In today’s digital Saudi economy, especially with important mandates like ZATCA E-Invoicing, your business data is one of your most valuable assets. It includes your sales figures, customer details, inventory counts, and financial records. Protecting this information is not just about avoiding hackers, it’s about avoiding fines, losing customer trust, and even business closure. Many SMEs still use old desktop software (also called on-premise software), where all their critical data is stored on one computer or a single server inside their office. This might seem safe, but in reality, it’s far riskier than using a Cloud ERP solution.
Physical Loss and Theft
When your data is on a desktop computer in your shop, it is vulnerable to real-world threats you have to manage yourself:
- Fire or Flood: A simple pipe leak or a fire can destroy your entire server and all your data instantly.
- Theft: If someone steals the computer, they steal all your confidential records, immediately putting you at risk.
- Hardware Failure: Hard drives die. When your computer crashes, your entire business can halt, and getting the data back can take days or weeks, if it’s even possible.
The Cloud ERP Solution:
Your data is stored on secure servers maintained by professional global providers. These servers are in hardened, secure data centers. often located right here in the Kingdom, with massive security walls, continuous power supply, and climate control. If your shop’s computer breaks, you just log in on a new device, and your business is back online.
Expert Security vs. DIY Security
When you use desktop software, you are fully responsible for cybersecurity. Do you have the time and expertise to,
- Install the latest security patches every week?
- Monitor for cyberattacks 24 hours a day?
- Implement advanced data encryption that meets the standards of the National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA)?
For most SMEs, the answer is a simple “No.” You are experts in retail or F&B, not cybersecurity.
The Cloud ERP Solution:
The cloud provider’s entire business is data security. They employ hundreds of specialized security engineers working around the clock.
- Automatic Updates: Security patches and software updates are applied automatically, without you ever having to lift a finger.
- Top-Level Encryption: Your data is encrypted both when it’s being stored and when it’s being sent over the internet, making it unreadable to anyone without the right keys. This level of protection is often far beyond what any small business can afford or manage in-house.
Disaster Recovery is Built-In
What happens if a hacker breaks through your desktop security or a ransomware attack locks your files? With desktop software, you might have one backup drive in the corner, which can be easily corrupted or stolen too.
The Cloud ERP Solution:
This is one of the biggest advantages of the cloud: Disaster Recovery (DR) is a standard feature.
- Your data is backed up multiple times a day automatically.
- These backups are stored in different physical locations (data redundancy).
- If a disaster happens (local power outage, a massive cyberattack), the provider can restore your data from the last secure backup in minutes, not days. This ensures your business can quickly resume operations, protecting your sales and reputation.
Better Control Over User Access
In a small office, everyone might know the password for the single desktop computer, giving every employee access to sensitive reports, payroll, and customer lists.
The Cloud ERP Solution:
Cloud ERP systems use Role-Based Access Control
- You can set specific permissions: “The cashier can only make sales.” “The manager can see all the reports.” etc
- Every user has a unique login with strong security measures like Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), which requires a code from their phone in addition to a password. This dramatically reduces the risk of data leaks from internal staff.
By choosing a Saudi-compliant Cloud ERP like Number One ERP, you are not just buying software; you are investing in a 24/7 security team and a bulletproof recovery plan, freeing you up to focus on what you do best: growing your business.
For more info, contact +966 56 927 1692