Whether you’re a sole proprietor or a growing business, the cost of software can really have an impact on your bottom line. Certainly there are programs out there that are worth their weight in gold. Then there are the low-cost apps that claim to be able to do everything except fetch coffee. Somewhere in between is where a savvy business owner will find that perfect piece of software at a reasonable price.
Here are some of the best values I’ve stumbled across recently. I want to start with a classic that seems to be a well-kept secret, though.
OpenOffice.org (openoffice.org): This free software suite contains word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, database and drawing packages. The greatest value comes from being able to create and open documents, spreadsheets and other files in Microsoft Office format. OpenOffice doesn’t have all the features of the Microsoft Office suite, most notably the email-calendar equivalent of Outlook, but it does pretty much everything else Microsoft Office does. Considering Microsoft Office Home and Business runs $279, a copy of OpenOffice would be worth your time to download and try.
Square (squareup.com): Taking credit and debit cards can be an expensive proposition, but you’re apt to lose business if you don’t. Most credit-card processing solutions have various monthly fees, equipment leasing expenses and confusing rate structures. Square is an app that works with your Apple iPhone or iPad or Android smartphone. The processing fee is comparable to other services (currently 2.75 percent for swiped cards, slightly higher for manually entered transactions). It takes about 10 minutes to create your account on their secure site. Within a few days, you’ll receive a tiny device that plugs into the headphone jack of your phone or iPad. This allows you to swipe cards.
The app is easy to use. First you to create a list of products and/or services and enter your sales tax rate. Now you can create your first invoice. Tap the products and services and the invoice is created. Swipe the card. Customers enter their email address or mobile phone number, then signs with their finger. The transaction is approved and a receipt is sent to the customer by email or text. Funds are deposited into your preferred bank account nightly.
I admit I was skeptical at first, but I processed my first card within minutes of signing up. My customers love it.
Dropbox (dropbox.com): Never lose critical files again. Dropbox is an easy and secure way to safely store data and share files online. To get started simply download the app from the company’s website. Installing it creates a folder on your computer called My Dropbox. Any files you save to this folder are immediately backed up to the Internet (if you’re offline, they will upload as soon as you’re connected). You can then access your data from any device connected to the Web. Or you can install the app on multiple devices. Logging in with the same account on multiple devices keeps the files on all devices in sync.
I’ve been writing this column on my iPad, saving the file to my Dropbox folder, then opening it on my laptop to finish it up. But wait, there’s more!
You can create folders in your Dropbox and share them with other people without having to share your login information. Simply right click on a folder, select the Dropbox option and click Share This Folder. Enter one or more email addresses, add a brief message if you wish, then click Share Now. The recipients get an email with instructions and a link to the folder. I use this feature with my bookkeeper so she can access my QuickBooks file. I also use it when collaborating with clients. No more faxing, no more keeping up with attachments. You can store up to 2GB for free and up to 50GB for only $10 per month.
There are so many more apps I could tell you about. And I’m sure many of you have a few gems you can share. To help spread the word about software that not only has value but has been tested by other businesses I’m starting a new Facebook page: The Savvy Software Guy. I’ll be posting great finds as I come across them. Check out my new page so you can stay up on the latest values.
Sven Mogelgaard is president and CEO of Byte Slaves Inc. Contact him at 425-482-9529 or 877-972-7767 or go to www.byteslaves.com.
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