Must-Have Apps for Every Successful Small Business

Every business has need of certain apps which are necessary to keep things running smoothly, especially when you're out of the office, or when things get pretty hectic. The types of apps which all businesses need generally include one which can be used for working on spreadsheets, a good calendar app, an app which allows your business to accept phone payments, an app which helps you out at income tax time, and finally an app which assists with the creation of promotional images.There are several such apps which can be considered best in breed, and another whole slew of apps which are decent, but not spectacular. The apps identified below fall in the category of best in class, so if you're looking for any of these types of apps, you would be well advised to at least try these out to see if they're what you're looking for.

Calendar app

Most businessmen understand the importance of keeping up with all scheduled meetings and appointments, as well as deliveries of inventory and raw materials. When you have a really good calendar app, it will not only help keep your business running smoothly but should also be very intuitive and easy to use. One of the best calendar apps for iOS is the one known as Fantastical 2. It works with all your other Apple products, and it allows for Force Touch or 3D Touch.A very highly intuitive app, this one can be set up with alerts and reminders simply by using voice commands, and that's one of the most convenient arrangements you can have. It comes with a geo-fence feature that alerts you when you have a certain reminder location, e.g. a client's building or a supply store in your area, so you won't have important details slip your mind.Android users will love the calendar app known as CloudCal. It has a grid-like system with a piechart appearance known as Magic Circles, and this allows you to see at a glance how full any given day will be. It will also show you quickly whether you happen to be double-booked for any specific time slot, or if you have overlapping events throughout your day. It can also be used in tandem with a good many other business apps such as Exchange, Outlook, Maps, Google, and Uber.

App for paying taxes

No one much cares for taxes, especially businessmen. But if you have a terrific app which will make things a lot easier, that can de-stress the whole situation, and take some of the repugnance out of the task. Qapital is an app which can be used to easily add money to any kind of savings account when a certain activity is triggered. It can easily be integrated with your business account, so that you can set aside a specific percentage of any sale or client payment. These savings which have been set aside all throughout the quarter or the year, can then be used to pay taxes when the time comes.

Accounting app

If you're a businessperson who is on the go frequently, you'll probably need an app which you can use to manage payments you receive while at conventions, a client's office, or even at swap meets. Square is one of the best apps on the market for handling mobile payments, billing apps, and accounting, for people who were frequently out of the office and in remote locations.It also has an off-line mode; in case you happen to be in an area where service is not reliable. Signing up with Square will entitle you to a free card reader that can be plugged into the headphone jack on your cell phone. You also get a mobile point of sale app (mPOS) for free when you sign up. All you have to do is pay a flat fee of 2.75% whenever any credit card is swiped, or you have the option of paying 3.5% with an additional $0.15, when you enter any credit card information manually.Both of these options are extremely easy to carry out, and both are relatively inexpensive, so it generally ends up being a matter of personal preference which you choose. None of the data is actually stored on your cell phone, so all client information remains secure and safe. To get even more flexibility and usage from the app, you can integrate it with Square Invoices.

Spreadsheet app

Spreadsheets are one of the most common functions for every businessperson, and if you're someone who's on the go a lot, you will need a spreadsheet app which is very flexible and easy to use. Microsoft Excel has ruled the roost on spreadsheets for quite a while, and that's true for both iOS and Android apps as well.Excel can create terrific pie charts and other graphics, which will help you visually absorb business statistics like receivables and debts. You can also allow others to edit your charts and spreadsheets, and this can come in very handy when you're working with other employees or accountants.

Apps for creating visuals

It very often happens that you need to create some kind of a graphic or a visual for one of your postings to social media or to your website blog. In order to quickly create images and have them shared, there is probably no app superior to Pixlr, which is available via Google and iOS. You can use this app to edit photos, compose collages, add stickers to your posts, apply borders, and insert text on your images, and a great many more functions which you might find useful.It's the most versatile app on the market for creating visuals, and it stands head and shoulders above most other apps which generally only focus on one kind of photo editing. It's very easy to become proficient with this app, and you'll find yourself using it for a great many tasks you have related to your social media posts, or your website in general.