Managing assets and data in the cloud is the best solution possible when your primary concerns are the efficiency of your business processes and the safety and security of your data. Because of this, and if you’re considering cloud-based asset management for your business, Asset Panda can help you make the transition to the cloud. Our easy-to-use system can integrate with any previous help desk software you might already use, and utilizes some of the most top-level servers in the world to encrypt and safely store your information. Asset Panda is also fully customizable and flexible; for example, you can set role-based security access and configuration for specific users, and even scan asset barcodes with our mobile app. You can get started for free with Asset Panda by signing up for a 14-day trial. You can also contact us if you’re still unsure if Asset Panda is right for you, or if you have specific questions about how it will integrate with your current business processes and software.

1. WHY CLOUD-BASED ASSET
MANAGEMENT IS VITAL FOR
BUSINESS SAFETY AND EFFICIENCY
December 2016
Schedule a demo: assetpanda.youcanbook.me
Tel: (855) 898-6058
Email Us: info@assetpanda.com

2. Why Cloud-Based Asset Management Is Vital for
Business Safety and Efficiency
Page 2
When you think about today’s progressive businesses, these brands are usually quite easy to distinguish
from their aging counterparts. Many modern-day companies, for example, have done away with the idea of
paper receipts and opted for email versions instead. These same businesses are often the ones using devices
like mobile phones and tablets over traditional cash registers and other point-of-sale machines to conduct
transactions, manage cash flow, and send email receipts.
But despite existing in the 21st century, many businesses which would like to consider themselves
forward-thinking often share one crucial -- and detrimental -- problem with their supposedly less-advanced
competitors: outdated methods of asset management. No matter how technologically-savvy some
businesses might be, plenty of them still keep track of their assets, data, inventory, and important items
using old-fashioned practices, such as manually entering data in spreadsheets and utilizing separate QR or
barcode readers to scan inventory.
These antiquated types of asset tracking practices are ultimately some of the unsafest and inefficient
ways to protect your business’s assets and data. When brands don’t use a cloud-based asset management
solution, plenty of potentially destructive issues can arise. Manual asset tracking and organization leaves
your business open to theft, natural disasters, data loss, and a host of other concerns which could cost
thousands -- even millions -- of dollars.
Enter cloud-based asset management. This tracking method eliminates many of the problems which stem
from using locally-installed asset tracking solutions, saves companies thousands of dollars, and makes asset
management a simple task for busy, modern brands.
What Is Cloud-Based Asset Management?
A cloud-based asset management or tracking solution is a piece of software which uses encryption to store,
process, and access data online. Some of the top companies around the world use cloud-based services to
store their data, such as Netflix and Airbnb.
On the user end, cloud-based asset management software is more accessible, because unlike local storage
solutions where users must access their data from a specific location or hard drive, a cloud-based solution
means data can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection. And unlike manual tracking
methods like spreadsheets, a cloud-based solution is often faster and easier-to-use, which means money and
time saved across a company.

3. Why Cloud-Based Asset Management Is Vital for
Business Safety and Efficiency
Page 3
“In a 2009 survey of over 900 businesses in
Hong Kong, 49% of small businesses failed
to back up data on a daily basis, while only
52% of both large and small companies had
reviewed their disaster recovery plans in the
last year. 3
1 http://blogs.cisco.com/smallbusiness/small_business_network_disaster_recovery_planning
2 http://www.tetonwyo.org/em/docs/DisasterImpactOnSmallBusinesses.pdf
3 http://www.pcworld.com/article/167077/tech_managers_underestimate_data_loss.html
4 http://www.forbes.com/sites/nicoleleinbachreyhle/2015/10/07/new-report-identifies-us-retailers-lose-60-billion-a-year-employee-theft-top-concern/#21af7cc731cd
5 http://www.sherweb.com/blog/total-cost-of-ownership-of-servers-iaas-vs-on-premise/
6 https://devops.com/real-cost-downtime/
7 https://drbenchmark.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/ANNUAL_REPORT-DRPBenchmark_Survey_Results_2014_report.pdf
Cloud-based solutions also tend to be more up-to-date and flexible. By running an online asset tracking
platform, the platform’s developers are able to deploy enhancements on a frequent basis, which means
users see updates immediately instead of needing to manually update a program across multiple devices.
Cloud-based solutions also tend to integrate well with other applications, or, more often than not, a business
can work with the cloud-based asset software’s developer team to request new integrations and features.
Why Don’t More Businesses Use Cloud-Based Asset Tracking
Solutions?
Despite the benefits of cloud-based solutions for asset management, many brands don’t utilize them as they
should. This lack of adoption is often based on three main concerns:
n Security: Businesses are often hesitant to use cloud-based software because they’re concerned about
security breaches and hacks which are out of their control. Storing data locally on hard drives and across a
business’s internal network, however, seems like a safer, tangible alternative with less risk.

