Useful Apps to Make Your Business More Efficient

The right apps can help you save time and energy.

When you run a business, you have to stay on top of every aspect of operations, from human resources to accounting and more. Managing all these tasks can be challenging. Further, spending time on administrative duties means you have less hours in the day to give to core business competencies. The right apps can help you save time and energy.

AZN Research is a full-stack company offering mission-critical application development. They know the ins and outs of apps, and how you can best leverage them for success. Read on for a quick guide to the more important types of apps you should use for your business.

Time Tracking

Keeping track of your and your employees' time helps to ensure maximum productivity. It can also be a means of identifying and eliminating bottlenecks that are slowing down operations. Menlo explains that time tracking apps allow businesses to make the best use of their most valuable resource: time. There are only so many hours in a day. You want to use them wisely.

Document Storage

Your business deals with all kinds of documentation, from invoices to expense reports, employee HR files, and more. This paperwork needs to be kept organized and secure. NextProcess recommends electronic data storage as the most efficient means of document management. With the right apps, you can even access your paperwork on the go. Some options include Google Drive, DropBox, ConvertAP, and Citrix ShareFire.

Expense Tracking

You want to track your expenses carefully when running your business. When tax filing season arrives, you may be able to claim deductions that will allow for a lower tax bill. However, you will have to provide receipts. Be The Budget explains that tracking expenses also allows you to identify areas where you may be able to cut costs. There are many expense tracker apps you can download, including Expensify, SAP Concur, and Shoeboxed.

Remote Collaboration

According to McKinsey & Company, the remote workforce is set to grow, with telecommuting becoming increasingly normalized in the years to come. If you have any remote workers, it's important that you maintain regular communication with them. Otherwise, you may lose track of deadlines or deliverables. Business collaboration apps worth checking out include Atlassian Jira, Slack, Asana and Basecamp.

Personal Scheduling

As a business owner, a large part of your day probably involves going to appointments. Whether you're meeting a prospective vendor to negotiate contracts or having a business lunch with a client, you want to make sure you are on time to these engagements. Corporate Class Inc. explains that punctuality helps present a professional appearance . An appointment scheduling app like Setmore, Appointlet or Doodle will help you track meetings.

Inventory Management

If you run an inventory-based business, you want to know how much stock you have on hand to ensure timely reordering. Having an inventory app on your phone will keep you up-to-date, even when you're on the go. Look for a system that encourages efficient wholesale purchasing, reduces pricing errors, and generally streamlines order management. Some apps can even integrate with ecommerce shops like Amazon or Shopify. Check out QuickBooks distribution software for wholesale businesses as an option.

Maintaining Focus

No matter how passionate you are about your entrepreneurial enterprise, sometimes it can be tough to maintain focus when you're on the job. You may find yourself hopping up from your desk to grab a coffee or chat to an employee when your focus is waning. According to research published on Springer Link, such interruptions hurt productivity. An app designed to foster focus can help. Check out Serene, Freedom, Cold Turkey Blocker, and LeechBlock.

You've probably heard the phrase "There's an app for that." As the above list makes clear, it's true. When it comes to effectively managing a business, there's an app to help with pretty much every aspect of operations.

This is the kind of content you can expect from AZN Research. Check out our knowledge hub for more app-related news and articles.

Author: Tina Martin,
ideaspired.com

Share this:

Tags:

    Let's do this together -
    Your business has a story

    Callback request

    We will call you back within an hour or at a convenient time for you

    Live Chat
    ×
    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.
    Privacy policy