Document Management News

Most firms will have adopted some sort of SaaS ( software as a service) platform by the end of 2014, according to US technology research firm Saugatuck.

IT functions including data security and human resources (HR) are among business areas which are already leading the way when it come to SaaS adoption, shows ongoing research among over 7,000 firms around the world.

Saugatuck says the advent of Cloud-based computing is helping to drive the adoption of SaaS services.

"We see SaaS primarily as an 'Agent of Change' through to year-end 2012. In this scenario, SaaS builds on its growing role within mainstream IT and business, and accounts for as much as 25% of new IT spending - up from the roughly 15% level being achieved today," says Saugatuck.

SaaS "significantly penetrates small- to medium-sized business (SMB) accounts during this time period, with both best-of-breed and integrated suites of core business applications (including financials)", said Saugatuck.

Currently, large enterprise customers continue to primarily view SaaS as a deployment choice for tactical and point solutions, rather than core business systems, with the one exception being in HR.

Over time, says the research, SaaS will become much more tightly integrated with on-premise systems and integral to core infrastructure and operations.

With this, SaaS will build on its growing role within mainstream IT and business, and will account for as much as 40% of new IT spending overall for the vast majority of user firms worldwide, with an increasing role for SaaS around core systems, not only for SMBs but larger enterprises.

Julian Buck, General Manager from document management company, Version One, says, "This Saugatech research reflects what we're experiencing in the UK document management market. Organisations looking for electronic document management solutions for the electronic storage and management of their financial and HR documents are beginning to investigate SaaS as a delivery option."

More information on the latest SaaS report from Saugatuck can be viewed here