More and more businesses are joining the digital wave. Did you know that business software investment amounted to $ 4.2 trillion in 2021? Having an app to manage your business will not only help you to be at the forefront, but also to be more efficient when making decisions. Apps have also grown in popularity because it is the easiest way to manage a business, eliminate information gaps, and encourage employees to collaborate with other coworkers.
In this article we share our list of the most recommended applications for managing companies and business, not without first reviewing all the benefits that they can provide your business on a day-to-day basis.
Why use mobile apps for business?
Mobile apps for business should be used for the following 4 reasons:
- Organize your information
- Intuitive tools
- Generate opportunities for collaboration
- Reduce costs by automating repetitive functions
1. Organize your information
We know that much of the business documentation is still in physical format. However, it is not the safest nor the most efficient way to keep records. Through an app, you can digitize relevant information and create increasingly virtual processes.
2. Intuitive tool
Applications are designed for easy use, so you can normally start using them with just a few setup steps. Just make sure your team receives usage training to get the best out of each app.
3. Generate opportunities for collaboration
By having digital tools, you facilitate the “space” where employees can share information, answer questions and generate more efficient business processes.
4. Reduce costs by automating repetitive functions
Apps often have automation options that will make day-to-day tasks easier and cheaper.
What are the best apps for small businesses?
Given the abundance of apps on the market, here are the best apps for small businesses. These applications are divided into categories.
Finance and Accounting
Understanding where your money is coming from and where it is going is important for every business owner. These business accounting apps will help you see the big picture and make the right decisions for your business. Furthermore, many professional accountants have platforms compatible with these apps. Your income tax returns of previous years and collected receipts could all be in a virtual folder ready to be sent instead of occupying unnecessary space.
QuickBooks
QuickBooks is a cloud-based accounting software that makes it easy to take care of business expenses. Aimed especially for small businesses, this app handles both billing and expenses. Plus, you can keep an eye on how your business is doing, thanks to the various reports available.
Wave
If you own a small business and you are looking for a simple application to manage your business finances, Wave could be just what you need. With Wave, you get access to accounting, billing, and receipt scanning software free of charge.
This means you can track everything from credit card payments to unpaid bills in one place. Wave’s expense reports make it easy to understand the health of your business. Thanks to the compatibility with iOS and Android, you can scan your receipts while traveling.
If you have an e-commerce business or need a way to track card payments, Wave offers pay-as-you-go processing, and the transaction fees are only a small percentage of the total purchase amount.
FreshBooks
FreshBooks is an accounting app that small business owners trust. With all the key features you need to keep your business finances under control, FreshBooks also offers time tracking and project management advanced features. Thanks to its many integrations, this business app helps optimize everything from emails to Slack messages and more.
Productivity and Time Management
We could all use a little more time, and small businesses are no exception. Use these productive business apps to automate time tracking and get more done.
Trello
Trello is a Kanban-style application that makes it easy to organize and manage your tasks. Trello organizes your tasks and projects across multiple lists and boards, making it easy to see what is done and what isn’t.
Teams can collaborate on multiple projects, and with a host of integration options, it is possible to automate many otherwise manual tasks (such as creating new tasks from incoming customer emails). Since Trello is an intuitive and visual tool, it is quite easy to use without a lot of training and the best part is that you can start for free.
Gemba Walk
Gemba Walk is a simple but powerful method performed by managers and leaders to promote continuous optimization of processes in their businesses. During this journey, managers physically go to places where people are producing and selling products, helping customers, analyzing data, or others. It is a walk to observe and ask employees about their tasks to identify problems and find areas of improvements.
The Gemba Walk App helps businesses digitize their gemba walks. It can help you improve the performance of your small business by reducing data collection time, thoroughly documenting issues, and facilitating quick assessments and problem-solving.
Asana
Asana is a list-based business management app. It helps you get a visual overview of a project, your team’s tasks, or personal due dates for the week or month. Switching between different views (timelines and Kanban dashboards) makes data-driven decision-making faster and easier.
