Calculate the Cost of Legacy Retail Accounting Software

A familiar accounting system might not be the best way to stay successful.

Sometimes retro and vintage are appealing marketing descriptions that trigger nostalgia. These purchases often are not the actual thing of memory but an updated version that fits today’s tastes with a nod to the past. But using accounting software or systems designed for a single brick-and-mortar store decades ago isn’t a good idea. As the business grows and opens more locations, that legacy system is tested because every added channel adds complications. Retail accounting software needs to be able to keep up with the changing environment of multiple channels or your business suffers.

Who Knows How To Fix Retail Accounting?

If a glitch needs to be untangled by someone who has used it long enough to understand the idiosyncrasies of the accounting system, what will you do when those people retire or change jobs? If you need to rely on the vendor for support, is that vendor still available when needed? Is it still under warranty if the system fails? How much is being spent on maintenance and repairs? After a while, a legacy system is no longer fixable because the people who know how to fix it are no longer available.

Where Are The Pain Points?

It is relatively easy to keep using a legacy system long after it has outlived its usefulness because it seems to be more trouble to change. But the cost of multiplying pain points starts to add up:

• Frequent crashes
• Individual licensing fees
• Multiple operating systems
• Duplicated processes and data
• Lack of integration with other management software
• Security updates no longer available
• No way to integrate mobile devices or apps
• Inflexible components that cannot adapt to changing needs

What Will It Take To Update?

Accounting is foundational to staying in business. When the cost of a legacy system is more than you are willing to pay, the appeal of familiarity isn’t enough to keep it. But what will it take to update your retail accounting software and systems? You can see exactly what is possible with ChainDrive.

ChainDrive offers a way to see exactly how much can be done. Our free live or online demo can be customized so that your specific concerns are addressed, including your pain points. You can have a workable estimate on the process and the cost of updating to a professionally designed integrated retail management software solution that will give your accounting processes the functionality and flexibility you need in today’s retail environment.