From the April 2009 issue of Ceridian Connection.

 the_economics_of_software_as_a_service_by_scott_sehlhorst.pdf (666 Kb)
One of the buzzwords in IT these days is the acronym SaaS, for Software as a Service. According to technical consultant Scott Sehlhorst, Software as a Service is a process in which:

1. A vendor develops, hosts and markets a software service on multiple servers. This vendor manages the infrastructure, hardware and software and bears all the costs for that management.
2. Customers who want to use the software services purchase what amounts to a subscription to the service. The customer has the right to use the software for as long as they continue to pay the subscription fees.
3. The SaaS vendor makes major and minor updates to the software and the customers automatically receive those updates as part of their subscription.

Ceridian human resources and payroll management solutions are complete resources for outsourced payroll processing, human resources management and employee self service, offered both as Software as a Service and through the traditional software licensing model.

The industry's first Web-native, multilingual/multicurrency HR/Payroll solution for U.S., Canadian and cross-border companies is available via the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model. Ceridian HR/Payroll Latitude provides complete outsourcing on a flexible platform without the administrative and technological burdens. Options include fully integrated time and labor management, and self-service.

Ceridian's HR/Payroll Web 2.0 and HR/Payroll for Access/SQL applications provide scalable and fully integrated solutions that adapt to your company's ever-changing needs and are available through traditional software licensing agreements.

In this detailed article, Sehlhorst compares the relative value to both the vendor and the customer in traditional software licensing purchases as well as software as a service purchases. Whether SaaS or licensed software is the best solution for your organization, Ceridian can be your trusted partner. Contact Ceridian today to learn more.

The economics of Software as a Service (SaaS) vs. Software as a Product by Scott Sehlhorst
© Pragmatic Marketing, Inc. Reprinted with permission. As originally appeared in The Pragmatic Marketer, Volume 6, Issue 5. All rights reserved.