8 Kinds of Apps Businesses Need in 2021

More businesses are using digital tools to help them reach their business goals. For your business to thrive and experience economic growth, you must become accustomed to using different types of applications and software to assist you with your daily activities

There are many apps to choose from that can help you accomplish your crucial business tasks, such as performance management, accounting, time tracking, and handling expense reports.

Running a business comes with unique challenges. And the purpose of using business apps is to make some of those typical business processes more efficient. Finding the right resources and tools to streamline your operations is a sure-fire way to keep up with the competition in your industry.

Let's dive right into some of the kinds of apps your business could benefit from. We'll explain why certain types of apps are advantageous and why you should consider implementing them into your business model.

8 Types of Apps Businesses Should Use

Understanding what types of business apps are available to you will help guide your decisions when it's time to upgrade your current business processes. Let's go through the various categories of apps you can use to improve efficiency and productivity in your workplace.

1. Finance Apps

When tax time comes around, the last thing you want is to be scrambling for receipts and questioning where all of your important documents went. It's crucial to keep your finances organized, but doing so manually can be challenging.

To help with financial management, apps like QuickBooks and Expensify are viable options for you. Arguably one of the more essential kinds of apps, financial apps help you set up automatic payments and keep digital receipts of important purchases.

2. Communication Apps

Being able to effectively communicate with employees to work on projects and accomplish tasks is crucial in today's business environment. Instant messaging has become a standard business practice now.

One of the more popular apps used for communication is Slack. A lack of communication can negatively impact your day-to-day activities. You're able to share documents, ask questions, schedule meetings, and more with these simple messaging apps.

3. Corporate Performance Management (CPM) Apps

At times, tracking your company's performance can be a daunting task. However, effectively managing your company's performance will help you in the long run.

Consider using apps like Anaplan or Prophix to successfully manage your performance without the hassle of doing it manually. You'll be able to take advantage of features such as budgeting, forecasting, planning, and more.

Stress the importance of analyzing your key performance indicators (KPIs) to your employees when using CPM apps. Being able to measure performance will help your business grow and drive operations efficiency.

4. Project Management Apps

Project management tools are a must in today's competitive marketplace. Managing your employees’ workflows and being able to share important information through one channel can determine how smoothly each project runs.

Regardless of the industry, project management remains a top priority for your organization, so be sure to utilize the right tools to handle your workflow and complete projects. Some examples of project management apps are Trello, Asana, and Microsoft Project.

5. Productivity Apps

It's no secret that a company's productivity can vary throughout the workday. If you're looking to improve productivity amongst your teammates, consider using business productivity software applications.

Apps such as Hubstaff and Activtrak are helpful because they track productivity and offer insights and analytics, but you can also pay your employees through them as well.

How productive your team members are can make or break your business success. Using productivity monitoring tools ensures employees work most efficiently during their workday and focus on the most critical tasks.

6. Note-Taking Apps

Some employees may prefer taking handwritten notes during meetings or phone calls. Still, there are benefits to using digital platforms like Evernote, Google Keep, or Notion to store notes and refer to them at any time.

Many people can type much faster than they can write, so taking notes on a laptop instead of a notebook will lead to more productivity and efficiency in the workplace. These apps have sharing capabilities, so you can send notes to coworkers and easily make sure you're on the same page.

7. Cloud Storage Apps

More and more businesses are transitioning to cloud-based platforms to improve the efficiency of business processes and make their workdays that much easier.

One of the most significant benefits of cloud-based services is that it allows your business to be mobile — connecting with remote employees has never been easier. Google and  Amazon Web Services (AWS) are two of the more popular cloud platforms, as they come with features that serve various business needs.

When you use these platforms, you're provided with insights and data analytics that can help guide you when making crucial business decisions. Take the guesswork out of storage options and go with a cloud-based, secure platform.

8. Operations Apps

There are plenty of operations apps that can streamline your everyday business activities and automate some processes to make your business more efficient. Applications like Upward can help you with your hiring process.

Another app to help elevate your brand and handle marketing efforts is Vivial. Lastly, Square will streamline your payment transactions for your customers, which gives you more time to spend on other important business tasks. All of these apps come with their own unique features to help alleviate some of the pain points you experience day-to-day.

To improve productivity, operations, and to enhance overall business efficiency, use these types of apps regularly. Integrating them into your existing business model will certainly pay off in the long run. Although it may cost you some money upfront, investing in applications is a long-term solution to some of your most common issues.

Enhance Your Business Operations

If you're looking to level up your business and stay ahead of your competitors, consider adopting new technologies and software. Many companies across various industries have already integrated apps into their business models and are reaping the benefits.

Ensure your employees are ready to be trained on how to use these applications. Also, keep in mind that apps serve as solutions, not replacements for standard business practices.

