Usage pattern of accounting software packages by Atlassian
Accounting software reflects a class of computer program that enable organizations to manage all the financial transaction in a comprehensive manner (Wu & Smyth, 2012). Such programs can help businesses in performing their daily activities like preparation of invoices for the customers. In the present complex business procedure, it has become extremely difficult for the organizations to keep track of all the financial activities manually. It has increased the significance of using accounting software packages for enhancing the effectiveness of the financial activities. Accounting software packages help organizations to enhance the accuracy level by eliminating human errors to the maximum extent. For that reason, effective use of accounting software packages can enhance the speed of operational processes comprehensively. It has induced all the prime MNCs as well as small start-ups to use accounting software package for maintaining continues growth in the market (Hall, 2012). The study will aim to assess usage pattern of accounting software packages by one of the popular Australia based software development company Atlassian. The study will looks to analyze present organizational structure and its impact on the operational process. It would also focus on highlighting the most probable system acquisition methods for conducting all the business procedure effectively. It would also looks to highlight the adoption process of accounting software packages for gaining competitive advantage in the market. It would also highlight current gaps or challenges encountered by the customers in order to provide effective recommendations for fulfilling all the business procedure.
Atlassian is an enterprise software company that develops products for project managers, software developers and content management. Atlassian was established in the year of 2002 with the objective of providing superior quality of enterprise software as per the needs and wants of the customers. For that reason, Atlassian has focused on using matrix organizational structure in order to provide value added services to all the customers. Use of matrix structure has allowed Atlassian to enhance the effectiveness of the communicational procedure within the workplace in a major way (Sam et al., 2012). It has allowed Atlassian to make strong collaboration across the departments, which has helped to maintain competitive advantage in the market. The current organizational structure of Atlassian has allowed employees to work independently and also encouraged them to provide necessary inputs in all the critical decision making process. Therefore, it has helped Atlassian to keep the motivational level of the workforce at the desired order.
Analysis of Atlassian’s organizational structure and its impact on the operational process
Present organizational structure of Atlassian also has created different problems for maintaining the effectiveness of the operational procedure. The present structure of Atlassian has increased the complexity of the operational procedure in a major way. It has induced management of Atlassian to invest more amounts for covering all aspect of the operational procedure. For instance, it has induced management to provide higher facilities to all the employees for fulfilling all the requirements of the operational process. As a result, it has increased the cost associated with the operational process (Pan & Perera, 2012). For that reason, Atlassian has focused on including different advanced systems within the operational procedure for maintaining competitive advantage in the market.
As per the article by Usmanij, Khosla and Chu (2013) effective use of system acquisition method allow organizations to identify best possible software for fulfilling the requirements of the operational procedure. Therefore, the selection of system acquisition method is extremely critical for the enhancement of the operational procedure. Now, commercial software, customer software and ERP are the type of available systems that Atlassian can utilize to enhance the performance level even further. Now, commercial software suggests any software program that designed and developed for serving commercial purpose. On the other hand, custom software focuses on developing tailor made software for specific purposes. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) reflects an integrated management of core independent process mediated by technologies and software. Now, Atlassian is most likely to select ERP software through the system acquisition method, as it will help to keep track of the entire process of the operational activities. Selection of ERP software will allow Atlassian to account activities like product planning, production planning, manufacturing and service delivery, materials management, marketing and sales and inventory management procedure. Moreover, introduction of ERP process will also help Atlassian to perform all the activities associated with the accounting department in an effective manner. Therefore, it will allow Atlassian to repair present loopholes for reaching more number of the customers in an appropriate manner.
Atlassian has always focused on developing software as per the requirements of the customers. For that reason, it has focused on developing strong relationship with all the present customers for the fulfilment of the roles and responsibilities (Romney et al., 2013). Atlassian has always focused on utilizing systematic procedure for eliminating any confusion within the operational procedure. The system flowchart of Atlassian sales procedure is provided as follows:
Most probable system acquisition methods for conducting business procedures effectively
Figure 1: System sales procedure of Atlassian
(Source: Tijani & Mohammed, 2013)
From the above figure, it can be assessed that Atlassian sales procedure heavily focuses on identifying the needs and wants of customers for generating sales leads. It has focused on completing the entire sales activities in such a way that can keep the satisfaction level of the customers at the desired order (Lusher, Huber & Valencia, 2012). The above sales procedure of Atlassian has also focused on utilizing accounting procedure for qualifying the business suspects into opportunity. Thus, it highlights the fact that Atlassian depends heavily on the performance level of the accounting department for realizing the sales or business objectives in an effective manner.
