Are you looking for an office that you can take with you wherever you go? Then you are in luck. There is software for you, and it is free!
Congratulations on starting your own business! Now that you are self employed, you will need to keep some kind of records. Your budget may not include a lot of money for a computer and software to track your income, sales and other expenses, especially if you are not very computer savvy.
The Answer is Google Docs and Spreadsheets!
There is No Cost, Downloading or Installation
There currently is no cost for these services. No downloading or installing of software, therefore, the cost savings can be huge. Most basic newer computers will work with Google's software.
What are Google Docs and Spreadsheets?
Google Docs and Spreadsheets are a free online web-based virtual office. This may sound too good to be true, (and it does), it is true! Google has a word processor, a spreadsheet program, calendar, gmail (email), instant messaging, a photo editor, group forums to ask questions and find help, and more.
The Address
Google's address is http://www.google.com. You can access it from any internet connection, that is, in the world! There you will find your web-based virtual office with all of their free software. Any type of document or spreadsheet you create online, can be saved either online (using their storage), or on your hard drive.
The Process
- Create an account by entering your email address and a password.
- From the main Google page, click on "More", then click on "Even More", now scroll down a few rows, and on the right side of the screen, click on "Communicate, show & share," Docs & Spreadsheets.
- Follow the prompts.
Write Letters, Memos and Create Sales Materials
You can write letters and memos, create sales flyers and other sales materials. These web-based programs or virtual offices have much of the functionality that Microsoft or OpenOffice software programs have, and the process is similar.
Create Financial ReportsYou can create financial reports like income statements, balance sheets, budgets, cost analysis, inventory and keep a database. You can even create charts and graphs.
The Web-Based Virtual Office Concept
The concept of a web-based virtual office has been around for several years. Many books have been written about setting up and running a virtual office. In the near future, web-based software will be the main software used by small businesses.
Instead of purchasing your own copies of a word processors, spreadsheet program and any of the horizontal type of software, (software that any business can use), the user will purchase a web-based virtual office for many of their computer needs.
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