overspend, repeat policy violators, and expense trends of each employee

All these insights you gain will allow you to determine areas that require spending policies or need clarification.

Takeaway

Investing in expense management software can be a game changer that can help your small business grow. With this tool, your company will see significant impacts, such as reduced errors, cost savings, and a simple expense reporting process.

Ifama

Hi! This is Ifama. I am a student and giving my services in SEO. I have a lot of experience in digital marketing. Travelling is my hobby and I love visiting different hilly areas and doing adventures.

Filed Under: Accounting & Taxation, Management, Technology

4 Staking Coins for Maximum Gains in 2022

Last Updated on September 27, 2022 By Ifama Leave a Comment

Crypto allows investors a lot of profit options. Experts and amateurs can trade futures, buy and trade crypto coins, stake, and so much more thanks to this awesome tech. While every individual will prefer the brown method of dealing in crypto, today’s spotlight is of course on staking.

But to understand how staking can bring you profits and how it works, you will need to have a deep understanding of it and that’s why we are here. Take a look below as we explore everything staking-related and explain the best coins to stake in 2022.

Table of Contents

  • What’s Crypto Staking?
    • Cardano
    • Ethereum
    • DeFi Coin
    • Solana
  • Risks of Investing in Crypto
  • Final thoughts

What’s Crypto Staking?

Cryptocurrency staking allows you to earn money by holding your coins in a wallet. It is a way to mine new coins and generate income from the blockchain itself. The time you accumulate profit will largely depend on how many coins you have in your wallet. Your profitability will be also determined by this factor.

So, the way this works is your coins are put to use by the blockchain which in turn rewards you. The consensus that allows this is called proof-of-stake (PoS). In addition to that, this type of consensus ensures that all transactions are validated and secured without any bank or third-party involvement.

Below we explore some of the most promising staking coins.

crypto staking

Cardano

Cardano is one of the most well-known proof-of-stake cryptocurrencies. Its main focuses are on sustainability and scalability. Since it is tagged as one of the most eco-friendly cryptos out there, its popularity is rising each day.

ADA token is the native crypto of the Cardano blockchain. Staking Cardano can be an excellent way to earn ADA rewards because it’s a form of passive income for holding this blockchain. You can use it to pay transaction fees and stake rewards on the network. Keep in mind that the more you stake, the more rewards you can earn.

Since its inception, Cardano has seen a record price of $3.10. Cardano is always a good investment as it’s one of the best-decentralized blockchains and on top of that, it has a bright future as it supports smart contracts.

Ethereum

After years of waiting, we finally have Ethereum 2.0. This project was in a long development process but now this update shifted Ethereum from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake. This shift in consensus allows you to stake coins more effectively.

Staking coins is a great way of generating passive income nowadays. In today’s economy, keeping money in the bank is so much more than a gamble. If you want to follow the entrepreneurs of the world, put your money in assets and inflation-proof them. That’s why Ethereum might be the perfect asset for you.

DeFi Coin

DeFi is an official token of DeFi Swap’s decentralized exchange. Because it provides outstanding rewards, DeFi is one of the most popular coins to stake in 2022.

There are currently four terms available for Defi coin staking: 30 days, 90 days, 180 days, or 365 days. The maximum rate of 75 APY will require you to lock your tokens for the entire year.

That being said, the DeFi coin has the best long-term annual ROI. So, if you are in it for the long run, this might be the right investment for you.

Solana

Even though Solana’s value has declined since 2022, developers continue to show love for the coin through updates. You can expect annual returns of 7 to 11% when you stake this crypto asset. Overall, Solana has great potential and the statistics are showing just that.

Risks of Investing in Crypto

Now that we have explained what exactly staking is and all the coins that offer the most value when it comes to it, it’s time to talk about the risks involved with the crypto territory. Generally speaking, all cryptocurrencies are volatile. The things that make them so popular, their privacy and decentralization, are also the things that make them incredibly unpredictable on the market.

When it comes to investing in crypto, you should never invest in something you are not okay with losing. Of course, staking is not as risky as futures trading but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Final thoughts

To ensure that you are making the right investment, you will need to do constant research and keep up with the latest crypto trends. To do this efficiently, you can read crypto-dedicated magazines and forums. Furthermore, you can follow the developer’s official information source and see what kind of plans they have in mind for the future.

Ifama

Hi! This is Ifama. I am a student and giving my services in SEO. I have a lot of experience in digital marketing. Travelling is my hobby and I love visiting different hilly areas and doing adventures.

