Top Five Useful Business Apps (For Most Smartphones)

It was only six years ago that people were showing off their latest phone, and were proud as punch that it had such mundane features as a flip-screen, a camera on the front as well as the back, and a colour-screen. The most amazingly advanced phones came with “WAP” (remember that?). Today, though, we have smartphones! These are our own mini-computers and if it can’t access Facebook, then it might as well be a chisel and granite. Most businessmen and women will have either a BlackBerry or an iPhone to organise all their work schedules, so I thought I’d compile a list of my top five business-minded apps. Those who get on fine without a smartphone, more power to you. For those who use it as the effective tool that it is, let’s explore:

1) LinkedIn. Now, I know that there’s a lot of people who will have spotted this one and said “but I don’t have LinkedIn or (insert any other social network here) so why is this here”. I’m aware that not everyone is on it, but not everyone has a smartphone either, but here we are. It is a very useful tool for keeping in touch with people you meet and people you know well. The advantage of being able to send a reminder, a thought or a greeting to someone at a moment’s notice is priceless. Otherwise, you’d have to note it down somewhere and hope you remember to send it when you get to a computer.

2) Scan2PDF. The number of times I’ve been in a position where I want/need to copy a document and simply don’t have access to a scanner or a photocopier is…. well, few if I’m honest. However, it has happened on more than one occasion, and every time, it’s been a really important piece of information. Now, this piece of kit will let you scan in a document using the camera. Then it’ll turn it into a PDF so you can email it to anyone. Amazing! Sure, you might not need it this week, but when you do need it, you’ll be so greatful for it!

3) Dragon Dictation The great idea can strike at any moment. Therefore, because it can strike at any moment, it tends to strike when it’s most inconvenient and not when you’re able to write it down. Cue the Dragon Dictation app! Let’s say you’re walking down the street, or are on the train, and a brilliant idea strikes you. You simply speak into your phone, and the app will not only hear you, but will type out in words what you’ve said! Fantastic, and a great way of making sure you are never left there saying to yourself “Now what was that good idea I had earlier?”

4) Invoice2Go. Most very small businesses will be in the position of having to chase invoices up while being out and about, doing other work or just generally trying to keep up. While doing everything else, it’s possible to forget when some invoices are due, how much they were for or any other miscellanious information. This handy app will store this information for you, work out any VAT, extra amounts, and alert you as to when they become due. You can now scrub off “check if any invoices due” from your to-do list, meaning you won’t have to search through mounds of paperwork. It’s all there, in one handy app.

5) Toshl. With business comes business expenses. Business expenses can sometimes be hard to keep up with, but are very important for your cash-flow records, and for tax purposes. This handy app will take them down, categorise them, add them up, and with the full version will collate them onto a spreadsheet for you on your computer for easy submission to your accountant. If your expenses consist of lots of small things, this app is worth its weight in gold.