Alternatives to Lotus Notes
Lotus Notes is an open-source system developed by IBM to enable businesses to manage their emails, calendars and data in one place. Whilst the system achieves this, there is no doubt that Lotus Notes is not the favourite program for most businesses. With websites and merchandise existing under the name ‘I hate Lotus Notes’, there is little question about the popularity of the program. Many businesses continue to use Lotus Notes, however, and there are a couple of reasons for this. This article considers why you can escape the grasps of lotus notes and where you can run.
Compatibility Problems
The biggest problem with Lotus Notes and the main reason why people stick with it is that of compatibility. Lotus Notes is compatible with practically nothing else, so most businesses that use it avoid making the change because they will lose everything and have to start again. The change is so complex in fact that there is an entire arm of business devoted just to easing the move to alternative systems. The move from nsf to pst is actually entirely possible and easy to manage with the right software, so this is no reason to hold you back.
Cost Implications
The second most common reason that people do not change from Lotus Notes is that of cost. Lotus Notes provides a service at a reasonable price, but there are actually cheaper and better options that you can utilise. The main deterring cost, however, is usually the cost of making the move from one to the other. Because of the complexity, companies assume that it will be too expensive to make the move from Lotus Notes to outlook, for example, without ever actually considering the cost implications of doing so.
The move can actually be run and managed on your behalf for a relatively small fee and the benefits that you will get from the alternative systems are certainly worth the investment.
Alternative Systems
Determining that you can move from Lotus Notes to other systems is all well and good, but it is important to consider the alternatives. The two key alternatives are Google Apps and Microsoft Outlook.
Google Apps
Google Apps is another open-source and online-based email and calendar management system. The Google Apps system is run through the Gmail service and it has a lot of unique benefits. As well as managing calendars and emails efficiently, it will also offer you access to Google Drive. This cloud storage system can be very beneficial to your company because it can enable you to access information from anywhere. This means that staff will never be left without important information and it ensures staff will always be able to work, no matter where in the world they might be.
Microsoft Outlook
Microsoft Outlook is probably the most popular element of software for managing business calendars and emails. The system works very smoothly and is widely compatible with other systems. As this software is provided with the Microsoft Office software package, most businesses will have ready access to it. This software is a great improvement on lotus notes and will offer a huge range of features to aid and better your company.
