4 must-have apps for every small business owner

With hundreds of new apps coming out every week, it’s difficult to sift through and find ones that are useful to you. As a small business owner, organization and simplification is key. This is made infinitely easier by the following four apps, which help you to get away from paper and move to electronic information sharing.

1. Dropbox There are a ton of mobile file sharing networks (iCloud, Google Drive, etc.), but I think that this one is the best. As far as storage goes- Dropbox is unparalleled. An individual account has access to 100 GB, and there is virtually no limit for business accounts. You can upload documents from your phone, computer, or tablet. Once something is in your Dropbox, there’s no need to continually email updated versions to your colleagues. Anyone who has access to your Dropbox will be able to receive the most recent version of the document, every time they click on it. Dropbox also offers a backup of your files, which can restore documents which have been deleted, or access the older, unedited versions of your documents.
2. Scanner Pro. Although this app is not free, it has capabilities, which put it above the many free scanner apps that are available. Immediately upon scanning, you’re given the option to save to sync and save with Dropbox, Google Drive, Evernote, iCloud, etc. This helps back up your document and save it immediately, making it available on other devices. It has border detection, which helps cut out any background noise, making this almost identical to a scanned image, rather than an unprofessional looking photo taken of a document. This app makes it easy to send back signed contracts almost immediately, scan and file receipts for business expenses, and record and share important documents.
3. GotoMeeting This app is perfect for any businesses that exist in different locations, or for any employees who may work at home. You can connect as many people as you want on a single video feed. The video is crystal clear and allows file sharing while the video is streaming, without interruption to the feed. It can sync with your Dropbox and share files, and also has an awesome tool that allows anyone in the meeting to acess an onscreen whiteboard to aid in brainstorming. Once you’ve shared files, you can live stream your personal annotations with the rest of the group, to keep everyone on the same page. It actually shocks me that this app is free, because most video calling apps only can do two way calls, while this one has unlimited potential.
4. Analytics Pro. This app is a necessity for anyone who relies on a website for the majority of their sales (which is likely most of you reading this). For anyone familiar with Google Analytics, the app syncs with Google’s program to provide the most comprehensive display of information. You can view and interact with your clients’ views, time spent, and money spent on your website. Bar graphs, pie charts, anyway you want to map your traffic, this app has it covered. Unlike similar apps that are free, you’re able to personalize the way you view your data and interact with it, rather than just looking at a list. I’d say this app is a steal at only $5.99.

There you have it. These four apps are sure to make your life a heck of a lot easier. The more opportunities you have to eliminate paper documents and convert to mobile/electronic file sharing, the better. These apps allow you to organize your business, connect with employees, share all your important files, and breathe a little easier.