Filed Under: Investment & Money, Technology

6 Exciting Applications of Raspberry Pi for Business

Last Updated on September 6, 2022 By Ismail Khalid Leave a Comment

Though its main purpose is to help teach computer science in schools, the Raspberry Pi can be used for a large number of applications. With its low price point and a wide variety of uses, the Raspberry Pi could be an extremely useful tool for businesses. Here are just a few of the ways the Raspberry Pi can be used for business.

Table of Contents

  • A Server
  • Equipment Monitoring
  • Surveillance
  • Digital Signage
  • Computer Troubleshooting Tool
  • Video Conferencing

A Server

The Raspberry Pi could be used as a low-cost alternative to a server. Though it may struggle with heavier loads, the Raspberry Pi could be useful in handling a light amount of traffic. If you run a smaller business that doesn’t produce a lot of traffic, a Raspberry Pi could be a cheap and reliable option when it comes to servers.

Equipment Monitoring

One of the most popular applications for Raspberry Pi is equipment monitoring. The Pi can be easily fitted with different sensors that can perform a variety of tasks, such as monitoring temperature. Should overheating be detected, the Pi can also notify users via a connected display or by sending the information to a smartphone, tablet, or computer. Equipment monitoring is an incredibly useful application of the Raspberry Pi- a factory that produces cameras for Sony uses the Pi for monitoring, some with motion sensors and others attached to a camera for visual monitoring. The factory’s manager claims that using the Pi in the production process has increased efficiency by 30%.

Surveillance

Combining a Raspberry Pi with a camera module can allow you to create a cheap alternative to a security camera. The camera can record an HD video when detecting movement in the area, and live pictures from the camera can be viewed on a smartphone or tablet, meaning that you can keep an eye on your business wherever you are.

Digital Signage

Another popular use for the Raspberry Pi is to display media on TVs in communal areas, such as receptions and office break rooms. The Pi can be used to show images or video and can be displayed in full HD resolution. There are a number of projects that can help you use the Pi to present content for your business.

Computer Troubleshooting Tool

The Raspberry Pi can be a great tool for testing whether a computer’s systems are functioning normally and solving any potential problems. By adding a basic screen and battery, as well as custom code, it’s a useful pocket-sized tool for checking whether your technology is working as it should.

Video Conferencing

If your business relies heavily on video conferencing software such as Zoom or Teams, the Pi can be a great tool for building a station dedicated to video conferencing. With the low cost of the Pi, supplying staff with one can be a good way to ensure everyone has easy access to this software.

person-on-video-call

These are just a few examples of how the Raspberry Pi can be used in businesses. However, with the low price-point, as well as a range of extra equipment that can be found at a Raspberry Pi store, you can experiment with the Pi and find plenty of ways to improve your business.

When it comes to Raspberry Pi, the opportunities are limitless. All that is left to do is to get started and use the Pi to create sustainable and meaningful changes to your processes.

Ismail Khalid
Ismail Khalid

Ismail is a freelance tech writer with a passion for lifestyle, gadgets, apps, and cars. My writings carry a huge amount of different social aspects that may help to improve your lifestyle. Find him by email.

Filed Under: Technology

Accounts Payable Automation: The Definitive Guide

Last Updated on September 5, 2022 By Jason Obrien Leave a Comment

Accounts payable form the core of the day-to-day tasks of the accounts department in any business. Traditional AP processes can drown your employees in endless paperwork and redundant manual invoice reconciliation tasks. The manual process is not only tedious, but it’s also prone to human errors, which can slow down business operations and hinder growth.

Unlike in the past, when automation was a reserve for the best-performing businesses, many companies are adopting AP automation to address accounts payable issues. The technology streamlines the entire process, enhances employee productivity, and fuels business growth.

Table of Contents

  • What is Accounts Payable Automation?
  • How Accounts Payable Automation Works
  • Benefits of Accounts Payable Automation
    • Minimize Errors
    • Speedy Invoice Approval and Payment
    • Better Control and Visibility
    • Improved Productivity and Efficiency for Better Relationships with Vendors
    •  Improved Record Keeping and Lower Operational Costs
  • Choosing the Best Accounts Payable Automation Solution
    • Automatic Invoice Processing
    • Simple and Seamless Onboarding Process
    • Easy Customization and Integration with Existing Accounting Systems
  • End Note

What is Accounts Payable Automation?

Accounts payable automation is the process of using advanced software to automate repetitive invoicing tasks and eliminate human error for better accuracy and convenience. The software integrates with your accounting software to ensure a hands-free, paperless and efficient process.

There are numerous reasons why businesses are adopting accounts payable automation. The technology solution ensures higher productivity, time, and cost savings and eliminates inconvenient errors. Once you streamline and automate your AP process, you can ensure your business gets timely payments from creditors.

