8 Tips for Choosing the Ripest Winery Software

Operating a winery efficiently requires round-the-clock management and planning. Keeping track of vineyard production, accounts, inventories, sales etc. can be stressful for winery owners and managers like you.

A winery software can help you to run your winery successfully by automating several processes. The right software will streamline the different aspects of your winery, thus boosting your productivity and saving you a lot of money, time and effort.

However, selecting the right winery software should be a carefully thought-out process, since this decision will impact you for many years. Here are the top eight tips to consider when choosing a software for your winery:

1. Consider your winery’s specific needs:

Does your winery need better vineyard or inventory management? Maybe the need of the hour is a more efficient data collection system. Or perhaps, you need a software that integrates and supports all your winery’s processes.

Depending on your winery’s specific needs, you can opt for a software that offers freestanding modules or another that brings you an end-to-end management solution. Some software companies may offer you a core product with specific modules, while allowing you to add on others as needed.

Hence, don’t just choose the best winery software. Instead, choose the software that’s best for your winery.

2. Remember your budget:

It is important to choose a winery software that not only meets your specific winery needs but also suits your budget. Besides installation, you may have to also factor in costs for transferring data to the new system, training and other hidden/indirect costs.

So when calculating the real price, don’t forget to account for all kinds of costs that you often don’t see on the price tag.

3. Calculate your time investment:

Winery software can take considerable time to set up. It might take a few weeks for data to be transferred to a new software. It is also important to consider how much change will be required when converting your current data to the new system. For example, you might be required to alter your current tank-naming system.

Getting trained to use the system efficiently might also take time. So carefully calculate the time that you will really need to make the full transition. That’s why at 360Winery^™, we have taken the time to build a software that values and saves your time investment.

4. Safeguard compliance requirements of your state:

Your winery software must be compatible with the compliance needs of your state. You should be able to sit back and relax while your taxes, returns, verifications, licenses, permits and other issues are taken care of automatically.

While some software claim to offer this, please take care to see that the results are compliant with the requirement of your state.

5. Monitor your accounting:

It is key that a winery software keeps track of all accounting transactions. This assures regulatory agencies that the data has not been externally manipulated. Any auditor should be able to trace the updates to any given transaction.

Therefore, do look out for a software that keeps a log of all transactions.

6. Ensure your reporting needs are met:

Look out for winery software that whips up frequent reports for an in-depth analysis and for building smart strategies for your winery. The right choice should allow you to track progress across all modules, assess staff productivity and study trends in consumer preferences.

Choose a software that regularly ‘reports’ to you!

7. Facilitate seamless management:

The latest trends, such mobile apps and cloud-based data storage, have made winery software much better and easier to use. Keep an eye out for functionalities that allow your winery operations to continue seamlessly at all times. Cloud-based software, for example, can give you access to your data and programs from any location and on any device.

8. Cater to your specific needs:

A good winery software should be flexible and able to provide custom solutions for your winery. It should allow for the generation of individual reports, creation of special data entry forms and customization of member orders and shipments.

You may not be able to get a software that is tailor-made for your winery, but one that offers a considerable degree of customization is a good choice. The right winery software will save you time and money by eliminating errors and reducing your reliance on cumbersome spreadsheets.

Simply put, purchasing a winery software is not a question of if but when and which. We hope that these tips will help you choose a suitable winery software for your winery too.

Are you looking for a winery software for your winery? If you would like to see if 360Winery^™ is the right winery software for you, contact us for a demo today.