How to build a working environment for online trading without your own server, manual Excel spreadsheets, or a dedicated IT specialist.
The perspectives of entrepreneurs who have already launched, and those who are still thinking, comparing options, and doubting.
ShortSIDATA's online office is a cloud-based workspace for online stores, where BAS, CRM, cash register, MEDoc, files, and employees work in a single, secure environment. This format is ideal for businesses that need to quickly launch accounting, sales, and remote work without their own server or constant reliance on a dedicated IT specialist.
When someone decides to open an online store in 2026, the first questions usually aren't about website design. They're about something else: where to manage records, the warehouse, and orders; what happens if the database becomes unavailable tomorrow; how will an accountant, managers, and executives work from different locations; and is a dedicated IT specialist needed for all of this? Those who have already gone down this path answer these questions almost identically: first, they address the accounting issue, then migrate the database to the cloud, and then realize that a database alone isn't enough—they need a complete work environment.
This article is the third in a series. Here we'll bring everything together: from choosing an accounting system to a ready-made workstation that allows you to actually launch your store, rather than "setting it up for another six months.".
In the first article in this series, we discussed which BAS system to choose for a real-world business—from BAS Small Business to BAS ERP. In the second, we discussed why migrating your BAS database to the cloud makes more sense than hastily changing your accounting software.
And if you've read to part three, you've likely already accomplished the most important thing: you've realized that it's not the program's name that matters, but where and how it works.
But as soon as the database is in the cloud, many managers have a new and quite logical question:
“"Okay, accounting is in the cloud now. Why isn't everything else?"”
A cloud-based database is good enough. But it's not the whole story.
Imagine a typical day at a trading company. An accountant works in a BAS: the database is in the cloud, access is available, backups are set up, everything is stable. Meanwhile, this is happening:
- managers lead clients to a separate CRM system;
- orders from Prom, Rozetka or the website are downloaded manually;
- the cash register and RRO operate on a separate computer at the cashier's;
- reporting is prepared in MEDoc, which “lives” on someone’s laptop;
- contracts, primary documents, price lists, and product photos are stored in email, instant messengers, and desktop folders;
- Files are sent to each other in chats, and no one is completely sure where the latest version is.
It's a strange picture: you've protected your most valuable asset—your accounting database—and moved it to the cloud. But half of your business is still scattered across your employees' personal devices.
Migrating the database is half the battle. The other half is gathering the entire work environment in which this database is used every day in one place. This is where the concept of an "online office" comes in.
What is an online office really?
To avoid confusion with marketing words, we will give a simple definition.
An online office is a ready-made cloud workspace where the BAS accounting system, CRM, cash register, electronic reporting, files, and employees work in a single secure environment, accessible via the internet from a computer, laptop, or other device.
The key word here is "ready." This isn't just a server you've been given access to and wished good luck. It's a configured work environment: the necessary programs are installed, employee access is organized, backups are set up, data migration is prepared, and there's support available to help if anything goes wrong.
It's like the difference between renting an empty space and getting a ready-made office with desks, lighting, internet, and security. In the former case, you spend a long time setting everything up yourself. In the latter, you just move in and start working.
What does an online office consist of?
SIDATA's online office usually contains:
- BAS – accounting core in the required configuration: Small Business, Accounting, Management System, ERP or another configuration for the task;
- CRM, including SalesDrive – sales, clients, deals, orders and manager work;
- Integration with the website, Prom, Rozetka, and other sales channels – so that orders are not transferred manually where the process can be automated;
- cash register and RRO – a working environment for connecting cash register equipment, scanners and receipt printers;
- E.Doc – electronic reporting and document management;
- files and documents – contracts, primary documents, working files, price lists and templates in one secure storage;
- employee access – each has their own entrance and their own level of rights;
- daily backups – with the ability to restore data from previous days according to the selected configuration;
- Ukrainian-language support – so businesses aren't left alone with technical issues.
This means that instead of five disparate tools on different devices, a single workspace appears, accessible to the accountant, managers, cashier, and supervisor.
