6 Software Applications You Need to Work From Home

Working from home comes with a host of benefits, including the ability to choose who you work with and how much money you earn. It’s truly a luxury to wake up every morning without having to commute to work, and being able to set your own schedule and work at your own pace. However, to be effective and meet your goals, you’ll need to use several software applications.

Here’s a list of the top 6 applications that can help you maximize your efficiency while working from home.

1. Tax software

For the first few years you’re self-employed, you’ll probably want to have your tax returns prepared and filed by a professional CPA or tax service. This will ensure you learn the process and know what forms to use. However, after a while, if nothing major changes with your tax situation, it will be cheaper to use self-service tax software.

Since you can typically write off half the cost of what you pay to have your tax return prepared and filed, you can also write off the cost of your tax software, which makes it even cheaper. Self-service tax preparation makes it easy to claim all of your business expenses, so you don’t have to worry about missing out on deductions. Get what you need because you can write off all legitimate costs. For example, there are always good deals on laptops. If you need one, it can be written off as a business expense.

2. File transfer software

After spending a decent amount of money on a laptop, you’d think you could just transfer files from one device to another, but that’s not usually the case. Even if you have the same operating system on all of your devices, it may not be a smooth process. File transfer software can facilitate transfers between devices that run on different operating systems.

3. Software to sync data

If you rely on multiple devices throughout the day, it’s crucial to sync your data so you never miss an appointment or fall behind because something wasn’t visible on your calendar.

If you have a mobile device that runs on Android, or you just have different operating systems, syncing data can be a challenge. CompanionLink is the best software to sync calendar and contact data to other devices, whether you’re running Android, iOS, or Windows.

4. Google Docs

The entire Google office suite is worth checking out, but you’ll probably end up using Google Docs more than anything. Google Docs allows you to create word processing documents in the cloud that you can then share with anyone online. When it comes to security, you have several options for restricting access to your files. You can create and share a public link that anyone can access, or you can restrict access to specific email addresses.

5. VoIP phone service

VoIP phone service facilitates voice calls over the internet rather than a landline or cellphone. While this makes long distance calling cheap, and in some cases free, there are even more benefits.

VoIP will seamlessly route calls to any existing phone anywhere in the world. It makes conference calls easy, and software makes it possible to get extensive features for voicemail and call recording.

You can also route calls from your landline to your cellphone while you’re away, or route calls to any other phone. Since it relies on software, it also saves space in your office since you won’t need bulky hardware. You can even log into your account online to retrieve your voicemails without touching a phone.

6. FTP access

If you frequently need to access your web server to add, edit, or delete files, FTP access will make your tasks easier and it will save you time. All you need is an FTP client and login credentials supplied by your webhost.

Other than FTP, the only way to access your files would be to use the built-in file manager that comes with your hosting account. However, there are several limitations to using your file manager. For example, it takes longer to access because you have to go through your main hosting account first. You’re also limited to uploading files of a certain size. If you want to increase your limit, you’ll have to change some technical settings and that could compromise your account’s security.

Pack your toolbox with the best apps

There are many other tools that make working from home easier, so if you need something specific, there’s probably an app for that. Most apps come with a free trial, so start testing them out to see what supports your workflow, and pack your toolbox with the apps that support efficiency and productivity.