While automation is more prevalent in physical tasks at the industrial level, data-centric tasks can also become monotonous. Accounts payable automation can make the tasks more efficient and ensure reliable results. However, different organizations require a specific solution to address unique AP needs. While the technology has similar benefits to companies across different industries, there isn’t a universal solution.

How Accounts Payable Automation Works

AP automation software basically converts supplier invoices into digital images that can be processed with optical character recognition, pattern recognition, and machine learning to remit automatic payments to suppliers.

The AI-powered digital workflow improves accuracy over time. Various ledger codes and approval routing processes act as the benchmark for the AI tool to improve payments efficiency by pivoting on previous experience. The automation solution’s objective is to eliminate repetitive, manual, and tedious human involvement to facilitate a fully-automated payment process.

Benefits of Accounts Payable Automation

Invoice processing and supplier payments are vital business aspects that organizations seek to streamline. Automating the accounts payable process is a worthwhile decision for any business. Automation has become a top priority for business leaders across different industries in a digital-driven business landscape.

AP automation is transforming invoice handling, payment remission, and managing a surge in accounting backlog. While various businesses have different reasons for implementing AP automation, the benefits cut across the business landscape:

Minimize Errors

Conventional accounts payable processing is prone to human errors with negative financial and reputational consequences. When the process relies on a manual spreadsheet with multiple editors at different levels in the finance department, a mistake will likely occur.

Research shows that about 36% of organizations have misalignments in their accounting processes. The streamlined process eliminates most manual tasks in the accounts payable routine, leading to fewer errors to ensure smooth and efficient payments.

Speedy Invoice Approval and Payment

Errors can compromise the AP process and delay approval. But with the obstacle out of the way, the accounts payable process becomes shorter and seamless. Most importantly, automation makes detecting and correcting errors easy before sending invoices for approval. With quick approvals, you get faster payment cycles since payment details are automatically captured and sent to suppliers.

Better Control and Visibility

Automating the accounts payable workflow makes it possible for suppliers and vendors to track invoice and payment status at any time. This fosters a sense of transparency throughout the process, giving all stakeholders peace of mind.

The manual creation of spreadsheets and charts to grasp spending patterns and predict cash flow issues can be labor-intensive and uneconomical. On the other hand, automated processes offer real-time cash flow tracking for better decision-making.

Moreover, automation gives your finance department better visibility by providing a comprehensive view of outgoing payments, cash flow, and other vital data. As a result, financial officers can benefit from the systemic overview of business finances and insights on payment status.

Improved Productivity and Efficiency for Better Relationships with Vendors

Automated payables process means that your average invoices that take more time to receive, process, and file, can be handled by software instead of an employee. The scarce human resource can be left to handle other tasks that require human judgment and expertise, such as processing a problematic invoice or other improvement tasks.

Typically, it doesn’t make business sense to direct employee efforts towards routine tasks that can be left to an automatic invoice processing software solution. You can reserve the workforce to handle crises or other efforts that generate more business for the company.

man hand holding in pen and other man is hand touch to laptop

 Improved Record Keeping and Lower Operational Costs

Most organizations dread government audit notices since the process requires the management to gather, organize, and forward numerous documents to the editor. Unfortunately, it’s easy to be caught off-guard, especially when your accounting practices are prone to errors.

Automating your accounts payable processes can help you avoid ugly surprises and the nightmares that come with external audits. Good AP automation software can organize files and notify all stakeholders about transactions that need reviewing or approval.

Choosing the Best Accounts Payable Automation Solution

There are several vital aspects to consider when choosing the best business software to streamline your AP process.

Automatic Invoice Processing

When choosing AP automation software, it’s important to understand the distinct differences between robotic and traditional automation. Traditional automation uses digital tools to eliminate a proportion of human intervention when processing invoices. However, these systems still require some degree of human involvement throughout the process.

On the other hand, robotic automation eliminates any human intervention, thus ensuring a fully-automatic process. Software robots manage all the tools responsible for various tasks with zero human intervention. The software leverages machine learning technology to help the system learn from past experience to enhance future processes.

Typically, robotic AP solutions are more costly than their traditional counterparts. It’s best to review your business needs and determine whether the solution is worth the investment.

Simple and Seamless Onboarding Process

Employees tend to respond and perform better when working with software that offers a smooth onboarding process. Buying complex AP automation solutions can be futile unless your employees embrace the new software. When choosing payroll services for your business, it’s best to select a service provider who values the onboarding process and provides sufficient training for smooth employee transition.

Easy Customization and Integration with Existing Accounting Systems

Integrating the automation solution into your accounting system is vital for simplifying the AP processing of invoices and payments. In addition, it can streamline your bookkeeping process.

