Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) Product
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
A Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) Product is a software product that is a Cloud-based solution.
- Context:
- It can (typically) be instantiated as a SaaS Solution Instance, such as Palo Alto's Finance BI SaaS Solution.
- It can (typically) be accessed through an Internet-based API.
- It can (typically) not require any Hardware Configuration.
- It can (typically) not require any Software Installation.
- It can (typically) be referenced by an Internet-based API Directory, such as http://www.programmableweb.com/
- It can (typically) be provided by a SaaS Provider.
- It can (typically) be used by a SaaS User.
- It can (typically) be associated with a SaaS Release Process.
- It can (often) be associated with a SaaS Master Service Agreement.
- ...
- It can range from being a Web-only SaaS Application to being a Mobile-only SaaS Application to being a Web & Mobile SaaS Application, based on ...
- It can range from being a Single-Tenant SaaS Application to being a Multi-Tenant SaaS Application, based on ...
- It can range from being a ... to being a ..., based on ...
- ...
- It can be instantiate in a SaaS-based System.
- ...
- Example(s):
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM) SaaS, such as:
- Salesforce – CRM, sales tracking, and customer relationship management.
- HubSpot – inbound marketing, sales automation, and CRM for business growth.
- Content Management SaaS, such as:
- WordPress.com – content management and blogging platform with customizable themes.
- Squarespace – website building, hosting, and e-commerce management.
- Development and IDE SaaS, such as:
- GitHub Codespaces – cloud-based IDE for collaborative development and code editing within GitHub.
- AWS Cloud9 – IDE, coding in the cloud, and integration with AWS.
- Productivity and Collaboration SaaS, such as:
- Google Workspace – collaboration suite for document sharing, email, and cloud storage.
- Microsoft 365 – productivity tools, cloud storage, and email for business and personal use.
- Financial and Payment SaaS, such as:
- PayPal – SaaS payment processing for online transactions.
- Stripe – SaaS payment processing, with tools for managing payments and subscriptions.
- Messaging and Communication SaaS, such as:
- Twilio – messaging API for SMS, voice, and video.
- Slack – SaaS collaboration, communication and file sharing for team productivity.
- File Sharing and Storage SaaS, such as:
- Dropbox – file storage, sharing, and collaboration in the cloud.
- Google Drive – SaaS storage and collaborative editing for documents and files.
- AI and NLP SaaS, such as:
- LinguaSys – language processing for multilingual applications.
- Clarifai – image recognition, classification, and computer vision.
- Fraud Detection and Security SaaS, such as:
- Sift – fraud detection, security SaaS for online transactions.
- Auth0 – identity management and authentication for application security.
- Survey and Forms SaaS, such as:
- Typeform – survey creation, data collection, and form design.
- SurveyMonkey – online surveys and data analysis.
- …
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM) SaaS, such as:
- Counter-Example(s):
- a Internet-based Application?
- Backend as a Service (BaaS), Data as a Service,
- Desktop as a Service (DaaS),
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) such as: hardware as a service.
- Information Technology Management as a Service (ITMaaS),
- Platform as a Service (PaaS) such as: Database as a Service or Google's Firebase service;
- Security as a Service (SECaaS).
- On-Site System, such as a custom IT system.
- See: Internet Hosting Service, Web Browser, Gamification, Virtualization Software Licensing, Custom Cloud-based Solution, On-Site IT Solution, Enterprise Software Platform.
References
2024
- LLM
- SaaS Product Overview:
- A Software as a Service Product is a cloud-based application that provides:
- Subscription-based access to software
- Cloud-hosted functionality
- Regular updates and maintenance
- Scalable resource usage
- A Software as a Service Product is a cloud-based application that provides:
- Major Categories:
- Business Operations SaaS:
- Accounting SaaS:
- ERP SaaS:
- SAP S/4HANA Cloud:
- Enterprise resource management
- Supply chain optimization
- Financial planning
- Analytics dashboards
- Oracle ERP Cloud:
- SAP S/4HANA Cloud:
- Customer Management SaaS:
- Collaboration SaaS:
- Specialized SaaS:
- Vertical Market Solutions:
- Business Operations SaaS:
- Implementation Patterns:
- SaaS Product Overview:
2023
- chat
- Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) Programs: Cloud-based applications hosted on remote servers and delivered via the internet. Users access and interact with these applications without installing them on their local devices. Some common types of SaaS programs include:
- SaaS Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Systems: Help businesses manage their interactions with customers, track leads, and monitor sales. Examples: Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoho CRM.
- SaaS Project Management Tools: Enable teams to plan, track, and collaborate on projects. Examples: Trello, Asana, Basecamp.
- SaaS Collaboration and Communication Tools: Facilitate teamwork, file sharing, and communication among team members. Examples: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace.
