In a digital age, the biggest enemy of productivity is using the wrong software tools for the job.
When it comes to launching a small business the most important thing is bringing on the right people. The second is having the right tools.
Figuring out what the “right” tools are depends on the nature of your business, but almost always encompasses these four staples:
- An accounting software
- An office productivity suite
- A creative software
- A software security suite
Choosing the right software can determine the overall productivity potential of your small business, so here are a few solid choices you can go for:
Accounting Software
As a small business, you’ll need a go-to accounting software for all of your inventory, billing and auditing needs. Writing reports, managing payrolls and organizing purchase orders can be found in most accounting software. However, Quickbooks is your fastest bookkeeping software solution when it comes to small business accounting.
The 2020 version has a bunch of new features, including:
- The ability to use your custom criteria in field searches when filtering data
- Organization of dates via fiscal year to last month
- Easier bill tracker transactions using additional batch actions
Everything that you need to crunch numbers for is safely and conveniently packaged in this nice, easy-to-understand, intuitive platform.
Office Productivity Suite
A basic office suite software will provide your small business with a baseline productivity platform. Okay, we know there might be a number of other office suites that can be better in terms of accessibility. However, Microsoft Office Home & Business 2019 takes the cake simply because of its universality.
New features include:
- Starting with existing files, taking away the standard blank document method
- An interactive share option is finally provided allowing collaborative work across multiple users in the same project
- Microsoft Open Business can provide universal licensing for MS Office H&B, opening another set of corporate-level features to increase your business' productive potential
Overall, office virtualization is a lot easier with MS Office because the data you are creating and sharing is universal across a vast majority of platforms.
Creative Software
You might not consider yourself the artistic type, but creative software can be a very useful tool for all small businesses. Why? One word: advertising.
CorelDRAW is a commonly used creative editing suite. CorelDRAW is a very useful tool for creating many types of advertisements. We're not just talking posters or signs. We're talking hardcore business promotion:
- Video tutorials
- Promotional graphics
- Website layouts
Those are just a few of the many things you can create with this software. From a productive standpoint, there will be tons of use for CorelDRAW, no matter what kind of small business you plan to run.
Security Suite
Last but not least, as a small business you definitely need to keep all of your digital assets safe and secure. This is why it’s important to invest in the proper antivirus software.
Both Kaspersky Internet Security and Norton Security provide shared antivirus services across a specific device network, with an equally specified type and number of devices for each package.
Some special features include:
- Firewall enhancement
- Spam filters
- Safe money browser options
- Usage scanners and configuration checkers
You may not need every single feature but the more protection, the better. As a rule of thumb, choose the security package that's the best fit for your budget. Don't go too cheap, but no need to go too extravagant either.
These are the four types of software that will definitely be important for your small business venture. There is a bunch of software out there, but tailoring your choices to suit your needs is how you will find what works best for you and your business.