Whatever type of business you operate, you probably use some form of software to help you with various tasks, such as communicating, organising and managing data, calculating figures and spreadsheets, etc.  But with so many different types of business software to choose from, how do you decide which is the most useful for your business?  Read on to find out more.

Size of organisation
Before trying to decide which software you need, consider how big your organisation is. If you’re just a one-man band, then your needs are going to be much less than, say, an organisation employing one hundred people.  There will be little point spending money on potentially expensive pieces of software if you’re never going to use or need it.

The nature of your business
The business software you’ll require will also be dictated by the nature or scope of your business.  If you’re a tradesperson and your job involves plumbing or fitting kitchens, for example, you might be able to get away with a basic computer with Microsoft office, to store information, order supplies and write quotes.  The more specific or complex your set-up, the more specific your needs might be for a specific software solution.

Managing finances
Managing money is a vital aspect for any business, and the bigger the organisation, the more varied and complex financial transactions might be.  Having business software that is able to organise, manage and process any money coming in or going out of the business is imperative.  SAGE is widely-used financial software by many businesses dealing with finances.

Making things look nice
If your business is based around designing or making things look presentable, then you’ll probably need some form of design software. Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, Flash and Photoshop, for example, are essential software products that can help you do this, if this is the nature of your business.

Managing business functions
As organisations grow and their business becomes more complex, often there is a need for software to manage a whole range of operations.  SAP is the world’s largest business software company and many organisations use its products to simplify and manage functions, such as enterprise resource planning, improving customer relationships or managing supply chains, for example.

Global communications
Any organisation that operates on a global platform needs to ensure it has software to manage these communications efficiently and cost-effectively.  Skype, which is part of Microsoft, is a well-known voice communication application for communicating via different methods across distances.  It enables worldwide business colleagues and clients to easily interact with each other, making it a popular choice of business software.

Database management
Organisations that have lists of clients, suppliers or employees will need to manage this information somehow in a database.  Obtaining database management software will be vital for these types of organisations.  At the simplest level, spreadsheets in Microsoft Excel can be used to store and sort information, but more complex database systems can provide a wide range of functions to manipulate the information it holds.

Attached Images:

•  License: Creative Commons image source

This post was written by James Harper on behalf of UK & Ireland SAP User Group who run a really informative conference covering issues related to the SAP platform.

Photo: Scratch Ed Team