Automation is a relatively new concept in business, and not every company is motivated enough to implement it. Statistics reveal that many business leads are intrigued by automation but aren’t sure about its benefits. There are also several myths related to automation software that makes business leaders doubt its efficiency. These myths need to be busted so businesses can benefit from automation and ensure that all their business processes work smoothly. Let’s read on and debunk some automation myths.
Table of Contents
Myth 1: Accounting software is expensive
Many people think that accounting software is expensive. But, they are only considering the initial investment and not looking at the overall picture. They don’t realize the cost of human resources is reduced by automation. There are many benefits of automation, and it can help you save ample resources. Automating the redundant processes preserves your time so your team members can focus on more critical tasks. It has been seen that businesses relying on automation experience higher revenue growth compared to those that don’t.
Myth 2: Using accounting software is tough
Those who don’t have a clear picture of their business objectives think that using accounting software is challenging. This myth has been introduced by those companies that haven’t visualized automation from a business perspective. Many business owners assume that the decision to automate business processes is a rule-based task. They believe these will operate in a standardized workflow but will become complicated with scale across business functions. The phobia of fixing and debugging issues during night-time to break the standard workflow is real.
Many open-source and proprietary accounting software options are currently available in the market. This software can be easily integrated into any system, irrespective of the underlying computing environments and technologies, keeping the workflow intact.
If you have proper planning, technology, and security guidelines and hire skilled people, automation could fix issues and prevent a significant amount of last-minute rushes.
Myth 3: Artificial Intelligence is the same as automation
Although the terms “automation” and “AI” are used interchangeably, they are entirely different concepts. Automation is a logic set designed to perform monotonous tasks at high speed to enhance efficiency. Here, input is taken by a program to perform logic operations. For example, organizations can automate their processes to decrease the workload of HR when a hiring process reaches maturity.
On the other hand, AI is an advanced technology that can perform and predict high-end functions and help you with activities related to business decisions involving massive data. Here, the input and output are trained and tested to detect a prediction pattern precisely. For example, AI will be used by your phone for autocorrection. However, your business landscape can be shaped by combining automation with AI.
Myth 4: Most job roles will become redundant due to the use of accounting software
Although most repetitive tasks can be automated, it doesn’t mean people would be jobless when businesses get rid of some roles. On the other hand, it has been predicted that automation will boost the job market and create many jobs.
Engineers and software developers designed accounting software to perform regular tiresome tasks with less human effort, increasing the effectiveness of a business. This allows the business time to invest in what matters the most and direct employees to handle complicated tasks.
Automation is, after all, a programmed logic that operates on a system and doesn’t possess its own reasoning capabilities. Therefore, humans would always need to update their automation logic with bug-fixing and advanced business needs.
Myth 5: Losing Control Over Regulatory Tasks
Gregory Webb, a Forbes Technology Council member, noted in an article that an IT network team might assume that it would be stopped from controlling and monitoring its network domains because of automation. Even though it is a genuine concern for any IT admin, the fear is not reasonable. To avoid this situation, business lenders must involve the development, IT, security, and operations teams while planning for automation.
This keeps the doors open for discussions, and businesses must have a better idea of how automation works and how feasible it would be in the long run. Even when automation is in place, the IT team must monitor the whole process to keep the system secure and error-free.
Conclusion
Accounting software is a blessing for businesses as it can be used to automate many business functions. These add additional value to businesses by decreasing dependence on repetitive tasks and allowing the workforce to afford the time to invest in more productive, value-driven processes. A combination of the right team, technology, strategy, and in some cases, third-party vendors should allow any business to conquer the fear of automation and help them stay ahead of the competitive market. It’s high time that all businesses switch to accounting software and preserve time and manpower.