Project owners and managers can also keep an eye on team workload and automate repetitive tasks with more than 100 app integrations. It’s easy to get started too, the basic version is available for free for teams of up to 15 people.
Monday
When it comes to the best business apps, Monday has been gaining a lot of attention lately. Thanks to its flexible features and intuitive, easy-to-use interface, you can manage almost anything with this small business management app.
Similar to Trello, Monday works through various boards that are used to manage and organize different projects and tasks. Since you can switch between different views, you can track costs in the dashboard view and follow the timeline of one sub-project in the main one.
Toggl
Are you struggling to figure out where your time is going every day? Toggl could be the solution you’re looking for. This application allows you to keep track of the time you spend on tasks and convert that data into different reports. This tool can recognize what software you are using and suggest entries to your timesheet, speeding up your work to the maximum. Toggl offers a free plan for teams of up to 5 people.
Communication
It’s important to have the right business apps and tools to make collaboration quick and easy to talk to your employees, customers, or business partners. Here are the best applications for SMEs.
Slack
If you’ve worked in an office, you’ve probably heard of Slack. It is a real-time messaging application that allows you to keep in touch with your team members. The different conversations are organized under various public channels, which means that the entire organization can access all the information at any time.
Instead of having to play detective and wasting time figuring out who agreed with what, you can simply browse the appropriate channel and get your answer faster. Slack offers in-app messaging (both private and public), but you can also set reminders, take part in video calls, and share files.
WhatsApp Business
WhatsApp Business App is a communication application for small businesses, which makes it easy to offer personalized and direct communication to your customers. Use your computer, smartphone, or tablet to create a business profile, highlight your products, and answer any questions your customers may have.
WhatsApp Business also includes a decent tagging system, which means that you can organize and tag all conversations accordingly. Automated responses help you add a personal touch to your business even when you’re not online.
Zoom
This video conferencing tool took over the world in 2020 and now even our grandparents can set up and join a Zoom call. Some of Zoom’s most popular features include free, unlimited 45-minute calls for up to 100 people and unlimited one-on-one meetings for two people.
You can use Zoom in a browser as well as a standalone business application, and the minimalist interface makes the tool easy to use. Zoom is ideal for communication with remote employees. If you’re looking for more complex video conferencing features like meeting rooms and extended meetings, Zoom has you covered.
Microsoft Teams
Is your team already using the Microsoft Office suite? If so, you already know that Microsoft Teams is hands down one of the best apps for small business owners and their teams. Not only can you organize all internal communications across multiple channels, but you can also set up video calls and work on shared documents simultaneously.
If you already have an Office subscription or plan, likely, Microsoft Teams is already included. However, if you want to try it before you buy it, you can use the basic version for free.
Inventory Management
Every small business owner knows how long it can take to maintain inventory and sometimes the best thing you can do is automate it as much as possible. With the best business apps, inventory management is easy.
Sortly
Looking for a great small business management app? Consider using Sortly. This cloud-based business application helps you group your inventory items by category, location, condition, or whatever other tags you want to use.
You can also add custom fields to make sure your inventory is as accurate as possible, and since Sortly is compatible with iOS and Android, you can search your entire database using QR or barcode.
SOS Inventory
This inventory management application makes it easy to integrate your accounting and stock maintenance processes. You will have a clear understanding of when to order new products and which products seldom leave your warehouse. You will be able to maximize your profits and respond to customer requests faster.
inFlow
The problem with most inventory software is that they are often complicated to use. inFlow sets out to solve this with its intuitive inventory management application.
- Organize products and keep track of your stock
- Generate and scan barcodes
- Manage orders, invoices, and quotes
- Stay on top of manufacturing and reordering
- The app also offers various functions for sales and purchasing teams, as well as a visual dashboard and extensive reports
A small business can start for $ 71 per month, granting access to 2 users and 1 inventory location.