There are many kinds of business software available on the market, and many ways to use that software to increase the productivity of your team or company. Depending on the type of organizational challenges you have, you may have different needs than someone else. Understanding your organization’s shortcomings can help you to recognize which of these options might be most helpful in increasing your productivity.
Managing Documents
Managing all your documents can be a challenge, both on a personal and an organizational level. There are many ways that individuals could organize their files on their work computer, but unless those documents are shared, no one else can benefit from the information and creative ideas on those files. While traditionally documents were shared on a case-by-case basis, cloud sharing is becoming an increasingly common way to organize. Document management software can help you to organize, store, share and request documents throughout your business. When essential documents are available across your organization and on all of your devices, you can be more informed and work more efficiently.
Sharing Ideas
Collaboration can take many forms, and will look different on the surface depending on the industry you work in. However, no matter what sharing your ideas looks like at your company, there is software that can help to make the process easier. Information sharing often takes the form of internal wikis, often broken down along organizational structure lines, but if you work in a primarily creative position or industry, this might not quite cut it. There are programs designed specifically for creative collaboration, such as Trello or Airtable, which might be better for projects where the ultimate vision is constantly shifting. Even in traditionally “non-creative” jobs or industries, encouraging idea sharing and providing a platform for collaboration can help employees to work together more effectively and think of ways to become more efficient.
Taking Notes
Personal note-taking is a skill that many professionals need at work, and not every app or program is truly up to the task. If you want the flexibility of viewing your notes on several devices, you may need to choose a program for your notes that is known for cloud capabilities, such as Microsoft OneNote. If you use your notes primarily to track your personal tasks or schedule, there are great apps designed to help you track your tasks and goals in a calendar format, such as Todoist. You could also use a simple calendar app such as Microsoft Outlook or Google Calendar, both of which are also tied to your respective email address, making them even more powerful if you use Microsoft or Google for your company email. Other email providers often have similar services for you to try.
Communicating
Email is one of the most common forms of business communication, but many businesses also require the use of phone calls, video calls, text messaging, and instant messaging. There are communication suites available that can handle some or all of these tasks. For example, services such as Skype or WhatsApp specialize in video calls, but can also handle voice calls, instant messaging, and screen sharing. Many email providers also include similar services. For example, Microsoft Teams and Google Hangouts both offer video and phone calling and instant messaging in addition to their other services.
Creating and Automating Workflows
Workflows illustrate or describe the order of tasks used to complete certain jobs. Creating workflows can help you manage your work day, or teach tasks to others in a clear, easy-to-read way. Well-built workflows can even take advantage of software in order to become partially, or entirely, automated. There are several kinds of software that can help you to create and automate your workflows. For example, Zapier has hundreds of integrations that allow it to do things like monitor your emails, backup documents, or even capture sales leads for you to follow up on.
No matter what your organization goals are for your team or business, there is at least one type of software that can help you achieve those goals. These programs can help you manage your documents, ideas, notes, workflows, and communication on a personal level or they can help your company bring their organization to the next level. If you manage a team or bright individuals, using software to create an organizational standard, even where your company does not do so, can help your team to thrive and succeed. This kind of success can ripple throughout your life, and throughout your business and provide you with the boost you need to stand out from the crowd.
