Want to work mobile? There’s an app for that. When you start a business, there will be the inevitable checklist of tasks. The Task List, no matter how long, will be in 2 parts: working IN your business and working ON your business. Having the correct tools can mean the that your entrepreneurial spirit will not be a Slave to The Lists.

Never before have start-up businesses had so many useful tools at their fingertips to make their business truly mobile. But in the busy, ever-growing worlds of the Apple App Store and Google Play store, it can be cumbersome to go through screenshots and review sites just to find the apps that will truly make a difference to your working day.

This week, we did the window-shopping for you and trawled the market to find the best apps for everything from file-sharing to invoicing to recording expenses. Each business is unique, but we hope you find the right tools to streamline your busy day…

Evernote – http://evernote.com/

Intuitive digital post-its

When starting a business, it can be very difficult to keep track of all the great ideas that pop into your head. In this digital age, writing ideas down on scraps of paper should never be encouraged, especially when such intuitive solutions as Evernote exist to keep all of that important information in one place. This free app available across almost every digital device imaginable allows you to sync notes, files and images between devices with ease.

Dropbox – https://www.dropbox.com/

Easy file-sharing and collaboration app

If you are intending to start a design or web-based business, then this is one of the most obvious apps crucial to everyday life. However, any business that needs to liaise with teams or agencies for sales presentations, movies or artwork for sign-off would benefit from this easy-to-use file-sharing platform. Dropbox gives you 2GB of free cloud space as a starting point to allow photos, documents, videos and other files to be uploaded and shared quickly and easily. You can also share files between your devices so your mobile or tablet will have access to whatever your home PC “shares” with your mobile devices. You never be without that important file when you need it most!

iClaimit – http://iclaimit.rrg-group.com/

Free Expense Tracker & Mileage Calculator

As anyone currently nursing a pocket full of receipts will attest, keeping track of expenses can be a real drag. The Iclaimit app aims to end all that, allowing you to easily photograph and store copies of your receipts in your smartphone to cut down on the coat-related clutter. If you drive a lot for work, the handy GPS mileage tracker will also mean you can record the distance you have travelled on behalf of your business at the click of a button.

QuickBooks – http://quickbooks.intuit.com/

Accounting app – free for 30 days

Keeping track of your company’s accounts on the go can be very tricky to get right, especially when every penny counts in the early days of any new venture. To offer a helping hand, the QuickBooks application from Intuit is available on both your computer and smartphone, meaning you can manage your money and prepare tax returns wherever you are, giving you that firm grip on the finances your new business dearly needs.

HoursTracker – http://hourstrackerapp.com/

Project Management app – free from the AppStore

While getting your start-up off the ground, the chances are you will be working all hours of the day to complete all of those urgent tasks. It can be easy to lose control of how much you are actually working, but the handy HoursTracker app should change all that. Allowing you to clock in and out of work, this app will help you to keep track of exactly how much you are working, and any earnings you may accrue. All data can also be easily exported to a desktop for some hardcore number crunching.

PocketCloud Remote Desktop – http://www.pocketcloud.com/remotedesktop#tab-video

Access your desktop from anywhere

It has happened to most of us all at some point in time – you’re on the brink of launching into a pitch or presentation, only to realize that you have an earlier draft version of that all-important PowerPoint or Keynote file. What’s more, you have left the final version on your desktop computer back at home. To save your bacon in such an instance, the PocketCloud Remote Desktop app means you can access your computer’s desktop quickly, easily and securely to open anything from a Word file to a Photoshop project.

GeeTasks – http://www.geetasks.com/

An online checklist

Every new starter-upper struggles to keep a hold on all of the many tasks and appointments they need to complete in the early days, so a tool that keeps your diary organised can only be a good thing. GeeTasks allows you to view your Gmail tasks from a native iPhone interface, as well as giving you the capability to mark them as complete or edit the due date as applicable.

Scanner Pro – http://readdle.com/products/scannerpro/

Easily scan documents

Are you prone to jotting things down on bits of paper? In spite of our earlier advice?! We highly recommend finding a way to collate all of these little scraps of information. Scanner Pro allows you to ‘scan’ physical documents using your smartphone’s camera, allowing you to then email them off to whoever needs them. This is one of the best ways we can think of for emailing out signed documents quickly and efficiently.

FTP On The Go – http://www.ftponthego.com/

The simplest File Transfer Protocol from your mobile

If you have a new company website, the chances are you will be spotting mistakes almost daily once it goes live. Usually, changes cannot be made until whoever is responsible for the upkeep of the site is back at their desk. However, with the FTP On The Go app, you can easily view and edit anything on your FTP server from HTML to CSS to JavaScript files quickly and easily wherever you are.

Invoice2go – http://www.invoice2go.co.uk/

Create quick and easy invoices

If you are starting a company that necessitates constant invoicing and billing of clients, then you need a smart, mobile solution to ensure you keep on top of your incomings. Invoice2go is one of the best solutions to this we have found. Any invoices you create on your smartphone are automatically and securely synced to the cloud, meaning you should never have to double-up invoicing again.

Keen to share any other apps that have helped you streamline your life and maximise efficiencies for your entrepreneurial pursuits?  Feel free to share and comment below.  Check on StartUp Trends, Startups 101 Guides as we regularly update this blog with ways to help in building your business.

Published Sunday January 27, 2013