Any accounts payable automation software can only be as good as how it addresses your organization’s unique needs. A great solution should facilitate customizable and configurable options, including payment notifications, transaction approvals, and data analysis and imports. Ideally, your business needs should determine the number of customization options your software should have.

Every business should strive to study and understand the inherent strengths and weaknesses in its AP processes. You can then use this insight to choose a software solution that fills the deficiencies.

End Note

Accounts payable automation can be an effective tool for businesses seeking to enhance supplier payment processes and manage company finances better. However, business leaders should take a realistic approach by first understanding their unique needs. After understanding organizational strengths and weaknesses concerning AP processes, businesses can deploy the appropriate AP automation software.

Jason Obrien

Jason is the Marketing Manager at a local advertising company in Australia. He moved to Australia 10 years back for his passion for advertising. Jason recently joined BFA as a volunteer writer and contributes by sharing his valuable experience and knowledge.

Filed Under: Accounting & Taxation, Technology

Top-Notch Tech: 6 Ways Technology Can Help You Support Your Remote Workers

Last Updated on September 5, 2022 By Jason Obrien Leave a Comment

COVID-19 forced many businesses to rapidly switch to a remote working model. Though the pandemic has lost some of its stings, many people continue to work remotely – at least some of the time – as their employers have discovered how effective this arrangement can be.

The future of business is headed in a hybrid direction, and this future is made possible by advancements in technology that make working from anywhere easy. To ensure your remote workers have everything they need to succeed, consider supporting them with the following tech upgrades:

Table of Contents

  • 1. Virtual Offices
  • 2. Communication Tools
  • 3. Project Management
  • 4. File Sharing
  • 5. Productivity
  • 6. Scheduling

1. Virtual Offices

If the bulk of your work is done online anyway, allowing your staff to work from home does away with the overheads associated with having a physical office space. Of course, you’ll still need a professional address for your business and a hub from which your team can collaborate. You can expect all this and more if you do a little research and get a virtual office that fits within your budget. The best virtual office packages are designed to give your business a professional look, with a dedicated phone number and an answering service to ensure your clients receive the high level of service they expect.

2. Communication Tools

When your team is spread far and wide, communication can suffer. Luckily, many great tools exist to make talking and collaborating a breeze, no matter where your people work. Slack is a great tool for chatting and sharing files. You can chat privately or in groups, and there’s a Slack app for every operating system, so everyone can take part no matter what device they use. Other communication tools that make remote work easy include Troop Messenger and Soapbox.

3. Project Management

Project management can be difficult with your staff working from home, so you must find a project management tool that fits your needs. Some popular options for assigning work, scheduling due dates, and ensuring productivity include Basecamp, Trello, and Asana. These online management tools vary in the features they include as well as in price, so try a few to determine which one works best for you and your staff.

4. File Sharing

When your employees work from home, you can expect a whole lot of file sharing to occur. Two of your biggest concerns here should be security and timeliness. Thankfully, there are several file-sharing tools you can use, with many businesses trusting Google Drive, Dropbox, and WeTransfer to transmit their documents quickly and securely.

5. Productivity

One of the greatest concerns for those managing a remote team is productivity – or a lack thereof. It can be difficult to stay motivated without someone constantly looking over your shoulder, and the goings-on in the household can be distracting.

Encourage your staff to keep their productivity up by using tools like Todolist, Be Focused, and Toggl.

6. Scheduling

Functional Organizational Structure

Monitoring availability and scheduling your staff can be somewhat challenging when they work remotely, especially if they live in different time zones. You can make scheduling less complicated by using a tool that lets you book appointments and manage availability without hassle. A few of these tools include Doodle, Calendly, and TimeZone.

There are a lot of reasons why you should consider a remote work model – at least in part – especially since technology is making it easier than ever to support and manage a remote team. As a new, post-pandemic world looms on the horizon, many business owners are planning to dig in and continue the work-from-home trend. If you’re jumping on the bandwagon, consider implementing the tools listed above to ensure your team has everything they need to be successful in their roles.

Jason Obrien

Jason is the Marketing Manager at a local advertising company in Australia. He moved to Australia 10 years back for his passion for advertising. Jason recently joined BFA as a volunteer writer and contributes by sharing his valuable experience and knowledge.

Filed Under: Technology

Common Security Mistakes for Mac Users to Avoid

Last Updated on September 1, 2022 By Jason Obrien Leave a Comment

There’s no denying that Apple products come with an array of built-in security features. And while said features do a lot to protect Mac users from assorted cyberthreats, they don’t make Macs invulnerable to viruses and other security issues. To ensure maximum security, Mac users will need to put in a little effort and be mindful of a variety of threats. In your quest to protect your Mac – and your personal data – safe from viruses, malware and other prominent cyberthreats, take care to avoid the following mistakes.

