Digitalization has changed the business world in impressive ways. Anyone who compares “before” and “today” quickly realizes how profound the developments have been, especially in the last few years. While accounting was previously organized in paper form and later with the help of spreadsheets, modern software solutions now take over large parts of financial management.
Among other things, there are also systems that are able to connect accounting, inventory management, human resources management and customer management and transfer them to a single platform. Some of them are completely cloud-based. Exactly how such systems have developed can be seen in the company history of individual software providers, such as TOPIX comprehend. Some of these providers have accompanied this change for decades and, among other things, have had a significant impact on the development of modern business software.
To the beginnings of digital accounting
At the end of the 1980s, PCs increasingly found their way into offices across the country. And from that point on, accounting also changed. At that time, smaller companies, freelancers and self-employed people in particular were looking for a way to organize their accounting electronically. Programs for invoicing, income and expense accounting and simple bookkeeping came onto the market.
One device that played a particularly important role at this time was the Apple Macintosh. Many users at the time appreciated its graphical user interface and its intuitive usability. He quickly managed to make a name for himself, especially in creative industries. Little by little, the programs that could be installed here were adapted to the needs of the users. In 1990, “CONTO,” the first accounting software for the Apple Macintosh, came onto the market. While the first commercial programs were also being developed in the Windows environment at this time, the Mac was considered particularly comfortable, especially because of its graphical user interface. With CONTO, it was now possible to digitally map what had previously been paper-based accounting and to make the corresponding processes more efficient.
The range of modern software solutions is becoming more diverse
Ultimately, it was the great demand that led to a larger market developing around the first generation of commercial software of this type. More and more specialist magazines tested the corresponding solutions and compared them with each other. Relevant media reports highlighting the new capabilities helped instill confidence in the technology among potential users. And that was necessary. Because: Many people were initially skeptical about the topic of “digital accounting”. After all, the conversion of traditional paper files to electronic systems involved a fundamental change in established work processes.
At the same time, other providers in Germany also managed to establish themselves in the area of modern software solutions at this time. The company DATEV in particular played an important role in the area of tax offices and medium-sized companies. These and other solutions helped to establish and further develop digital accounting in Germany. However, over time (and as more and more PCs were used in German offices) it became clear that the various software solutions offered many advantages. They made it possible, among other things, to carry out automated calculations, store data in a more structured manner and carry out electronic evaluations. The topic of “efficiency” became increasingly important.
From pure accounting to practical business software
In the mid-1990s, the various software solutions were characterized by more extensive functions. In doing so, they adapted to the expectations of companies that were no longer interested in just digitizing their accounting, but also wanted to integrate it directly into other administrative processes, such as inventory management and order processing. The FACTO program from 1995 started at exactly this point by offering the opportunity to combine different areas of responsibility. The result: A comprehensive solution for modern operational administration.
More and more companies are replacing individual programs with integrated systems. Those responsible were increasingly looking for solutions that no longer required, for example, entering data multiple times or that required several programs to run in parallel.
The step towards cross-platform software
When Windows became the dominant operating system in many companies, also in the mid-1990s, many software manufacturers also decided to follow suit and make their solutions, which had only been offered for the Mac some time ago, available for Windows. This is exactly what had both technological and economic consequences. Among other things, because the target group of the corresponding solutions suddenly increased. And providers who wanted to offer their customers even more flexibility simply worked across platforms in both Mac and Windows environments.
Early 2000s: Integrated systems become established
It didn’t take long until the business software market changed again in the early 2000s. The time of the so-called “integrated systems” had come. Even back then, these were often referred to as ERP systems. ERP stands for Enterprise Resource Planning.
At that time, TOPIX launched its TOPIX:5. What’s special: The two programs CONTO and FACTO, which were previously used separately, came together in this software. In the new system it was then possible to connect areas such as financial accounting, inventory management, project management, time recording, order processing and resource planning. What was particularly practical was, among other things, the ability to connect email communication and online banking. The modular structure also ensured that it was possible to adapt the software to different company sizes and expectations. Or to put it another way: If, for example, a small company only needed a few functions, you would get your money’s worth here, as would someone who wanted to use as many options as possible.
When software solutions continually reinvent themselves
At the beginning of the 2000s, digitalization continued to progress. Many functions were taken for granted. As a result, the expectations that companies placed on their software solutions also changed. Suddenly it became standard to use internet-based services, electronic tax data transmission and online banking. In 2008, TOPIX:8, a software that met requirements like these, was released. Among other things, it offered a revised user interface and expanded functions that can be used, for example, for various e-commerce connections and which could also be used internationally, among other things. And this software could also be operated under both macOS and Windows. She supported numerous commercial processes – from quotation and invoicing to accounting and warehouse planning and management.
The market is becoming more international and so are the associated software solutions
Companies that want to work with national and international partners and customers need a reliable basis. Therefore, many people responsible soon became interested in not only storing their data locally, but also being able to exchange it via networks. At the same time, the importance of international markets grew. This meant, among other things, that the software solutions used suddenly had to be multilingual and that it became important to meet the legal requirements of the respective countries.
Central servers offer more flexibility
It has been apparent for some time that business software solutions have developed further in another area. Many companies are now moving their programs to a cloud. While it used to be common practice to simply install various applications locally on a computer, many modern systems now run on central servers and can be easily used over the Internet – whether at your desk or on a business trip. What is particularly practical in this context is that the various software solutions can be updated more easily and that it is possible to work comfortably with people around the globe. In addition, functions such as automatic receipt recognition, the ability to use mobile programs, and interfaces to online shops etc. ensure increased user comfort.
More important than ever: flexibility
Anyone who takes a closer look at business software solutions will quickly realize that the market is highly competitive. Large, international providers now compete with specialized software houses. At the same time, technology (and the possibilities associated with it) is constantly changing. Desktop programs became web-based applications, which then became cloud-based platforms. It is all the more remarkable that some providers have been able to follow and accompany this development for several decades. Many of them have changed their products again and again, but have always remained true to their basic idea.
A look at the developments around CONTO, FACTO and TOPIX shows that business applications have had to continually adapt to technical possibilities in order to remain “up-to-date” and therefore user-friendly.
And what happens next?
The digitalization of commercial processes is far from complete. Currently, new technologies around artificial intelligence, automated document recognition and data-based analyzes ensure that modern business software is continuously evolving. In the future, many more routine tasks could be fully automated. Many programs recognize receipts independently, suggest bookings and provide evaluations in real time. If you rely on the right solutions, you can further reduce the burden of administrative tasks and use your time for strategic decisions, among other things.
At the same time, the path that started with early Mac accounting solutions and has now reached modern cloud solutions illustrates how closely technological innovations and operational practice are linked. What once began as simple digital support for accounting has developed into a central component of a modern business organization in many companies.