Some people call it a “hosted business automation solution”, a “complete business management solution”, a “complete business management platform”, or a “hosted business management software to streamline and optimize business processes” – but all of that sounds like a bunch of words strung together that don’t really mean anything. So what exactly is Autotask?
When I worked for a local IT firm we used Autotask for tracking IT tickets and projects, but it can do much more than that. It can store inventory, track time clock information, and integrate with Outlook and Quickbooks. It can also integrate with quoting software like Quotewerks and remote monitoring software like N-Able.
If you run a business (especially an IT business), whether by yourself or under a company, one day you might need an automated management software to help run the daily tasks of billing, scheduling and managing tasks. That’s what Autotask does well. It takes care of tracking the little things so your business can focus on bigger things.
What is Autotask?
Autotask is an IT Business Management Software that helps value-added resellers (VARs), management service providers (MSPs) and IT Service providers to sell, implement, deliver and bill for their services. It’s similar to Parallels Business Automation Standard, which is the industry’s leading, billing and hosting automation solution.
How does Autotask Work?
You can streamline and automate your workflows, increase your productivity and optimize the value of Autotask. From lead generation, to winning new business and setting up contracts, to managing projects, supporting your clients and simplifying the invoicing process, Autotask delivers proven techniques and customizable best practices to help you work smarter and more profitably.
You can create and format custom reports, leverage other Autotask System Reports, and add simple charting into your reports. And these are just some of the processes and tasks they do for you without requiring you to analyze each data you enter. Because everything is kept in one database, it gives you the power to mine your data to answer virtually any other question about your business.
- What’s due
- What’s billable
- What needs to be scheduled
- Which employees are under-utilized
- How long specific tasks are taking
- Which clients are most profitable
Why use Autotask?
When you keep business management and maintenance overhead costs low, you directly increase revenue on top of acquiring new businesses because of great over-all customer experience. When you keep your clients happy or your business running smoothly and efficiently, everything else follows.
With this automation standard you take care of three essential components for your customers: business, operations and management. When you address these three components, you have one very satisfied customer. Every business can profit from Autotask – from freelancers, small businesses, mid-sized businesses, non-profit organizations, public administrations to large enterprises.
Alternatives to Autotask
In addition to Parallels Business Automation Standard, there are other complete business management solutions such as Tradepoint Enterprise Business Management Software with Integrated CRM, ShareComplete Business Management Software, BusinessMan (which is based on FileMaker Pro), WORKetc’s business management software, ForgeWorks, Arquila, and Insight Business Management Software. If you’re looking for a field service management alternative to Autotask for mobile field service technicians, consider GoServicePro.