The above system procedure has helped Atlassian to cover all aspect of the sales activities in an appropriate way. However, there is still possibility of arising control problem in the above system procedure. Specifically, qualifying or the accounting aspect of the sales procedure can create different problems in the absence of specific technological support. Atlassian is an extremely popular software development company that has more than 50,000 customers (Boulianne, 2014). Therefore, sales procedure of Atlassian generally has to deal with huge database, which require proper tracking and assessment facilities. Otherwise, it might affect the selection procedure of business suspects with opportunities.
The adoption of accounting software is increasing very fast in the Australian market. Use of accounting software has reduced the use of paper work to a significant extent. Now, Atlassian will have to focus on identifying the best available accounting software for fulfilling the requirements of the accounts department. As per the survey by Šim?nek, van Genuchten and Šejna (2016) Intuit, Xero and MYOB are the most popular accounting software available in the Australian market. It has allowed businesses to utilize cloud-based application for the fulfilment of accounting responsibilities. Now, Atlassian will have to focus on using Xero for enhancing the effectiveness of the financial operational procedure. Presently, Xero is the biggest accounting software that allows organizations to collect, process and maintain account book. Moreover, use of cloud computing technique will allow Atlassian to enhance the security level of different confidential financial reports. Therefore, it is likely to create positive impact on the sales procedure.
Atlassian is among the top software development company in Australia, which was established more than 15 years ago. In 2016, the revenue level of Atlassian accounted around $457 million (atlassian.com, 2017). Therefore, it established the fact that Atlassian has able to establish its presence all across the Australian market successfully. Moreover, the organization has focused on establishing its presence outside the country as well. USA and Germany among the prime market for Atlassian, as it capture major portion of its sales revenue. The global market presence of Atlassian is provided in the following figure:
Identification of current gaps or challenges encountered by customers
Figure 2: Current market size
(Source: atlassian.com, 2017)
Present market share of Atlassian has focused on utilizing different computerized software packages for fulfilling the requirements of the global customers. Without the presence of advanced software, it will be very difficult for Atlassian to keep track of all the business activities happening on regular basis. Moreover, Atlassian has also made a conscious effort in keeping the satisfaction level of the customers, which require effective use of advance technologies for resolving any complain or query of the customers in an effective manner (Duell, Gardner & Waller, 2013). Use of Xero accounting software can allow Atlassian to identify the business opportunities properly, which is also likely to provide support in the overall effectiveness of the business processes.
As Atlassian is looking to expand its reach in the global market in order to emerge as one of the biggest name in the sector, it will have to face immense competition from all the top software development companies like Microsoft, IBM, Apple and other companies. These organizations are the pioneer of developing unique software as per the requirements of the clients (Stefanou & Athanasaki, 2012). The innovation and unique product development is among the prime factors that provided competitive advantages to these organizations. Moreover, these organizations also have focused on utilizing the most advance form of technologies for enhancing the effectiveness of the operational procedure in a major way (Grant, Barichello & Fitzpatrick, 2015). For instance, cloud based system has become extremely popular among these organizations, which have helped to increase the collaboration level among different organization in an effective way. Now, accounting software packages is also included in the use of advance technologies process that can allow maintaining record of all the activities happening within the internal platform. Moreover, these organizations have focused on enhancing the security level with the use of firewalls and other technologies for gaining the trust level of the customers in an effective way.
As illustrated by Daneshgar, Low and Worasinchai (2013) the business process in the information technology sector is revolving at the global market continuously. As a result, organizations in the IT sector have to deal with different business environment on regular basis. It will also change the requirements of the businesses in order to perform all the activities associated with the operational procedure. For that reason, software packages also need to provide timely update so that it can able to adjust with the changing nature of the businesses. Many organizations still feel that use of cloud based accounting software can actually hamper the overall security level of the business procedure in a major way. Therefore, it has affected the overall sales volume of the accounting software packages effectively. Several cases have been identified where hackers have accessed all the critical information of the organization with unethical activities (Romney et al., 2012). Hence, enhancement of security level is among the prime objectives of the software development companies so that it can keep all the financial information about organization secure. Otherwise, it can actually create major adverse impact on achieving sustainable growth in the business processes.
Effective recommendations for fulfilling all business procedures
Conclusion:
The study has highlighted the fact that effective utilization of advance accounting software packages in important for fulfilling all the requirements of the business processes in an effective manner. Utilization of advance accounting software packages allows organizations to minimize the required time for collecting, assessing and keeping the all the data at the desired level. Therefore, it allows organizations to identify the potential target market in an effective way. It has created positive impact on the sales and marketing activities as well. The study has also highlighted the fact that effective use of advance technology can allow organizations to achieve competitive advantage in the market. It reduces the time as well as effort required for fulfilling the requirements of the operational procedure. Hence, effective use of advance accounting software packages is expected to help in handling challenges associated with future business perspective effectively.
References:
atlassian.com (2017). Atlassian. Retrieved 27 April 2017, from https://www.atlassian.com
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