4. Why Cloud-Based Asset Management Is Vital for
Business Safety and Efficiency
Page 4
n Uptime: Reliability is important when you’re running a business, especially when you might need to access
your data and asset information at any time. But not all cloud-based asset management solutions offer solid
uptime or predictable availability, which deters many businesses from using them.
n Cost: For some companies, the hidden costs and fees of using cloud-based asset management is enough
to keep them from adopting the technology. For example, some cloud solutions charge for data retrievals or
transfers on top of the base fee; these minor headaches can add up to a lot of extra costs, especially at the
enterprise level.
What Does My Business Risk Not Using a Cloud-Based
Solution?
While keeping track of important data and assets locally might seem like a safer route than storing such
information in the cloud, this method opens up businesses to many undesirable problems. Consider these
issues which can occur when not using a cloud-based asset management solution:
Data Loss
Each year, businesses across the U.S. suffer not just physical asset loss, but also data loss. Some of this
problem comes from untimely and unpredictable natural disasters, such as fires, earthquakes, and
hurricanes. And unfortunately, when such disasters hit, it’s not always possible to recover locally-stored data;
even worse, the University of Texas estimates that 94% of businesses never recover from a catastrophic data
loss.
“Cloud computing company SherWeb estimated
it would cost a business around $124,010 to
maintain a private server for five years, as
opposed to only $26,367 for a cloud server
(a 79% savings). 5

5. Why Cloud-Based Asset Management Is Vital for
Business Safety and Efficiency
Page 5
Adrienne Moncrief Hemphill experienced data loss from a disaster first-hand. When Hurricane Katrina hit
Mississippi in 2005, the makeup and wardrobe consultant lost everything she’d stored on her computer,
including her website, her product inventory, and her mailing list of over 500 clients. While she eventually
remembered about 150 of these clients, Hemphill never fully restored her previous mailing list. “Over now a
two-year period, maybe another 200 of my former customers have found me – I didn’t find them,” Hemphill
said. “So now I have back about 350 of the five hundred customers I had the day Katrina hit.”
Companies also routinely lose confidential company data to employees who steal it. A recently-terminated,
disgruntled employee could, for example, swipe computers which contain locally-stored and sensitive
information about your business. This employee could share this information with competitors before
you’re able to stop the situation, or even know it was occurring in the first place (since the stolen equipment
wouldn’t be updated or tracked in a manually-updated system).
Finally, businesses who use manual asset tracking processes must also deal with a lack of redundancy. If your
company doesn’t routinely create backups, for example, you would be liable to losing all of that information
should a natural or man-made disaster occur. And the statistics on businesses who actually back up data are
startling; according to a 2009 survey of over 900 businesses in Hong Kong, 49% of small businesses fail to
back up data on a daily basis, while only 52% of both large and small companies had reviewed their disaster
recovery plans in the last year.
Financial Deficits
When data and assets are tracked through means other than a cloud-based system, your business’s bottom
line can be negatively impacted.
One way your business will be affected monetarily by manual asset tracking is if you are unable to detect
missing or lost assets. Say, for example, an ex-employee kept a laptop and office supplies upon termination;
not only would you be out hundreds of dollars of equipment, but you’d also be out the value of the data
saved on that machine. The retail industry alone considered employee theft the number one reason it was
losing $60 billion in annual inventory shrinkage as of 2015.
Businesses using non-cloud-based methods of asset management are also susceptible to the costs of
maintaining their own in-house servers. Cloud computing company SherWeb estimated it would cost a
business around $124,010 to maintain a private server for five years, as opposed to only $26,367 for a cloud
server (a 79% savings)5
. And don’t forget any hidden recurring costs of maintaining this equipment, which
can include paying for the support team, updates, repairs, electricity, etc.

6. Why Cloud-Based Asset Management Is Vital for
Business Safety and Efficiency
Page 6
Finally, your business can also lose money due to downtime. If any piece of data or information in your
system isn’t up-to-date, or is inaccessible due to a system or network outage, your employees may not be
able to conduct their jobs properly. And when the average cost of downtime due to an infrastructure failure
is $100,00 per hour, you’re looking at a lot of cash leaving the business for no good reason6
. Overall, you
could be one of the 20% of businesses who have reported losses of more than $5 million due to outages.7
Inaccessible Systems
One of the most detrimental aspects about asset management solutions which aren’t cloud-based and
mobile is their inability to be fully flexible and customizable to meet your business’s needs, as well as be
accessible from anywhere around the world.
Let’s say you need to check on the status of a particular asset, but are not actually at your physical office
location (i.e. you’re on a business trip in another state or country). If your assets are tracked manually
through documents only accessible via in-house computers, you’re simply out of luck and will either need to
rely on a co-worker finding you the information you need, or waiting until you get back into the office to get
the information you need.
This situation may not sound like a problem, but more often than not it can cause issues in a range of
industries. First responders, for example, frequently need on-demand access to the current status of
equipment during an emergency situation. Construction crews away from the office might need to check
to see if they have working machinery available to complete the job. Essentially, an asset tracking platform
which isn’t accessible outside of a specific location or devices can put a halt to business operations.