- SaaS Human Resources (HR) Software: Assist companies in managing employee-related processes, such as hiring, onboarding, performance tracking, and payroll. Examples: BambooHR, Workday, Gusto.
- SaaS Marketing Automation Tools: Enable businesses to automate marketing tasks, track customer behavior, and analyze marketing data. Examples: Mailchimp, Marketo, HubSpot.
- SaaS Learning Management Systems (LMS): Designed to deliver and manage educational content, track learner progress, and facilitate online learning. Examples: Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle.
- SaaS Accounting and Financial Software: Help businesses manage their finances, track expenses, and generate financial reports. Examples: QuickBooks, Xero, FreshBooks.
- SaaS Helpdesk and Customer Support Software: Assist businesses in managing customer queries, tracking support tickets, and providing customer assistance. Examples: Zendesk, Freshdesk, Help Scout.
- SaaS Content Management Systems (CMS): Help users create, manage, and publish digital content, such as websites and blogs. Examples: WordPress, Joomla, Drupal.
- SaaS Document Management Software: Help organizations store, organize, and manage electronic documents. Examples: Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Box.
2019
- (Stratechery, 2019) ⇒ https://stratechery.com/2019/aws-mongodb-and-the-economic-realities-of-open-source/
- QUOTE: ... In this case what is being sold is not the software per se, but rather the utility of the software: the company doing the selling does everything else, including making the software available reliably. ...
2015
- (Wikipedia, 2015) ⇒ http://wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_computing#Software_as_a_service_.28SaaS.29 Retrieved:2015-2-8.
- QUOTE: In the business model using software as a service (SaaS), users are provided access to application software and databases. Cloud providers manage the infrastructure and platforms that run the applications. SaaS is sometimes referred to as "on-demand software" and is usually priced on a pay-per-use basis or using a subscription fee.
In the SaaS model, cloud providers install and operate application software in the cloud and cloud users access the software from cloud clients. Cloud users do not manage the cloud infrastructure and platform where the application runs. This eliminates the need to install and run the application on the cloud user's own computers, which simplifies maintenance and support. Cloud applications are different from other applications in their scalability — which can be achieved by cloning tasks onto multiple virtual machines at run-time to meet changing work demand. Load balancers distribute the work over the set of virtual machines. This process is transparent to the cloud user, who sees only a single access point. To accommodate a large number of cloud users, cloud applications can be multitenant, that is, any machine serves more than one cloud user organization.
The pricing model for SaaS applications is typically a monthly or yearly flat fee per user, so price is scalable and adjustable if users are added or removed at any point.
Proponents claim SaaS allows a business the potential to reduce IT operational costs by outsourcing hardware and software maintenance and support to the cloud provider. This enables the business to reallocate IT operations costs away from hardware/software spending and personnel expenses, towards meeting other goals. In addition, with applications hosted centrally, updates can be released without the need for users to install new software. One drawback of SaaS is that the users' data are stored on the cloud provider's server. As a result, there could be unauthorized access to the data. For this reason, users are increasingly adopting intelligent third-party key management systems to help secure their data.
- QUOTE: In the business model using software as a service (SaaS), users are provided access to application software and databases. Cloud providers manage the infrastructure and platforms that run the applications. SaaS is sometimes referred to as "on-demand software" and is usually priced on a pay-per-use basis or using a subscription fee.
2014
- (Wikipedia, 2014) ⇒ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_as_a_service Retrieved:2014-10-4.
- Software as a service (SaaS ; pronounced or ) is a software licensing and delivery model in which software is licensed on a subscription basis and is centrally hosted. It is sometimes referred to as "on-demand software". SaaS is typically accessed by users using a thin client via a web browser. SaaS has become a common delivery model for many business applications, including office & messaging software, DBMS software, management software, CAD software, development software, gamification, virtualization, accounting, collaboration, customer relationship management (CRM), management information systems (MIS), enterprise resource planning (ERP), invoicing, human resource management (HRM), content management (CM) and service desk management. SaaS has been incorporated into the strategy of all leading enterprise software companies. One of the biggest selling points for these companies is the potential to reduce IT support costs by outsourcing hardware and software maintenance and support to the SaaS provider. According to a Gartner Group estimate, SaaS sales in 2010 reached $10 billion, and were projected to increase to $12.1bn in 2011, up 20.7% from 2010. Gartner Group estimates that SaaS revenue will be more than double its 2010 numbers by 2015 and reach a projected $21.3bn. Customer relationship management (CRM) continues to be the largest market for SaaS. SaaS revenue within the CRM market was forecast to reach $3.8bn in 2011, up from $3.2bn in 2010. The term "software as a service" (SaaS) is considered to be part of the nomenclature of cloud computing, along with infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), desktop as a service (DaaS), backend as a service (BaaS), and information technology management as a service (ITMaaS).