For many small businesses Microsoft Office is a GOLD standard software package. It includes Excel for accounting, tracking inventory, developing spreadsheets, etc. I have been working with Excel since it was introduced and it has gotten better and better every year. With someone who knows what they are doing you can make Excel jump and turn flips.
WORD is exactly what it says. A word processing software. It allows you to create papers, invoices, contracts, even blog posts. Many of my own blog posts are written in Word and then copied and pasted into WordPress. You can create mailing list merges, print envelopes, and just like Excel, someone who knows what they are doing can make it do flips.
Powerpoint allows you to create presentations, show graphs, pictures, etc. You can combine spreadsheets in it and present a coherent message to customers or export it into a PDF file to share with others even if they don’t have Microsoft Office installed.
Publisher is a desktop publishing program. You can create brochures, creative packages, newsletters, etc. Of the four pieces of software, this is the one I personally use the least but I know many people who work with graphics that live in this program.
The problem with Microsoft Office is the cost. For a start up business buying Office can be a large expense, especially when you will only use 1/10 of what it is capable of doing. So if you need to work on the programs included in Office but don’t want to spend the money on it, what do you do?
Software exists that are referred to as Open Source. They don’t belong to a specific company but are created by many people volunteering on them. Open Office is one such software package. You can find it at www.OpenOffice.org It includes free versions for spreadsheets, word processing, graphics, presentations, and databases. It doesn’t include anything like Outlook for email but everything else is there. Now before you go download Open Office and install it, I want to present another version that may be better suited for some people.
If you travel or have multiple computers, you know how much of a headache it is to try to keep your software up to date, to keep your laptop with you, or manage desktops, laptops and minis altogether. There exists a software bundle that can be installed on a USB. I suggest this one. LaCie iamakey 8 GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive 130870
It isn’t the cheapest one by any means but it won’t break and if you put it on your key ring, you won’t lose it. I cannot tell you how many of the normal ones I have lost over the years. Creating a system that makes things simple is the best way to make life easy. Once you have the USB Key, you need software to go on it.
Portable software? The way most software works is that it modifies the computer you install it on. It requires that specific computer be available to run it. Well if you are looking to reduce what you travel with or manage your software from public computers and other locations, you need software that functions a little differently. Luckily someone has developed just such a program. It is called Portable Apps. Pretty appropriate huh? Applications that are portable to many computers. You can find them at http://portableapps.com/ The best part – its FREE!! It includes a portable version of Open Office as well as applications for keeping your passwords safe, etc. Here is a full list of what is included.
- Mozilla Firefox, Portable Edition (web browser)
- Mozilla Thunderbird, Portable Edition (email)
- Mozilla Sunbird, Portable Edition (calendar/tasks)
- ClamWin Portable (antivirus)
- Pidgin Portable (instant messaging)
- Sumatra PDF Portable (PDF reader
- KeePass Password Safe Portable (password manager)
- Sudoku Portable (game)
- Mines-Perfect Portable (game)
- CoolPlayer+ Portable (audio player)
- OpenOffice.org Portable* (office suite)
- Writer (word processor)
- Calc (spreadsheet)
- Impress (presentations)
- Base (database utility)
- Draw (drawing)
You can also find other programs to add to Portable Apps. I have a Bible program on mine. Carry it from place to place. Keep your files with you so you don’t have to worry about a computer crash. You can use any computer available to access your programs and your files.
I highly recommend you look into some of these applications if you need the software but can’t afford Microsoft Office. Being open source it does have some drawbacks but you can’t beat the cost. I use both of them. Microsoft Office on my laptop and in 4 of our offices. The computers came with it so no point in uninstalling it. I use Open Office on my mini, in two offices, and at my parent”s house. You can save files in Microsoft formats and open them in either version.
PS Tomorrow we will be discussing what kind of business structure you should operate under. If you have any questions, shoot them to me using the Contact Form!!!
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