10. Time Calculator
Calucating time can be difficult, since hours start over at 12 o'clock. Luckily, I ran across this online tool that does all the calculating for you. Simply enter the start time and the end time, and the tool will instantly provide the calculation. Supports a.m. to p.m. and vice versa. Free.
9. Percentage Calculator
If you're like me, you can barely balance your checkbook. In fact, I don't even own a checkbook, nor do I do any balancing whatsoever. I admit that beyond simple multiplication tables and single-digit arithmatic, I'm completely lost when it comes to numbers. Calucating percentage increase or decrease between two numbers is nothing short of rocket science, in my opinion. Enter this online percentage calculator to save the day. Simply enter the two numbers in question and the tool does all the rest. Supports decimals. Free.
8. Google Chrome
With the advent of Google Chrome apps, the newest Internet browser leaves Firefox, Safari and Internet Explorer in the dust. The clean and minimal design makes this browser very simple to use. It comes packed with all of the security features one needs to stay connected safely on the Web. It also features an incognito mode for times when you need to surf the Web without leaving a trace on your computer. What we really love about Chrome is the apps market. Open to third party developers, you can add utilities and other functionality that will personalize your Chrome browser. The start page of Google Chrome features a very simple splash screen that offers customizable options - large icons like Google, Calculator, YouTube, Google Calendar, Email, Docs and more. The only downside is that the start page is limited to Google-created apps. Free.
7. Lucy Phone
Tired of waiting on hold for a customer service representative? Not only is the music on hold terribly boring, and often poor sound quality, but you've got other things you could be doing rather than waiting for the next available operator. Lucy Phone is the answer to this age-old pain point. Simply go to the Lucy Phone website (or download the free smartphone app); type in the phone number to call and click connect. Lucy will call you, and after following a few prompts, you simply hang up and let Lucy do the waiting. Once connected to an operator, your phone will ring and Lucy will introduce you to the operator. Best of all, Lucy Phone has developed relationships with many of the world's largest companies and call centers; so no need to worry about the operator being confused or disconnecting when Lucy announces the call! Did I mention that it's free?
6. Privacy Policy Generator
I love this tool as it takes the guess work out of creating privacy policies for websites. Why do you need a privacy policy? Google Adwords requires that you have one in place if you run any ads on their network, for starters. Secondly, it's always a good practice to remain absolutely transparent with your customers. This will provide your customers with a better experience, and potentially prevent lawsuits down the road. To generate a policy, simply answer a few easy questions on the website and click generate. The result is a plain text and HTML version of your new policy. No catches. No gimmicks. Free.
5. Google Voice
Google Voice is one of the greatest inventions in the last 10 years (in my opinion!). You can grab your local phone number (subject to availability in their database) and forward it to an infinite amount of phones. You can even try alpha combinations like 054-GOT-LUCK and snag it if it's available. The magic in Google Voice is that it is an infinity number. You can permanently forward your Google number to your cell number, for instance. Want your customers to hear a different greeting than what your friends and family hear? No problem. The utility support an infinite amount of greetings based a single contact in your address book or based on groups that you set up. Want your phone to stop ringing at 10 p.m.? No problem there either. You can set up a schedule so that your work phone rings from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; your cell phone rings from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., and your home phone rings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. The possibilites are endless. Free for domestic use. Cheap rates for international calling.
4. FreshBooks
Invoicing clients has never been easier than with Freshbooks. Create your own custom templates; upload your logo; set frequently used tasks and pricing; collect sales tax and email (or mail) invoices directly to clients. You can also connect your PayPal and Google Checkout (now Google Wallet) merchant accounts so that clients can pay the invoices online. If you need to track time spent on a project, there's also an area for that. Includes reporting functions and multiple users. Freshbooks is an all-in-one solution for invoicing and managing projects. Free for up to three clients. Monthly fees for more clients.
3. AnyMeeting
If you have ever needed to hold a Web conferencing meeting, this free online service is the perfect solution. With AnyMeeting, you can share your computer screen, upload supporting documents, survey meeting attendees in real-time, chat with attendees, and the service even provides a free dial-in conference phone number for the audio portion of the meeting. What I love about this service is that you can even record the conference for later playback. The free version is full-featured, but it is ad supported. Upgrade for a nominal fee to remove the ads.
2. Free Conference Call
Sometimes you just need to get several folks on the line at the same time, without the need for computer screen sharing or other features that a Web conferencing meeting provides. With FreeConferenceCall.com, you get a domestic or international dial-in phone number and a unique access code that you give to meeting attendees. With your secret host passcode, you can record the conference call, mute the line and even count the number of attendees on the line. When your call is complete, a detailed report is emailed to you automatically, making this non ad-supported free online service best in class.
1. Dropbox
In its infancy, Dropbox was a simple online file storage service. Because of expansive growth, Dropbox has implemented numerous upgrades that make this tool my number one favorite on the productivy list. Have you ever been away from your home computer and wished that you had access to a specific file on your hard drive? Maybe all you have with you is your smart phone. Maybe you have access to someone else's computer temporarily or even a work computer that you use daily. Dropbox provides a simple solution to this otherwise fatal problem. Simply download the Dropbox plugin to your computer (Mac or PC) and log in to your account. Whatever you place in the Dropbox folder on your desktop becomes instantly available online. You can even sync the files between multiple computers. What awards this service with our highest accolades is that you can share a Dropbox folder with any outside person with an email address. Once shared, that folder appears in their Dropbox folder and vice versa. If someone shares a folder with you, that folder appears in your Dropbox. It's absolutely genius, and it has help me collaborate among multiple clients during projects. Best of all, the basic version of Dropbox is fully featured and offers 2 GB of storage. You can upgrade to get more storage for a nominal fee.
Do you know of a free online tool that could help small business owners with daily tasks? Please submit suggestions in the comments!
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