The cloud is new for everybody. And you know what? It’s okay to be scared.

Fear makes you aware of the things you need to take control of. Ultimately, you want to move into the cloud, but in your own time, and on your own terms.

We get that. We know how stressful transition can be, so we want to help you think through your decision-making process with some key questions.

Here is what you need to ask your cloud ERP provider.

The cloud is new for everybody. And you know what? It’s okay to be scared.

Fear makes you aware of the things you need to take control of. Ultimately, you want to move into the cloud, but in your own time, and on your own terms.

We get that. We know how stressful transition can be, so we want to help you think through your decision-making process with some key questions.

Here is what you need to ask your cloud ERP provider.

(1)  Do I have to pay you forever?

Nobody wants eternal payments. Worse, nobody wants prices that suddenly change or keep increasing. You want to pay as you go so you can budget and plan for growth.

(2)  How safe and accessible is my data?

What guarantees do I have that my data would be stored somewhere, not accessible by others? And can I access my data and applications to move them back in-house? You should be able to have a way out, anytime.

(3)  Will you update your software on my terms?

Don’t assume that just because you are in the cloud, you automatically lose control over when upgrades to newer versions occur. Yes, you can plan for upgrades so your critical business is never compromised.

(4)  Can I easily take my data and move to the next cloud ERP provider?

It’s your data, and you should have full control. As the customer, you should be able to use any cloud ERP provider you want. Make sure your provider lets you move from one to another easily, and from hosted to in-house without a problem.

Moving into the cloud should not be a painful ordeal. Make sure you know your options before committing to a vendor. And welcome to the cloud!