7. Why Cloud-Based Asset Management Is Vital for
Business Safety and Efficiency
Page 7
Reduced Productivity/Efficiency
Traditional asset management solutions can be the bane of your business’s existence in terms of
productivity. When this software must be installed and maintained on every single computer in your
company’s network, these efforts can reduce the efficiency of your workflow and steal time away from
more important tasks. For large companies in particular, keeping up with software installations, updates,
warranties, and licensing agreements can be a nightmare, as your company’s IT department must spend
countless hours staying on top of these tasks as well as maintaining the server your data is stored on.
While you could argue this is the job of the IT department, you could reduce the need for IT personnel, and
therefore overall business costs, by implementing an asset tracking solution that demands less time of your
tech team. You also risk IT employees seeing and having access to sensitive information from departments
like accounting and HR when you use a localized asset management solution instead of a cloud-based one,
which doesn’t require anyone to install or update it.
Asset management solutions which aren’t cloud-based can also have a negative impact on the rest of your
workforce’s time. When a locally-installed system or software isn’t working properly, valuable hours can
be wasted which should be spent on other tasks. For example, engineering and architectural firm C&S
Companies estimated its employees were losing 10% of their time on average simply trying to open and
close files within the company’s data storage server.
How Can Cloud-Based Solutions Benefit My Business?
By now, you’ve seen how local asset management solutions can hurt your business operations, with data and
financial losses, inaccessibility, and reduced productivity more often realities than a fantasies. So why is a
cloud solution for tracking your assets more beneficial? Here are five key reasons:
Keeps asset records safe: While many businesses are concerned about the safety of storing sensitive data
in the cloud, the truth is the online storage method is safer than local storage options. Additionally, cloud
storage is only getting safer by the day thanks to advanced encryption technologies and innovations.
Saves time across your company: A cloud-based asset management platform increases worker efficiency
and productivity as no one needs to concern themselves with how long it might take to find and access the
information they need. You’ll be saving time in day-to-day operations, as well as during auditing time (a
process which will be sped up thanks to your data being readily available in the cloud).

8. Why Cloud-Based Asset Management Is Vital for
Business Safety and Efficiency
Page 8
Eliminates worries about backups and uptime: If you’re worried about making backups of your asset
information, or even losing this data in the case of an emergency or disaster, a cloud-based solution offers
peace of mind that you’ll never lose sensitive information. Also, despite concerns about uptime, most well-
rated, cloud-based asset management solutions rarely (if ever) have significant outages.
Provides easy, ready access: One of the biggest drawbacks with locally-installed asset management software
is it’s lack of accessibility from outside its network. This problem isn’t the case with a cloud solution, which is
available anywhere, on an as-needed basis.
Presents a forward-thinking, progressive image: In some cases, your customers might question your
business’s technical acumen and support abilities if you’re still using outdated asset tracking methods like
spreadsheets. You can show them your business is on top of the latest technologies by utilizing a cloud-
based asset management platform.
Try Asset Panda’s Cloud-Based Asset Solution for Free
Managing assets and data in the cloud is the best solution possible when your primary concerns are the
efficiency of your business processes and the safety and security of your data. Because of this, and if you’re
considering cloud-based asset management for your business, Asset Panda can help you make the transition
to the cloud.
Our easy-to-use system can integrate with any previous help desk software you might already use, and
utilizes some of the most top-level servers in the world to encrypt and safely store your information.
Asset Panda is also fully customizable and flexible; for example, you can set role-based security access and
configuration for specific users, and even scan asset barcodes with our mobile app.
You can get started for free with Asset Panda by signing up for a 14-day trial. You can also contact us if
you’re still unsure if Asset Panda is right for you, or if you have specific questions about how it will integrate
with your current business processes and software.

9. © 2016 Copyright Asset Panda
About Asset Panda
Asset Panda, the most powerful, yet simple to use free asset tracking software in the world, enables clients
to track their IT assets exactly how they want, and from the mobile devices they already carry. The platform
may be accessed either online or via free mobile iOS and Android apps that sync with the cloud. The apps
include a mobile barcode scanner, so there’s no need to purchase a separate handheld barcode scanner.
Users can add voice notes, videos, documents or photos to the asset’s information. The tool allows users to
view check-in/check-out status, GPS location, lease/purchase information, complete maintenance history,
insurance information, and the depreciation and in ation calculations your accounting and compliance teams
require. Companies of every industry sector and size – including some of the world’s biggest brands – have
chosen Asset Panda to help them manage millions of dollars’ worth of vital assets.
Schedule a demo: assetpanda.youcanbook.me
Tel: (855) 898-6058
Email Us: info@assetpanda.com
Headquarter Office: 3001 Dallas Parkway, Suite
590, Frisco, Texas 75034
www.assetpanda.com