If you are an entrepreneur who relies on social media and marketing to power your small business, you may need some help when it comes to keeping track of your finances. What can you do to streamline your time and energy so that you might devote more time to your business? Here are 5 financial apps to the rescue . . .
QuickBooks 2013. While any QuickBooks may do the job, consider using the latest version if you are planning on purchasing it now. It is available for PC and Mac users and has a new look with an enhanced navigation panel. Not only are you able to sync items like expenses, estimates, and invoices across multiple devices like smart phones, tablets, and computers, you could schedule reports, see all of your banking transactions, and track your income.
Currency+ (Currency Exchange Rates Converter). If your business takes you overseas, what better app to have on hand than Currency+? This app is for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch and is designed to converting local currencies to your home currency. You could even create a currency list and choose from over 150 world currencies and precious metals to track more than one currency at a time. Factor in transaction fee percentages, too, because you are usually charged additional fees at currency exchange offices or banks when converting money.
Expensify. This app is free and allows you to take pictures of your receipts which are uploaded into Expensify via clicking the SmartScan icon. SmartScan will then add in the expense details without your help. You have options to attach receipts to expenses, categorize them, and organize them into reports. If you want to track mileage for business purposes, you may use the distance button.
Google Analytics. While Google Analytics app may not be new, it is a useful tool to use for small businesses. Because some businesses rely on website traffic to keep track of successes, the Google mobile app is streamlined and similar to the desktop version. You may assess visitor traffic to your site and discover the paths visitors took to find your site. You could even uncover what visitors are doing when they visit your website like how they move about your site and engage with your pages.
Square. The Square app work on both Android and iOS devices and it is great for mobile credit card transactions. If you sign up, the app is free and transactions usually post to your account the next day. There is a charge of 2.75% per credit card swipe but you are not required to have a merchant account.
Using mobile apps could be great ways to help your business work more smoothly. While some of them may require a bit of an investment, others apps are free and only require that you download them onto your devices. Whichever ones you decide to use, know that the technology—often available at your fingertips—could be the most beneficial for your business.
Pamela Rossow is a freelance writer who works with higher education clients such as www.elearners.com. She is a native South Floridian who enjoys photography, literature, and hockey. You can follow her on Google +