Table of Contents

  • Not Installing Dedicated Antivirus Software
  • Not Keeping Macos Up to Date
  • Practicing Unsafe Browsing Habits
  • Not Exercising Caution with Public Wi-Fi

Not Installing Dedicated Antivirus Software

There’s no denying that macOS is a reasonably secure operating system, and with so many onboard security features, it’s understandable that many Mac users would assume they didn’t need dedicated antivirus software. However, while this line of thought may seem perfectly reasonable, no one who’s serious about protecting their Mac from viruses should be without dependable antivirus software from a highly-rated developer. Considering how quickly new viruses pop up, a lack of dedicated antivirus software can give way to undesirable consequences. So, if your Mac is currently bereft of said software, now would be the time to remedy this.

When seeking out the right antivirus Mac software, look for programs from developers who are renowned for their contributions to the field of cybersecurity. Furthermore, keep an eye out for software that’s user-friendly and provides constant updates. And on the subject of updates, make a point of installing them as soon as they become available, as this will help ensure maximum protection.

Not Keeping Macos Up to Date

Refusing to install macOS updates in a timely manner is practically asking for trouble. Since many of these updates are created for the purpose of combating new viruses and various other threats, procrastination in this area only serves to compromise the security of your Mac. With this in mind, take care to install updates and patches forthwith instead of placing them on the backburner.

If you’re in the middle of an important task when an update becomes available, you may understandably be tempted to postpone its installation. However, it’s important to remember that any inconvenience this causes you pales in comparison to the inconvenience a virus is likely to cause. So, the next time you’re presented with an update notification, drop what you’re doing and install it posthaste. If you don’t trust yourself to exercise this level of self-discipline, simply set macOS to install all updates automatically.

In addition to updating macOS as needed, you’ll also need to install updates and patches for the various programs you use as they become available. As is the case with operating system updates, software updates are often created to combat cyberthreats, and postponing their installation will only make your computer less safe.

table on a laptop

Practicing Unsafe Browsing Habits

Unsafe browsing habits are among the most common causes of viruses. So, if your current browsing habits leave something to be desired, now would be a great time to amend them. To start with, avoid visiting sites that generate warnings from your browser or antivirus software. For example, when using Safari, you should be presented with “Not Secure” or “Website Not Secure” messages whenever a site’s certificate is illegitimate or expired. You should also see these messages whenever a site that asks you to provide passwords or credit card info is unencrypted.

Not Exercising Caution with Public Wi-Fi

Although public Wi-Fi networks are very convenient and provide countless individuals with easy Internet access, this convenience comes at a cost. Given how unsecure many of these networks are, it should come as no surprise that they often function as playgrounds for cybercriminals. As such, you should avoid using public Wi-Fi whenever it can be avoided – and not using websites that request personal info through these networks. If you have no choice but to use public Wi-Fi, make sure to do so with the protection of a reliable virtual private network (VPN).

While Macs – and Apple products in general – have a number of convenient security features in place, assuming that they’re immune to viruses and other cyberthreats is pure folly. Furthermore, this mindset stands to result in some truly undesirable outcomes. Luckily, shielding your Mac from a growing array of digital dangers is far from a lofty undertaking. By utilizing the security measures discussed above, you can effectively set the stage for long-term protection.

Jason Obrien

Jason is the Marketing Manager at a local advertising company in Australia. He moved to Australia 10 years back for his passion for advertising. Jason recently joined BFA as a volunteer writer and contributes by sharing his valuable experience and knowledge.

Filed Under: Technology

All you Need to know about Location Technology

Last Updated on August 29, 2022 By Ayesha Saeed Leave a Comment

When employing data that has a geographical component, location technology helps you to make use of space, place, time, and geography to make better judgments.

Location is crucial when choosing a site for a new business or real estate development. The location has an impact on business decisions in 82% of cases. A platform for data that focuses on spatial data is called a location data platform. This platform delivers spatial awareness, geo-processing, and other functions across a variety of platforms and devices, in contrast to a traditional desktop information system. You can offer far more value to your company by implementing a location platform than just desktop GIS. The factual information needed to base decisions on location data analysis is provided by location data.

What is Location Data?

Location data also referred to as geographic information or geospatial data, is information about things or features that are present in a geographic space or horizon. Location data can be divided into two categories: vector data and raster data.

Vector Data: In geographic information systems, features like towns, highways, mountains, and waterbodies are represented using the vector data type, which combines points, lines, and polygons.

Raster: In this format, spatial details are represented by cells. Remote satellite data is one illustration.

