Cloud computing in its modern context started in 2006 when Google’s CEO at the time introduced the term at an industry conference. However, it has a longer history with its beginnings traced back to the 1960s, with the early concept of time-sharing becoming popular with larger technology firms such as IBM. As computers became widely available to more users in the 1990s, scientists and engineers began to investigate ways to make large-scale computing even more accessible through time-sharing.

Throughout this evolution, on-site applications installed on a company’s servers and behind its firewall have remained a steadfast norm for organisations. The existence of on-site solutions persists today but is being phased out at an accelerated pace in recent years with remote working becoming the post-pandemic new normal, changing workplace environments globally.  

Enter cloud computing solutions. While cloud solutions were already on the rise prior to 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic upended how many organisations work and operate as staff were relegated to working away from the office. Many turned to conferencing and collaboration tools and cloud technology to work effectively and collaboratively, regardless of their geographical location.

Harbour Software is extremely proud of the fact that Doc Assembler and Docs On Tap have been developed from inception to be run as a true “cloud native applications”.  With our applications we have not taken an existing outdated technology stack and tried to retrofit it to make it accessible via the cloud.  Harbour Software’s solutions have been developed from the start to run on the web utilising the latest technology in cloud delivery.

This approach has meant our solutions were ahead of the curve prior to the pandemic, offering a completely web and cloud-based option that can be accessed from anywhere on any device. Our experience in working with cloud base applications also made it easier for our customer service team to pivot to offering training and support to our customers remotely rather than on-site, which has saved customers time and money.

The benefits of cloud computing continue to grow as the medium evolves. A few benefits of moving your organisation to the cloud include:

Savings in costs and resources for IT teams

Adopting cloud computing helps to reduce the cost of managing and maintaining IT systems for internal teams. This may also translate to fewer time delays, decreased spending on system upgrades and software depending on your contract with your provider, and reductions in your energy consumption costs.

Organisations who have moved to the cloud have already decreased their costs significantly by using the resources of the cloud computing service provider rather than purchasing expensive systems and hardware to be hosted on-site.

At Harbour Software, we provide all the servicing through hosting on the Microsoft Azure platform. When organisations onboard with Doc Assembler and Docs on Tap, there are zero hardware costs or needs attached for their internal IT departments. The onboarding process has IT teams performing minor initial configuration and security measures and once launched, only occasional interactions thereafter.

As a SaaS solution, all software updates are done automatically with no input required from IT Staff.  This ensures that all clients are running on the exact same version which has benefits from a support perspective and guarantees that clients will always be on the most up to date version of the solution.

Organisational continuity and efficiency

Working in a cloud environment gives organisations the ability to communicate and facilitates knowledge and file sharing, as well as managing control and access to staff, contractors, and third parties.

Doc Assembler’s functionalities enable high levels of collaboration within the software. It allows multiple authors to contribute to the same item in real time and results in significant time and cost savings thanks to its cloud-based and automated platform. You will also be able to create workflow processes tailored to your organisational needs, with multiple approvers for document review to give full accountability and transparency.

Docs on Tap mirrors the efficiency of its sister product Doc Assembler, with functionality built in to enable document version control, ensuring your files stay up to date. Both Docs on Tap and Doc Assembler have ease of access on any device or web application platforms from any location at any time.

Enhanced security

Some organisations have concerns regarding security when considering moving to the cloud. However, there are many reasons why cloud solutions are more secure than storing your data and files on site.

For one, a cloud host carefully monitors security on an ongoing basis, which is more efficient than an on-site system where IT resources are segmented across issues and concerns with security being one of many. In fact, a high percentage of data theft occurs internally and not via cloud hosting, which can be an uncomfortable reality to consider for organisations.

Switching to a cloud solution can also make it easier to meet government compliance requirements due to enhanced security measures through the encryption of data being transmitted via networks. Information that has been encrypted is less accessible by hackers or anyone without authority to view your data.

Both Doc Assembler and Docs on Tap give your confidential documents full protection and allow you to enable controlled access to your files.

Ready to make the change? Contact us to find out how our SaaS solutions can improve your organisation.