Important: BAS, MEDoc, CRM, cash register, and cash register licenses depend on the selected software and may be purchased separately. SIDATA's goal is to host, configure, and connect the work environment in the cloud, not to "hide" the license costs in an obscure package.
How does this work in online trading?
The easiest way to illustrate this is with an online store, because that's where the problem of disparate systems quickly becomes apparent.
An order comes from a website, Prom, or Rozetka → goes into the CRM → the manager processes the request and immediately sees the balance → the data is transferred to the BAS for accounting, warehouse, and cost → documents and reports are generated in MEDoc → working files and the database are backed up.
No more "upload to Excel, send to the accountant, they enter it manually, and then someone forgets to update the balances." One stream, one environment, one up-to-date picture of the business—as far as the chosen configuration and configured integrations allow.
Mini-case: Online clothing store without unnecessary manual work
Let's imagine a small clothing store: the owner, a remote accountant, three managers, a warehouse, and sales via the website, Prom, and Rozetka. Before switching to an online office, orders were partially transferred manually, inventory balances were checked in Excel, the accountant requested files via messenger, and the manager didn't always know which version of the report was the most current.
After setting up the online office, managers work in the CRM, the accountant logs into the BAS remotely, documents and primary documents are stored in a shared environment, and the manager can see order progress and balances without constantly transferring files. This isn't magic or a "one-button solution for the entire business"; it's a proper technical environment where each program is placed in its proper place and the workflow is integrated into a single system.
Who is an online office particularly suitable for?
In the previous article, we discussed "BAS for a niche." An online office is the next level: it's no longer just a cloud database, but a complete work environment for a niche.
- Online stores and e-commerce – when orders, warehouse, CRM, and accounting should live together, not in five different windows.
- Accounting companies – when there are multiple clients, multiple databases, different access levels and backups for each project.
- Retail: clothing, electronics, components, wholesale – when accurate inventory balances, quick access to documents, and sales control are critical.
- Service businesses and services: car repair shops, clinics, restaurants – when accounting, cash registers, and documents must be accessible to several employees.
- Distributed teams – when the accountant, managers, and supervisor work from different cities, from home, or while traveling.
- Businesses that have already grown beyond “one laptop with a database,” but are not yet ready to support a full-fledged in-house IT department.
Who might not need an online office?
To make the solution seem fair, it's important to also acknowledge the opposite: not everyone needs an online office. Sometimes, a business only needs a regular VPS, a local computer, or a single BAS database in the cloud.
- If you have one user, no CRM, no cash register, no remote team, and only need a database for simple accounting, a full-fledged online office may be overkill.
- If you already have a strong full-time system administrator, your own server infrastructure, and established backups, you may not need a ready-made environment, but rather individual consultations or the migration of some services.
- If a business is just testing an idea and doesn't yet have system accounting, it's best to first select the right BAS configuration and minimum cloud package.
- If you have a large corporate infrastructure with special security requirements, audits, and hundreds of workstations, it's best to consider the project individually.
A good sign that an online office is already needed: you have several employees, several programs, and regular manual data transfers between them. It's at this point that disparate work begins to cost more than a proper cloud environment.
How does an online office differ from a regular VPS and from “just a cloud database”?”
The main difference is the level of readiness. VPS provides the technical foundation. A BAS database in the cloud resolves the issue of accounting accessibility. An online office integrates the entire daily workflow around accounting.
What is important | Local PC | BAS database in the cloud | Regular VPS | SIDATA Online Office |
BAS is working online | Binding to one PC or office network | Yes | Needs some customization | Yes, turnkey |
CRM, cash register, and MEDoc in one environment | No | Usually no | Independently or on a separate project | Yes, within the configured environment |
Access for the team from different locations | Limited | Partially | On one's own | Yes, via RDP/Web access using the selected scheme |
Ready-made setup and data transfer | No | Partially | No, unless ordered separately. | Yes; migration is free in most cases after assessment |
Daily backups | Usually none or irregularly | Yes, if included in the service | Depends on the tariff and settings | Yes, according to the selected configuration; copies from previous days are used by default |
We need our own IT specialist | Often yes | Sometimes | Often yes | Usually not for basic tasks |
Support in Ukrainian | No | Depends on the provider | Depends on the provider | Yes, SIDATA support |
SIDATA's Comparison: Cloud Providers in Ukraine in 2026
Before launching a store, entrepreneurs almost always compare several options. The Ukrainian market offers strong cloud providers and hosting services, so comparisons shouldn't be based on slogans like "we're the best," but rather on the specific needs you're looking for—power, a server for accounting, a remote office, or a ready-made work environment for online trading.