How Geographic Information Improves a Dataset and your Analysis?

Relate data points to physical boundaries: Suppose you collaborate with locals to examine waterfowl sightings in watershed basin regions. You’re interested in knowing how many birds were observed in each specific watershed. To find the answer and conduct further analysis, you can combine location data from bird observations with watershed boundaries using spatial joins, a feature offered by some analytics solutions. You already have polygon data outlining the locations of watershed basins and point data recording waterfowl sightings.

woman-hand-holidng-pen

Combine chart formats for quick comprehension: A pie chart and a map can both show percentage analysis across regions. This can be helpful if you work in sales as you assess the relative sales volume in different regions and how that affects profitable or unprofitable businesses.

Create a narrative with dashboards: By combining maps with time trends, other charts, and predictive analytics, you may find patterns, improve forecasting, and make it easier for users to spot outliers.

Wrapping up

When properly examined, location data is an enormously valuable resource. The first step is to select an interactive platform that offers the highest level of governance, flexibility to use different sources, custom filters, and the capacity to conduct a wide range of analyses. Before selecting the platform that best meets your demands, does your research and lists the essentials so that you are aware of both the opportunities and obstacles that may arise. And ultimately, when you combine location data with all of your other crucial information, you’ll find significant tales and strong insights.

ayesha saeed
Ayesha Saeed

A happy mom, professional article writer, SEO practitioner, blogger, guest blogger & freelancer. She’s been in digital marketing since 2018. She loves reading books and spending time with her family.

Filed Under: Technology

Choosing the Best Point of Sale Software for your Retail Store

Last Updated on August 17, 2022 By Jason Obrien Leave a Comment

Choosing the best point of sale software for your business is crucial so that you can be sure your business is operating efficiently. In this blog article, we provide some easy guidelines to follow when choosing a retail point of sale software company.

Business owners have to make constant decisions on the tools they use for their company – whether it’s buying a printer, choosing point of sale software, or selecting pieces of inventory for your store. In this article, you will learn how you can make these important decisions confidently by following these 7 steps.

Table of Contents

  • What is POS?
    • These include
  • Different Types of POS Systems
  • Pros and Cons of each Type of POS System
    • Debit/Credit Card Machines
    • Ticket Machines
  • There are Advantages and Disadvantages to each Type of POS System
  • How to Figure Out What Type of POS Software to Use in your Business
  • Here are some Factors to Consider when choosing a POS System
  • Attributing your PLOS
  • Conclusion

What is POS?

Point of sale software (POS) is a computer system that allows store owners to manage their business transactions. POS systems use a variety of hardware, software, and services to process sales and inventory.

There are a number of factors to consider when choosing the best POS software for your retail store.

These include

The type of business you are in. For example, a clothing store would need different software than a toy store.

Your budget. Different POS systems can range in price from around $1,000 to tens of thousands of dollars.

The features you need. Some POS systems offer more features than others, such as inventory management or point-of-sale automation.

The size and layout of your store. If your store is large or has a complex layout, you may need multiple POS systems to accommodate everything.

Different Types of POS Systems

There are many different types of point-of-sale (POS) systems available on the market today. Here are some factors to consider when choosing one:

Software Type: There are two main types of POS software: stand-alone and integrated. Stand-alone systems are installed on a single computer in your store, while integrated systems are installed on a network and use the software on the computers in your store to send orders to suppliers and receive payments from customers.

Software Configuration: Most POS systems come with varying degrees of customization, including the layout of menus, colors, and logos. You may also want to consider which features are included and whether you need extra features, like order processing or billing management.

Ease of Use: Consider how easy the software is to use, from setting up your accounts and menus to entering data and issuing payments.

Payment Systems Supported: Make sure the POS system you choose supports the payment methods you’ll be using most often, like credit cards or direct debit.

Financial Stability: Choose a POS system that has been extensively tested and is reliable—you don’t want to have to switch to a new system if something goes wrong.

Pros and Cons of each Type of POS System

When it comes to choosing the right point of sale (POS) software for your retail store, there are a number of factors to consider. Here are some of the pros and cons of each type of POS system:

PSO System

Debit/Credit Card Machines

Pros: These machines are easy to use and are commonly accepted by customers. They also offer quick and easy access to financial information. Credit card transactions can also be processed quickly and easily.

Cons: In order to use these machines, you need to have a debit or credit card already set up. If you don’t have a card yet, you will need to get one in order to use the debit machine. These machines tend to be more expensive than other types of POS systems.

Ticket Machines

Pros: These machines are easy to use and don’t require any special training or knowledge. They also offer quick access to various types of information, such as purchase history and inventory data.

