The main purpose of implementing knowledge management software into your business organization is to improve collaboration and increase productivity and efficiency. Of course, there are a lot more benefits of having an online knowledge management system to streamline your operations. However, how can you decide as per your requirement which one is right for you and your company?
You can choose between a SaaS (Software as a Service) solution and a self-hosted solution. In order to make the right choice, you need to know what exactly they entail – what features they can provide you with in order to help you improve your business.
Therefore, take a look at the most important features that will help you choose the best knowledge management software and understand the pros and cons of both solutions regarding the mentioned features.
1. Customization
One of the key features that should be leveraged for boosting your knowledge base is adding customizations. Afterall, a tailored knowledge base is capable of enhancing its overall appeal. But it is suggested that before you decide to customize your knowledgebase system, do your homework before choosing one in order to find out exactly what customization options you require.
A self-hosted knowledge management tool will be able to customize and install add-ons anytime you want in order to upgrade your software and accommodate your needs. Although the pricing is on the higher side and not to mention that you need to have experts in your IT department who can handle everything on their own including the maintenance your system, it is worth the investment.
2. Scalability and User Base Growth
If you want to grow and scale your business, you will need a knowledge management system that can accommodate your needs, as well as the needs of your entire user base. If you choose SaaS for your knowledgebase software, you will be able to scale your system and meet the needs of thousands of users without comprising the system’s functionality. However, this too depends on your provider, as they may limit your scalability and user base growth to a certain level.
This is not the case with self-hosted software, as you can scale your user base and increase your bandwidth anytime you want. Again, this is not very cost-effective as you would need to invest a lot in server capacity. That is why you should find a vendor who can offer you great scalability features. There are a lot of those on the market, so make sure you conduct thorough research upfront.
3. Data Security
Data security is one of the biggest concerns when it comes to managing an online knowledge management system or any other cloud-based system for that matter. You want to make sure all of your valuable data is secure and doesn’t get stolen or misused.
Choosing a reliable and trustworthy vendor is a wise decision to make as it will ensure that your data is safe and secure.
Why is SaaS better for your data security? Because one of the core competencies of your vendor is to provide you with the highest possible level of security and they have experienced professionals who manage those issues every single day. Also, they automatically backup all of your data, which gives you an enhanced level of security.
If you choose to manage data security within your premises, you may not enjoy the same level of security and even your IT department may is not expected to be qualified to do so. Therefore, the best option to go for is to let professionals and top-notch vendors handle your data security and enable your IT staff to focus on other key aspects essential to your business.
The parting words
Choosing the right knowledge management software depends on your business needs and the goals you want to achieve. In order to make the best decision, you need to ensure that the chosen software accommodates your long-term plans to avoid experiencing any issue down the line.
It is best to choose a solution that allows you to customize and scale your system anytime you need and you don’t even have to download any software or have any HTML skills. Moreover, it should be able to support seamless integration with useful tools that are integral to the smooth functioning of your business.
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