To put it simply, the market is divided into several types of solutions:
- Infrastructure providers and cloud hosting services, such as Tucha and other hosting providers, provide servers, cloud infrastructure, remote workstations, and software hosting. This is a strong option when a company has an understanding of what needs to be configured or has a technical specialist.
- Providers of "accounting servers," such as VIONIX and similar solutions, focus on 1C/BAS, remote desktops, office programs, backups, and cloud-based accounting.
- Enterprise-CDI/VDI, such as Datapark, is focused on enterprise virtual desktops, advanced security, custom configurations, and projects larger than the typical small store.
- SIDATA occupies a practical niche: a ready-to-use online office for online commerce and small businesses, where BAS, CRM, cash register, MEDoc, files, and the team are combined into a single working environment with transfer and support.
In other words, it's better to formulate SIDATA's difference not as "others don't have this," but rather: SIDATA emphasizes a ready-made bundle of BAS + CRM + cash register + MEDoc + files + team specifically for small businesses, online stores, and accounting teams that need to quickly get a working environment without their own IT department.
Criterion | SIDATA | Cloud | VIONIX | Datapark |
Solution type | A ready-made online office for online trading and accounting | Cloud infrastructure, remote office, servers and software hosting | Cloud server/remote desktop for 1C/BAS and office work | Corporate CDI/VDI infrastructure |
BAS/1C in the cloud | Yes, with work environment setup | Yes, like hosting accounting software on a cloud server | Yes, one of the main scenarios | It might be in the project, but it's not the main small package. |
CRM, cash register, MEDoc, files in one environment | Yes, as an online office application | Can be hosted and configured in cloud infrastructure | Can be hosted within a remote server/desktop | Yes, as corporate virtual workstations by project |
Focus on online trading: Prom, Rozetka, SalesDrive | Yes, as a practical implementation scenario | It is possible, but requires separate configuration for the task. | It is possible, but requires separate configuration for the task. | Individual corporate project |
Data transfer | In most cases, free of charge after an assessment; for complex projects, terms are negotiated separately | According to the terms of the provider and the selected project | The transfer of 1C/accounting software is announced as part of the service | According to an individual project |
Backups | Backups for the selected configuration; standard SIDATA VPS packages include a 7-day backup | There are cloud solutions and backup services; conditions depend on the service. | Some plans specify backup copies of 7-14 days. | Corporate level of project reservation |
Support | Ukrainian support for SIDATA | Provider support | Provider support | Corporate support |
Test / start | 5 days of free testing for standard server solutions; details are available upon request. | To be specified for the selected service | Conditions depend on the tariff and promotion | Individual calculation |
Who is it best suited for? | Sole proprietors, online stores, accounting firms, small businesses without their own IT department | Small and medium-sized businesses that require cloud infrastructure or a remote office | Businesses that need a server for 1C/BAS, remote desktop, and office work in the cloud | Medium and large companies, projects with a large number of workstations and increased safety requirements |
Entry price | From basic server plans; online office is calculated based on configuration | By configuration and service | At the server rate | Individual corporate calculation |
This comparison is based on open data from the providers' websites and reflects the positioning of their solutions, not the full range of services offered by each company. Terms, prices, service offerings, trial periods, and technical limitations should be clarified with the providers themselves before ordering.
The conclusion is simple. If you only need capacity, an infrastructure provider is suitable. If you need a server strictly for accounting, you can consider specialized solutions for 1C/BAS. But if you're launching an online store and want accounting, sales, cash register, documents, and your team to work together, that's the job of an online office.