Cons: Due to their simplicity, these machines may not be as popular with customers as other types of POS systems. Additionally, they can be less reliable than other types of systems.

There are Advantages and Disadvantages to each Type of POS System

When it comes to choosing the right point of sale (POS) software, there are a variety of advantages and disadvantages to consider. Here are just a few:

The advantages of using a computer-based POS system include the ability to customize the system to fit your own store layout and preferences. You can also manage inventory and pricing more easily with this system than with a kiosk or register. Disadvantages include the expense of installing and upgrading the software, as well as the need for a reliable internet connection.

Kiosks typically have more advantages than disadvantages. They are affordable, easy to set up and allow you to accept credit and debit cards as well as cash. Kiosks can also be customized to look like traditional registers. However, they may not be as user-friendly as computer-based systems, and they may not accept a variety of payment methods such as Apple Pay.

Register a variety stems are the most popular type of POS system used in retail stores. They are simple to use, and most stores only need one register for both customer service and sales transactions. Register systems usually have fewer disadvantages than kiosks or computer-based systems, but they can be less affordable than kiosks or systems that accept

How to Figure Out What Type of POS Software to Use in your Business

When it comes to choosing the right point of sale software for your business, there are a lot of factors to consider. First, you need to decide what type of business you have. If your business is a small store that doesn’t require much functionality, you may not need as many features as a business that sells high-end products. Once you have an idea of the type of business you have, you can start to look at the different types of POS software.

Here are some Factors to Consider when choosing a POS System

Functionality: One of the most important factors when choosing a point of sale system is how functional it is. Some systems are fairly basic and don’t offer a lot of features, while other more advanced systems offer a lot more functionality.

Ease of Use: Another factor to consider is how easy the software is to use. Make sure the controls are intuitive so that you don’t waste time trying to figure out how to use them.

Security: It’s important to choose a system that offers security features. Some systems offer encrypted data storage and user identification numbers that are unique only to each individual user account.

Attributing your PLOS

When it comes to selecting the best point of sale (POS) software for your retail store, there are a few factors that you need to take into consideration. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

First and foremost, you need to determine your business’s needs. Do you want a POS system that is easy to use or do you want one that offers more features? Do you want a cloud-based system or do you want one that is installed on the store’s computer?

Another important factor to consider is your budget. Do you want a free or paid system? Are there any add-ons that you need, such as payment gateways or analytics? The more money you spend, the more features and options you will have available to you.

Finally, think about how well the system works with your existing infrastructure. Does the software require any additional hardware installation? Is the software compatible with your current point of sale systems? If not, will purchasing new hardware be required?

There are many great points of sale (POS) systems out there, so it’s important to choose one that meets your business’s specific needs and budget. Remember to attribute

Conclusion

When starting a new retail store, it is important to choose the right point of sale software. There are a variety of options available on the market today, so it can be difficult to decide which one is best for your business. In this article, we will discuss some factors you should think about when selecting point OF Sale software. We hope that this information will help you make an informed decision and pick the perfect software for your store.

Jason Obrien

Jason is the Marketing Manager at a local advertising company in Australia. He moved to Australia 10 years back for his passion for advertising. Jason recently joined BFA as a volunteer writer and contributes by sharing his valuable experience and knowledge.

Filed Under: Technology

5 Ways Smart Technology is Reshaping the Hotel Industry

Last Updated on July 21, 2022 By Ayesha Saeed Leave a Comment

Smart hotel technology offers a variety of cost reductions and revenue opportunities, allowing hotel operators to achieve new levels of profitability across operations, the guest experience, and marketing.

The hospitality and hotel sectors have numerous potentials to creatively integrate new technologies into daily operations such as a self-hotel check-in system and provide customers with a better experience. Very shortly, the hotel sector will change in the following 5 ways thanks to smart technology.

Table of Contents

  • Intelligent Energy Management
  • Self-Check-In System
  • Cloud Computing
  • Smart Room Service
  • Easy Access via Mobile App

Intelligent Energy Management

Occupancy changes can be tracked and handled by smart thermostats and occupancy sensors. Similarly, powerful machine-learning algorithms are used by smart energy management systems to continuously examine past thermodynamics, regional weather patterns, and peak demand loads to optimize energy use in real-time, throughout the year. Smart energy savings go beyond mere conjecture. Smart energy-management systems can produce some of the industry’s quickest payback times and can save hotel energy bills by up to 20%. (between 12-24 months). They can considerably raise a hotel’s resale value as well.

Self-Check-In System

To remain competitive, hotels cannot ignore the current and high-tech expectations of their customers. In the internet and smartphone-driven world of today, hoteliers can provide visitors with a distinctive experience that will persuade them to stay at your property again when they next travel. Today’s visitors want everything in your hotel to be digital and don’t want to stand in line at the front desk. On the other hand, self-check-in using a mobile app is the best choice for guests and hotel staff.

