Business Software


Recent Business Software Articles

Microsoft Office Moves to the Web

By Michelle V. Rafter |  Dec 1, 2008

Microsoft will soon make scaled down versions of its popular suite of office productivity programs available as Web apps. Watch out Google.  Read more

A Windows 7 Sneak Peek

By Michelle V. Rafter |  Dec 1, 2008

Microsoft is expected to unveil a beta version of the successor to the Vista operating system sometime in 2009.  Read more

Consumer Confidence Inches Up

By Andrew Leigh |  Nov 25, 2008

Lower gas prices helped ease inflation fears, boosting the long-term outlook on the economy, the Conference Board reports.  Read more

Web-Hosted Software: Compliance as a Service

By Minda Zetlin |  Nov 1, 2008

Web-hosted software can keep you in line with ever-changing regulations.  Read more

Software-as-a-Service and Regulatory Compliance

By Minda Zetlin |  Oct 1, 2008

Using SaaS is a popular way to cut upfront costs and save on equipment and IT staff. But your business remains legally responsible if an outsourcer compromis...  Read more

Enterprise Resource Planning: Do You Need It?

By Jean Thilmany |  Oct 1, 2008

Many vendors now offer ERP services for the small business. But does your small business need one? Here's how to decide if your business may benefit.  Read more

Negotiating Virtualization Software Use

By Alice Osborn |  Oct 1, 2008

Virtualization rewrites traditional software compliancy. There are different ways that software vendors are trying to figure out how companies should pay and...  Read more

Software-as-a-Service Vs. Managed Services

By Jean Thilmany |  Sep 1, 2008

What's the difference between SaaS and the managed service concept? And how can you decide which is best for your business?  Read more

Lost in Translation: Website Translation Tools

By Todd Wasserman |  Sep 1, 2008

Should you translate your website into other languages to try to win more business internationally and reach more customers? There's money to be made by reac...  Read more

Webtop OS: What's on Your Desktop?

By Bill Pfleging |  Sep 1, 2008

The new crop of Web 2.0 remote desktop operating systems, called Webtops, is a new way to run business workstations. All you need is an Internet browser.  Read more

Bye-Bye Time Sheets. Hello Time Tracking Software

By Marc Saltzman |  Sep 1, 2008

Tracking employee hours or time sheets is still largely paper-based, time consuming, and prone to error. Is it time to give paper timesheets the pink slip an...  Read more

Are 500 Contacts Too Many?

By Renee Oricchio |  Sep 1, 2008

Who's worthy of going in your contact database in Outlook, your cell phone, your social network, etc.? What should be the criteria so you don't end up with 5...  Read more

Drive Business with a Software Dashboard

By Anita Campbell |  Aug 1, 2008

Do you use a business dashboard in your small business? Think they’re too expensive or out of reach? They’re more available than you think. In fact, y...  Read more

Free and Open Source Software Licensing

By Alice Osborn |  Aug 1, 2008

What are the liability issues involved with using free and open source software (FOSS)? Here's a guide to copyrights, choosing a license, trademark registrat...  Read more

How to Recycle Your Software

By Jodi Mardesich |  Aug 1, 2008

Keep software costs down by reusing code and producing applications more quickly. Cloud computing and software-as-a-service can help leverage already-built s...  Read more

Putting a Price on Software "Savings"

By Minda Zetlin |  Aug 1, 2008

Software companies make extravagant claims about how their products benefit your bottom line. Here's how to make sense of it all.  Read more

Tech Talk: Network Manager Caters to Clients with CRM

By Elizabeth Wasserman |  Aug 1, 2008

A San Francisco network management firm gets more client referrals after instituting an online customer relationship management (CRM) system.  Read more

Tech Talk: Warehouse Management System Aids Hardware Firm

By Elizabeth Wasserman |  Aug 1, 2008

A chain of hardware stores in Washington state improved inventory accuracy and reduced "out of stocks" at stores after deploying radio frequency barcode read...  Read more

Tech Talk: Staffing Chain Uses On-Demand Software

By Elizabeth Wasserman |  Aug 1, 2008

A national staffing firm finds that moving from client-server based information technology to software-as-a-service has eased the start up costs to franchise...  Read more

Tech Talk: Image Software Helps Baker Backup

By Elizabeth Wasserman |  Aug 1, 2008

A Pennsylvania baker that employs a staff of 400 found that replacing its file-based tape backup system with a disk imaging solution helped to reduce downtim...  Read more

Operating Systems: You Do Have Choice

By Bill Pfleging |  Jul 1, 2008

In the wake of negative feedback about Microsoft Vista, we look at alternatives. Is this an opening for desktop Windows-like versions of Linux, such as Xandr...  Read more

Play Hardball Over Software Licenses

By Alice Osborn |  Jul 1, 2008

In the age of software-as-a-service and all sorts of free or open source options, IT managers can stand to be tougher negotiators with software vendors. Here...  Read more

Tech Talk: Tour Firm Boosts Bookings and Data Safety

By Elizabeth Wasserman |  Jul 1, 2008

An Oahu-based excursions company finds that upgrading from paper to computers not only increases business but helps provide another layer of security for cus...  Read more

Free Tech Programs on the Web that Work

By Marc Saltzman |  Jul 1, 2008

Rather than cough up cash for pay software, many small businesses are taking advantage of hundreds of free downloadable or online applications now available....  Read more

Tech Talk: Food Site Uses Chat to Close the Sale

By Elizabeth Wasserman |  Jul 1, 2008

An Atlanta-based gourmet food website helps convert online browsers into buyers using virtual chat technology.  Read more

Trend Micro Launches E-Mail Encryption Solution

Jun 20, 2008

The new solution offers automated policy-based encryption for e-mails.  Read more

Software to Help Immigration Compliance

By Michelle V. Rafter |  Jun 1, 2008

A growing number of Web-based software vendors is making it easier for small businesses to process mandatory federal I-9 forms that prove new employees are l...  Read more

The Software License Police

By Alice Osborn |  Jun 1, 2008

Think once you've paid for your software that you can do whatever you want with it? Think again. Your business also needs to be compliant with warranties and...  Read more

Tech Talk: Restaurant Betters Database Access

By Elizabeth Wasserman |  Jun 1, 2008

A chain of seafood restaurants in Florida found that by deploying new software managers could better use different databases to increase productivity and kee...  Read more

The AAAs of Social CRM

By Brent Leary |  Jun 1, 2008

Social customer relationship management is about joining the ongoing conversations in which your customers and prospects are already engaged.  Read more

Log Management: What's in Your Log Files?

By Minda Zetlin |  Jun 1, 2008

Log files are like internal surveillance cameras, recording everything that happens inside servers, network devices, and some applications. Here's how to mak...  Read more

The Case for Standardized PC Configuration

By Minda Zetlin |  Jun 1, 2008

Making sure all your company's desktops and laptops are running exactly the same software can hold down maintenance costs, keep IT staff happy, and help equi...  Read more

Solar VTG to Sell Onebiz SaaS Tools

May 21, 2008

Onebiz applications include productivity software and sales force automation tools.  Read more

The Truth about OS Security and Patches

By Joel Keller |  May 1, 2008

Many system administrators at small and mid-sized businesses believe that the more secure they think their operating system is, the less likely they need to ...  Read more

Business Management Applications: The Power of Data

By Andrea Peiro |  May 1, 2008

BMAs may be your online secret weapon to weather the downturn -- and come out of it stronger and more profitable.  Read more