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Managing Your Office Online 

Every small business needs access to software that includes: a word processor, spreadsheet, contact manager, calendar, to do list, graphics and photo editor, database, time or project manager, and presentation developer. Until recently small businesses had to spend way too much on overload, complicated, and expensive office suites. If they could afford the best, they ended up with cheap substitutes that didn't work well with files from the Microsoft Office or Corel WordPerfect Office.

These office suites operate from the desktop and required licenses and massive and expensive updates every couple years. Fortunately, a free desktop alternative became available a few years ago: OpenOffice. Open Office is a free productivity suite that operates on a variety of hardware platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux, etc. OpenOffice can read and write files that are compatible with the Microsoft and Corel office suites. It adheres to international standard document formats. Although there are other free or inexpensive office suites, none compare the breadth and ease of use of the OpenOffice suite. In addition the OpenOffice.org Portable version will fit nicely on a flash drive, ipod, or portable hard drive and still leave plenty of room for your files.

Web Applications for Your Business

A few years ago the web applications arena included a few applications for consumers and some fairly expensive and advanced applications for medium and large businesses. There wasn't a lot that was of interest to small businesses. For a while the web application market stagnated, but with the rising popularity of Web 2.0 technologies web apps got hot. The most popular web apps are easy to use and perform a limited number of functions well. Simplicity and utility are the hallmarks of the best web apps.

While there are only a dozen or so broad categories of business web apps, there are hundreds of companies competing to provide solutions to common business problems like document and file storage and backup, online storage, document editing, sharing, and publication, synchronizing calendars, setting online and office meeting spaces, tracking shipments, reminder services, managing to-do lists, etc.

So what are web applications? Simply put they are software programs that operate on the web. Sometimes they are described as "software as a service" or SaaS.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of web apps for small businesses?

Advantages:

  • Operate on the web and are available 24/7 from wherever the online user is located.
  • Cost less or are free for solo users. Fees, if any, are based on usage levels and seats (users or licenses).
  • Make sense because they are solutions to common problems.
  • Require less training because they are less complex. Usually they do one thing really well.
  • Are so cool! These web applications are not your father's software — they are the products of young programmers working for companies that probably didn't exist in the last century.

Disadvantages:

  • The major problem is that too many companies aren't going to be around in a few years, so don't rely on these applications and services for anything critical to your business.
  • Here today, gone tomorrow: Too many companies exhaust their initial funding and fail to get additional funding and end up closing their doors.
  • Many companies don't really want to be in business long term: their goal is to be acquired by Google, Microsoft, or any company with big bucks.

Web Apps Worth Trying

The 800-pound Gorillas

While there are hundreds of small players in the web apps arena, the biggest players are household names: Adobe, Ebay, Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo. These companies dominate one or more of the most essential office applications both on and off-line. As they extend their reach they often end up competing directly with one another.

Adobe: If you think that Adobe is just about editing photos you are mistaken. If you use a web browser, you see adobe products every day: Flash, PDF, CFM (ColdFusion), and much more. Adobe Reader is an old web standard that is essential to doing business. Adobe web apps include:

Adobe.com has joined the competition for powering online office applications. It offers an integrated suite of online applications and services including online wordprocessor, web conferencing, document sharing, PDF converter, and file storage.

Ebay: Ebay is far more than an auction powerhouse. It's popular web properties and services include:

  • Half.com - new and used books, movies, music, and games
  • Kijiji - free local classified ads like Craigslist (Ebay owns 25% of Craiglist)
  • PayPal - online payments
  • ProStores - tools for building, marketing, and running a web store
  • Rent.com - apartment finder
  • Shopping.com - shopping comparison tool

Many small businesses struggle to find ways to accept online payments, but Paypal offers inexpensive and secure payment solutions. A number of third party web apps make using Paypal easier.

Google: Aside from being the most popular search engine, Google is going head to head with Microsoft to dominate the online world. Google began where both Microsoft and Yahoo already had a foothold: email. Google offered Gmail for free along with 1 GB (now 5 GB) of storage and the best spam filters around. Gmail introduced users to Google computing philosophy:

  • Make it free
  • Make it simple to use
  • Serve the masses
  • Offer tons of free storage
  • Use tags not folders
  • Rely on search and tags to find just what you need

Gmail didn't even have a delete button until users made a fuss about it.

Google's Gmail, iGoogle (start page), and Google Reader provide the best web apps to help you keep up-to-date about your business and community on the web. See the Section on Keeping Up-To-Date online for more information.

