Business Management software: purchase guide
What is Business Management Software?
Definition
Business management software is a professional solution that supports unified sales process management, this includes:
- Invoice and purchase order management
- Management of delivery notes
- Purchasing and sales management
- Follow up of payments and customer reminders
- Supplier management
All of these modules share the same database which allows you to work continuously on up-to-date data and never import/export between different applications.
How it Works
Business Management solutions are made up of modules. You access an interface online and perform actions linked to each module you have access to:
- Invoice management to create quotes and invoices, send them to the customer and archive them
- Customer and supplier relationship management to view customer and supplier receivables and payables, contracts, send reminders, etc.
- Purchasing and sales management to monitor productions flows and manage stocks in real-time
- Financial management to monitor your organisation's financial flows and interact with your accountant
According to your needs, you can add more specific modules: material classification, tariff management, etc.
These solutions are compatible with your internal information system to optimise processes:
- Enrich your CRM with the latest customer requests, payment information, etc.
- Automate the sending of invoices on your accounting tools so that it records the associated accounting entries
- Etc.
What are the Main Features of a Business Management Software?
The main features of business management software include:
Invoice Management
From customisable templates and blocks, you can create your quotes, invoices, deposits, purchase orders, delivery notes, etc., and send them to your customers.
Some tools include an item list: a customisable database that lists all the products and services offered by companies in your sector (wording, prices, margins). You click on a service and it is added to your price estimate.
A quote accepted by a customer can be converted into an invoice using the tool.
On each invoice, you can apply customised rates, sales and other promotions. You can also save recurring promotions and apply them with a simple click.
The invoicing tool centralises all of your invoices and ensures complete traceability.
Some tools have a collaborative space on which your customers and suppliers can view a history of the transactions carried out. Otherwise, you have the available documents online in the tool: you can export PDF files or send them directly by email.
Business management software complies with regulatory requirements for electronic invoicing (security and confidentiality)
Customer-Supplier Relationship Management
Business management solutions keep track of your customers' business history: quotes, paid, unpaid and pending invoices.
You can also categorise your customers:
- To build customer loyalty initiatives
- To control work in progress or apply restrictions
- To obtain a list of customers waiting for payment or invoicing
- Etc.
You manage all of your trade receivables and can schedule automatic reminders.
Moreover, when it comes to your suppliers, you can manage payment deadlines specific to each one of them directly in the tool.
Purchasing, Sales and Inventory Management
Online, you can manage your inventory in a few clicks:
- Supplies: set minimum and maximum inventories to be met, the number of purchases, choice of supplier, etc.
- Stock movements: receipts, issues, transfers
- Inventory valuation according to the accounting method of your choice: CUMP, FIFO, LIFO
In real-time, you can view the status of your inventory, access the list of prices charged by your suppliers and schedule orders.
The data of your purchases and sales are automatically transferred to your accounting tool to be recorded in your bookkeeping.
Organisational Management
Business management tools are central to the business and strategic management of your company (from very small businesses, SMEs to large companies).
Analysis tools allow you to visualise in real-time the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):
- Analysis of the cost structure
- Invoiced and prospective revenue, cash flow
- Ongoing deliveries and delays
- Amount of trade receivables and payables
- Etc.
A dashboard allows you to produce customised KPIs to improve productivity or margins in your company, for example.
Custom reports can be generated by the software.
Your company's data is backed up and secured in a cloud.
Who Uses Business Management Software?
Business management tools are cross-functional. They are used in many departments, and the most common type of people that use business management software are:
- Sales representatives and sales assistants to carry out estimates, invoices
- Purchasing and logistics managers to manage inventory
- Accountants to handle accounting online
- Financial managers to carry out a financial diagnosis of the company
- Etc.
Lastly, managers can use business management software to develop the strategic management of their organisation and develop their activity.
Why should you use a Business Management Software?
Business management software is a powerful customisable tool to manage a company. Nevertheless, there are some disadvantages to using one.
Advantages
- Lower the cost of processing information: saving time (simplification of administrative tasks) and responsiveness
- Reduced risk of error due to multiple entries
- Tools that centralise data from different divisions and allow cross-functional sharing
- Collaborative spaces with suppliers and customers
- Clear, detailed and up-to-date overview of business operations
- Just-in-time stock management
- Compatibility with internal accounting tools
Disadvantages
- Solutions can be very expensive if you are looking for a custom-made tool
- Versatile solutions that do not replace the use of specific tools in important structures (inventory management, procurement, invoicing, etc.)
- Tools not suitable for all companies: a service company does not need a stock management tool, for example