More businesses are using digital tools to help them reach their business goals. For your business to thrive and experience economic growth, you must become accustomed to using different types of applications and software to assist you with your daily activities.

There are many apps to choose from that can help you accomplish your crucial business tasks, such as performance management, accounting, time tracking, and handling expense reports.

Running a business comes with unique challenges. And the purpose of using business apps is to make some of those typical business processes more efficient. Finding the right resources and tools to streamline your operations is a sure-fire way to keep up with the competition in your industry.

Let's dive right into some of the kinds of apps your business could benefit from. We'll explain why certain types of apps are advantageous and why you should consider implementing them into your business model.

8 Types of Apps Businesses Should Use

Understanding what types of business apps are available to you will help guide your decisions when it's time to upgrade your current business processes. Let's go through the various categories of apps you can use to improve efficiency and productivity in your workplace.

1. Finance Apps

When tax time comes around, the last thing you want is to be scrambling for receipts and questioning where all of your important documents went. It's crucial to keep your finances organized, but doing so manually can be challenging.

To help with financial management, apps like QuickBooks and Expensify are viable options for you. Arguably one of the more essential kinds of apps, financial apps help you set up automatic payments and keep digital receipts of important purchases.

2. Communication Apps

Being able to effectively communicate with employees to work on projects and accomplish tasks is crucial in today's business environment. Instant messaging has become a standard business practice now.

One of the more popular apps used for communication is Slack. A lack of communication can negatively impact your day-to-day activities. You're able to share documents, ask questions, schedule meetings, and more with these simple messaging apps.

3. Corporate Performance Management (CPM) Apps

At times, tracking your company's performance can be a daunting task. However, effectively managing your company's performance will help you in the long run.

Consider using apps like Anaplan or Prophix to successfully manage your performance without the hassle of doing it manually. You'll be able to take advantage of features such as budgeting, forecasting, planning, and more.

Stress the importance of analyzing your key performance indicators (KPIs) to your employees when using CPM apps. Being able to measure performance will help your business grow and drive operations efficiency.

4. Project Management Apps

Project management tools are a must in today's competitive marketplace. Managing your employees’ workflows and being able to share important information through one channel can determine how smoothly each project runs.

Regardless of the industry, project management remains a top priority for your organization, so be sure to utilize the right tools to handle your workflow and complete projects. Some examples of project management apps are Trello, Asana, and Microsoft Project.

5. Productivity Apps

It's no secret that a company's productivity can vary throughout the workday. If you're looking to improve productivity amongst your teammates, consider using business productivity software applications.

Apps such as Hubstaff and Activtrak are helpful because they track productivity and offer insights and analytics, but you can also pay your employees through them as well.

How productive your team members are can make or break your business success. Using productivity monitoring tools ensures employees work most efficiently during their workday and focus on the most critical tasks.

6. Note-Taking Apps

Some employees may prefer taking handwritten notes during meetings or phone calls. Still, there are benefits to using digital platforms like Evernote, Google Keep, or Notion to store notes and refer to them at any time.

Many people can type much faster than they can write, so taking notes on a laptop instead of a notebook will lead to more productivity and efficiency in the workplace. These apps have sharing capabilities, so you can send notes to coworkers and easily make sure you're on the same page.

7. Cloud Storage Apps

More and more businesses are transitioning to cloud-based platforms to improve the efficiency of business processes and make their workdays that much easier.

One of the most significant benefits of cloud-based services is that it allows your business to be mobile — connecting with remote employees has never been easier. Google and  Amazon Web Services (AWS) are two of the more popular cloud platforms, as they come with features that serve various business needs.

When you use these platforms, you're provided with insights and data analytics that can help guide you when making crucial business decisions. Take the guesswork out of storage options and go with a cloud-based, secure platform.

8. Operations Apps

There are plenty of operations apps that can streamline your everyday business activities and automate some processes to make your business more efficient. Applications like Upward can help you with your hiring process.

Another app to help elevate your brand and handle marketing efforts is Vivial. Lastly, Square will streamline your payment transactions for your customers, which gives you more time to spend on other important business tasks. All of these apps come with their own unique features to help alleviate some of the pain points you experience day-to-day.

To improve productivity, operations, and to enhance overall business efficiency, use these types of apps regularly. Integrating them into your existing business model will certainly pay off in the long run. Although it may cost you some money upfront, investing in applications is a long-term solution to some of your most common issues.

Enhance Your Business Operations

If you're looking to level up your business and stay ahead of your competitors, consider adopting new technologies and software. Many companies across various industries have already integrated apps into their business models and are reaping the benefits.

Ensure your employees are ready to be trained on how to use these applications. Also, keep in mind that apps serve as solutions, not replacements for standard business practices.