5 tell tale signs it’s time to invest in back office software

There are some tell tale signs that systems and processes are not up to scratch. It might be time to invest in back office when you…

1.   …notice the new office décor features stained wet timesheets

When someone has an accidental mishap with a mug of coffee over the pile waiting to be processed, you might see timesheets hanging up to dry. It’s not an innovation in interior design. It’s an avoidable nuisance that causes delays. If the ink is smudged then expect a lot of extra work. An online timesheet system eliminates the need for piles of paper timesheets waiting for processing. When there’s a spill, all that gets wet is that celeb gossip mag that belongs in the bin anyway…

2.   …can take a citybreak while they’re closing the month

End of month reports can take time to run, giving you time to kill. Taking figures from different systems and assembling them in a spreadsheet might give you a view of the business, but for most it is just a snapshot that you get to see at the end of the month. A system with real time reporting doesn’t just speed up end of month closing. It helps provide a single view of agency business on demand.

3.   …spend a long weekend, um, searching office filing cabinets

When the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate, the EAS, (or the equivalent in your country) decides its time to check that all your records are in order, then maybe you need to start looking forward to the prospect of a nice long weekend in the office. A system that links contracts and documents such as identity, right to work and certification to centralised candidate records means you don’t have to hunt through files looking for missing photocopies.

4.   …excel at doing foreign currency conversions without Excel

Working out payments to contractors when you pay them in one currency and bill your client in a different one is often one of the drawbacks of operating as an international business. Some might have a head for figures, but if you have become a whizz at doing currency conversions in your head, it might be time for two things. Firstly, a system that is multi-currency native and easily integrates currency conversion for invoicing and payments. And secondly? You apply for a job at NASA of course…

5.   …have to talk about the weather while trying to chase timesheets

Sometimes when you make a call to chase up a timesheet you get caught up in a conversation that you don’t really want to have. When you have to make a dozen or more such calls and get sucked into conversations it makes a big dent in your working day. It might be time for a system that integrates SMS and email bulk sending that lets you chase lots of timesheets with one click of ‘send’.
ETZ includes great features to help alleviate these and many other symptoms that arise from a manual, paper-based approach to timesheets, or disconnected computer systems that require information to be manually re-keyed from one system into another. Click here to book a demo and see it in action.