Home based business owners need to be sure they have the proper software. You will be able to show off your professionalism and be more productive with great software tools. Of course, as a small business owner you do not want to spend unnecessary money. Before you buy anything you want to figure out what type of software you need. There are a number of popular options that may fit your business profile.
Microsoft Office is the suite that is most popular for business productivity. It has a number of different software tools that you will need in any business. Excel, word, PowerPoint and Outlook are all staples of the business world. There are other products you can get that will perform the same functions but if you are running a business, you need Microsoft Office.
QuickBooks is a great accounting software to have on hand. This is the most popular one on the market but there are others that you can try. You will be able to do your invoicing for employees and customers and keep customer records straight. QuickBooks also allows you to keep track of your inventory. QuickBooks is a great all in one tool to have. Keep track of all of your businesses financial information.
Quicken is another great financial software to have in your home based business. The thing that sets Quicken apart from QuickBooks is that you don’t need to have any added functionality. You will be able to keep track of all of the financial plans.
Having postage on hand will save you a lot of time and effort. How many times has a letter lingered on your desk because you don’t have postage for it? Eliminate this problem by having postage on your computer. Get Stamps.com and you can integrate it with QuickBooks and some of the other software that you purchase.
Inventory records and customers sales will let you know how your business is doing. It is essential that you keep track of these things. RetailEdge is a great project that gives credit card point and sale functions. This is another home based business must have.
Managing your time effectively is very important as a home based business owner. You will need to keep track of what you do and how much time you spend doing it. This can be a difficult task. However, using WorkTime can help you keep track of the hours you spend working and what you are doing. This will be very important information.
Adobe GoLive or Dreamweaver may be good tools to have on hand. They can be good for adding a design edge to your home office. However, if you are not good at finding your way around design software you should have a professional design your website for you. Don’t buy Dreamweaver or Adobe GoLive if you are turning to a freelancer to create the design side of your home based business. Buy the software that you need but don’t go overboard.