Google office applications include Gmail as well as:

  • Google Docs: Secure home on the web for documents, spreadsheets, and presentations
  • Google Calendar: Manage time online for individual or groups
  • Google Sites: Simple, secure websites for groups
  • Google Talk: Free instant messaging and PC-to-PC calls

Google Apps pulls together a number of Google services and customizes them for organizations and groups. The standard edition is free and premium edition is $50 per user per year. Both editions include: Gmail, Google Talk, Google Calendar, Google Docs, Google Sites and i Google Start Page. While each of these services is relatively easy to understand and use integrating them for even a small multi-user office might be challenging. It might be a good idea to hire a consultant to customize the premier edition if it meets your needs.

Note: There is a third edition which is free for accredited not-for-profit K-12 schools, colleges and universities and registered nonprofit organizations.

Recommended videos: Google Docs in Plain English and Google Docs: Working offline

Microsoft: Although Microsoft has dominated the operating system market for decades, it was a bit slow to realize the importance of the Internet. But once it got it, Microsoft began to develop not only search, email, and portal services. Recently Microsoft extended and improved it's Windows Live and Office Live offerings.

  • Microsoft - corporate headquarters, software center
  • MSN - news portal
  • Windows Live - search and application hub includes:
    • Hotmail - free email accounts
    • Windows Live Spaces - blog, share photos, social networking
    • Gallery Live - buttons, winks, and gadgets for messenger, email, and webpages
    • OneCare - pc security products and services
    • Family Safety - tooks and strategies for protecting children online
  • Office Live Small Business - free or inexpensive tools for building, marketing, and managing a website

Microsoft also offers downloads of express versions of some of its popular office products. Microsoft Office Accounting Express 2008 is a free download worth trying. Intuit also offers a free limited version of its accounting software: Quickbooks Simple Start 2008.

Yahoo!: Yahoo is arguably the most serious competition for Google and one of the top destinations on the web. Like Google Yahoo! has added services to extend its reach beyond the directory that made it so popular. Yahoo! offers dozens of useful services but most are not strictly speaking office applications. Useful applications for small businesses include:

Other Noteworthy Web Apps

Although it may seem like the 800-pound gorillas dominate the office related web applications market, there are plenty of other companies providing useful services for small business offices.

Zoho offers the most extensive and best integrated suite of online office applications. Zoho's applications are free for individuals but some carry a subscription fee for organizations. Zoho supports online collaboration and productivty online and also has a mobile version for Windows Mobile and IPhone. Each application has its own blog and product forum where users share tips and techniques and suggest new features. Zoho registration is free and you can even sign in using your Google or Yahoo login. Zoho continues to add new features to its already impressive office suite.

Some other noteworthy free web applications:

Desktop or Webtop for Your Business

Before you abandon your present desktop office setup, try a few of the free web applications for a while. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you begin:

  • Start with the Google web apps suggested on the keeping up-to-date page of this tutorial: Gmail, iGoogle, and Google reader.
  • Look for web apps that solve a common problem, like Remember the Milk for reminders or Sandy, a free email assistant.
  • Select web applications that extend how you operate already: sharing documents, storing and sharing photos and videos, collaborating on a project or schedule.
  • Try the newest and hottest web apps, but don't rely on them for anything critical to your business. Be cautious and read any information the site offers about the security and privacy of your information.
  • Keep in mind that the industry giants like Adobe, Microsoft, Yahoo, and Google will be around for a while but that's no guarantee that they won't change the terms of service or the cost.

You may discover that some of the free web apps are essential to the way you want to conduct business and others are more trouble than they are worth. The best web apps integrate seamlessly with your business and lifestyle.

Keeping Track of All Your Online Accounts

If you are reasonably active online, you begin to collect a bunch of bookmarks, login ids, passwords, and favorite shortcuts.

Various social bookmarking services make it easier to keep track of where you've been online that you might want to go again. Yahoo's Delicious works well for many people and it's easy to setup and learn.

There are a number of free or low cost software programs to help you manage your passwords. A quick search for password software reviews will help decide which programs are worth trying. Before you buy any program be sure to try it first to see if it meets your needs. Be sure to download programs from a trusted source like: CNET's Download.com, Snapfiles, or Tucows.

The real problem is how to manage login information securely for applications critical to your health or financial well-being. You really shouldn't leave this information on Post-its stuck to your computer's monitor or as scraps of paper stuck in your wallet. The best place for this information is a secure password program.

However, there is a new type of web application that is being marketed that is intriguing. PageOnce is the first of a promising new breed of software that wants to be your online dashboard for your email, social networks, bank accounts, credit cards, airline miles, and more. It has partnered with major financial institutions and popular online networks. As intriguing as this may be you might want to wait until all the possible glitches are ironed out.

One final caveat: A number of companies offering free or low cost online file storage. Really important files do not belong on a computer that is not under your control. A much better backup solution for important files is to buy flash drives. Plug the flash drive into your computer's USB slot and copy the files you want to backup. Label the drives and put them in a secure location.


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SOURCE: Access eCommerce page: www.access-ecom.info/article.cfm?id=79&xid=MN

Copyright © 2008 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved.