If for example, cloud means many of the following.
- secure data center
- Centrally managed backups
- managed maintenance and upgrades
- redundancy and fault tolerance
- Accessible from anywhere there is an internet connection.
- included support for both connectivity issues and end user questions.
- Accessibility from a variety of devices (handheld, mac, windows)
- Accessibility from traveling workers, remote workers and satellite offices
Many of the providers of the ACT Hosting Providers program have these.
Within the contact of ACT specifically, there are three options.
1) Synchronization - program is installed on each machine and data is only as current as the last sync.
2) ACT for Web - a "lighter" version of ACT that provides real time access from some web browsers
3) Virtual desktop via remote desktop or Citrix- Real time access for every one without synchronization.
The real advantage of the ACT program is you have so many choices, on site, off site, sync, web, etc. I'm not aware of any other CRM with so many choices. It's also a platform that you can start having hosted and then take back in house and self managed if you chose.
For Full access to the ACT program real time, only the Virtual desktop office give you real time access to the entire ACT program for your entire team from both offices. Sync provides the full access to the database but gives up the real time part. ACT for Web gives up the full functionality but give real time.
Specifically which you should choose, really depends on your exact needs and the way your team works.