Cloud Computing

One of the most recent technological developments that have attracted a lot of attention from corporate executives is cloud computing. This guideline applies to the hotel industry as well. Cloud computing enables hotel staff to update software while on the go and coordinate their systems in real-time. Additionally, cloud technology is a great substitute for hotels due to its data protection and secure access.

Smart Room Service

Smart room services

Hotels will be able to transmit menu notifications to customers’ smartphones at the best moments while they are in their rooms with the use of smart occupancy sensors. These messages may even contain tailored advice based on previous purchases. A lot of home food delivery applications already provide a similar experience by sending push notifications to loyal users on the days and at the times they prefer to place orders.

IoT-powered smart hotel rooms give visitors the kind of comfort and convenience they’re probably used to at home. Built-in streaming services, keyless entry, smart mirrors, digital conveniences like lighting and temperature management, voice-activated assistants, and more can all be examples of this.

Easy Access via Mobile App

Hotels must now offer users a mobile-friendly app that showcases their offerings for both food and services. Make your website responsive to mobile and desktop browsers so that customers can book from any location.

With this amazing hotel trend, visitors have a flawless browsing experience that motivates them to make a reservation straight away. Additionally, the hotel’s mobile app cleverly promotes its services and amenities.

ayesha saeed
Ayesha Saeed

A happy mom, professional article writer, SEO practitioner, blogger, guest blogger & freelancer. She’s been in digital marketing since 2018. She loves reading books and spending time with her family.

Filed Under: Technology

How to Troubleshoot HTML Meta Tag Issues

Last Updated on July 18, 2022 By Jason Obrien 1 Comment

Each year in the United States, entrepreneurs start over 600,000 new businesses. Unfortunately, not all of these companies go on to thrive. Investing in effective management strategies is an important component of running a successful business that every entrepreneur should prioritize.

More specifically, you should ensure that you have a high-quality website that ranks well on Google. HTML meta tag issues can serve as an obstacle for many companies, though.

Not everyone knows where to begin, though. We’ve put together a quick tutorial that explains all of the essential things to consider.

Let’s get started with everything you need to know about problems with HTML tags.

Table of Contents

  • Ensure that your Formatting is Correct
  • Check for Duplicate Tags
  • Make sure your Tags are Relevant to your Content
  • Include Keyword-Rich Tags
  • Work with a Professional
  • HTML Meta Issues doesn’t have to be Complicated

Ensure that your Formatting is Correct

When you’re troubleshooting HTML meta tag issues, one of the first things you should check is your website code formatting. Make sure that all your tags are properly open and closed, and that there are no extra spaces or characters between tags.

If your tags are not properly formatted, search engines may not be able to parse them correctly.

Check for Duplicate Tags

Another common issue with HTML meta tags is duplicate tags. If you have multiple tags with the same name, search engines may only index the first one they encounter. To avoid this issue, make sure to only use each tag once on your page.

Make sure your Tags are Relevant to your Content

Another important factor to consider when troubleshooting HTML meta tag issues is relevancy. Make sure that the tags you’re using are relevant to the content on your page. If your tags are not relevant, they may not be indexed correctly by search engines.

Include Keyword-Rich Tags

HTML Meta Tag Issues

When you’re troubleshooting HTML meta tag issues, another thing to keep in mind is the use of keywords. Keywords are important for SEO, so make sure to include them in your tags. However, don’t stuff your tags with keywords — this can actually hurt your SEO.

Instead, focus on using a few relevant keywords in each tag. You can check out this post from The HOTH to learn more.

Work with a Professional

If you’re having trouble troubleshooting HTML meta tag issues, it is often helpful to work with a professional.

A professional can help you identify the issues and come up with solutions. If you’re not sure where to start, consider working with an SEO company that specializes in troubleshooting HTML meta tags.

They will have the knowledge and experience necessary to help you fix your issues. So, be sure that you take advantage of the utility they can offer.

HTML Meta Issues doesn’t have to be Complicated

It might seem difficult to handle HTML meta problems, but it’s easier than you might expect it to be. Ensure that you keep the above guidelines in mind so you can avoid problems you may have encountered.

Looking for other useful articles like this one? Our blog has plenty of info that can help you out in the future.

Jason Obrien

Jason is the Marketing Manager at a local advertising company in Australia. He moved to Australia 10 years back for his passion for advertising. Jason recently joined BFA as a volunteer writer and contributes by sharing his valuable experience and knowledge.

Filed Under: Technology

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