How to launch an online office?
The main question that arises here is: "Is this probably complicated and time-consuming?" The process should be simple for the client, because the SIDATA team handles the technical side.
- You submit a request – a manager contacts you and clarifies the task.
- Explain how your business is structured: how many employees you have, what programs you use, whether you have a CRM, a cash register, a website, Prom, Rozetka, MEDoc, a warehouse, or remote employees.
- The SIDATA team evaluates the current database, files, and integrations, and selects a server or online office configuration.
- We migrate BAS, CRM, and production files. In most standard cases, migration is free; complex and non-standard projects are agreed upon separately.
- Employee access, rights, cash register connection, MEDoc, and required integrations are configured.
- The team is shown how to access the work environment, where files are stored, and how to work with BAS, CRM, and documents.
In a normal scenario, employees continue to work as usual, but are no longer dependent on a single local computer, a single desktop folder, or a single accountant's laptop.
How much does it cost?
The cost depends on the configuration: number of users, required programs, database size, disk requirements, backups, integrations, and support.
SIDATA's basic server configurations start at 513 UAH per month for current VPS/BAS offerings. Hosting a BAS workspace and a full-fledged online business office are priced on a per-assignment basis: if CRM, cash register, MEDoc, manager workstations, and file sharing are added to the database, the final cost depends on the components included.
A guide for small businesses: SIDATA's online office starts with a basic configuration, and a precise calculation is best made after a short audit—how many employees will be working simultaneously, which programs need to be deployed, and which integrations need to be enabled.
The price of a standard cloud environment includes server infrastructure, setup, support, backup, and assistance with data migration according to agreed terms. Licenses for BAS, MEDoc, CRM, cash registers, cash register equipment, and additional integrations may be purchased separately if needed for your business.
A free trial period for standard SIDATA server solutions is available for testing before purchasing. Promo code NEW20 provides a discount of 20% for the first month, if the promotion is valid at the time of application.
How do you know when you need more than just a server, but an online office?
Answer a few questions honestly:
- Do several people work in your database at the same time?
- Do CRM and accounting live separately from each other?
- Are orders from the website or marketplaces transferred to accounting manually?
- Are documents and files stored “on someone’s computer”?
- Do employees need access from different cities, from home, or from different devices?
- Are the cash register, MEDoc, and accounting services maintained on different computers?
- Does your manager regularly wait for an Excel report to be compiled manually?
- Are you already afraid of a situation where one laptop breaks and work comes to a standstill?
If you answered "yes" to two or three of these questions, you're no longer content with a simple server. You need a unified work environment where programs, data, and employees aren't scattered across different devices.
Frequently asked questions about the online office
What is the SIDATA online office?
How is an online office different from a regular VPS?
How is an online office different from “just a BAS database in the cloud”?
Do I need my own IT specialist?
Is it possible to migrate an existing BAS and CRM database?
Do BAS, CRM and MEDoc work together?
Are there any backups?
What is included in the price and what is paid separately?
Is it possible to test before payment?
Is an online office suitable for sole proprietors?
Instead of a conclusion
If you put the whole series together into one thought, you get a short route.
First, you choose a system that suits your scale—that was the first article. Then, you migrate your database to the cloud to stop being dependent on a single computer and be prepared for external changes—that was the second. And then you take the final, logical step: you consolidate your entire workflow around this database in a single online office.
A turnkey online office isn't about "just one more server." It's about ensuring the business functions as a single unit: managers see orders, the accountant handles accounting, the manager maintains overall control, documents don't get lost, and the technical side isn't the responsibility of just one person.
The SIDATA team will help you create an online office solution tailored to your niche – from a sole proprietorship and online store to an accounting firm, sales team, service business, or manufacturing company.
We'll talk about how to make this online office smart—with process automation and AI right on your server—in the next, fourth part of the series.
Read more on this topic:
online office
5 days free trial for typical SIDATA server solutions.
Promo code NEW20: 20% discount for the first month, if the promotion is valid at the time of application.

