Editor’s Note: This is a Guest Post courtesy of SocialMonsters.org
Gone are the days when your work documents lived on your office computer, preventing you from doing significant amounts of work while out of the office. Today’s workplaces often adopt a culture that encourages being connected around the clock. The prevalence of BYOD (‘Bring Your Own Device’) workplaces means that workers use their smartphones for more than just personal time. App developers are capitalizing on this mobile workplace by creating smartphone apps to boost worker efficiency and productivity.
Office denizens know that creating expense reports can be a major time suck. Expensify is a popular app designed to take the hassle out of completing expense reports. The free app allows users to import credit card transactions, record mileage or billable hours, or keep track of travel itineraries. Expensify’s “SmartScan” feature allows you to take a picture of a receipt and have relevant information — including the credit card transaction — automatically loaded into your file. The app improves worker efficiency and cuts down on user errors, reports CIO.com, saving company time and money.
Sometimes the most helpful apps are the simplest. Busy workers have long bemoaned the process of exchanging business cards, as the cards invariably get stuck in a wallet or lost. Business Card Reader XT uses sophisticated character recognition technology to scan business cards. The app automatically imports a new contact’s name, phone number, email address and other relevant information. This allows you to keep all of your important business contacts in one easy, searchable place. You’ll never lose track of a potential client again.
One of the primary challenges of a mobile workplace is the shuffle of documents. Remembering which documents live on your office computer, where the latest version of that file is stored, or whether you put an essential report on your flashdrive can impede efficient workflow. Dropbox is one of the most popular file sharing systems on the market, and its app is accessible through the Blackberry Q10, Android devices, and the iPhone. Users get 2 GB of data free, with the opportunity to earn up to 18 GB free by recommending new users. Paid personal or business accounts provide even more data for a low monthly fee. This flexible file storage system is a great way to access your documents anywhere, anytime.
Time management is essential for busy professionals who never seem to have enough hours in the day. Report Away! is an app that provides a book keeping service for time and expenses. It has a mileage calculator to asses travel expenses. You can create estimates and invoices for clients right from your phone. You can start a time tracker that let’s you see how long you spend on tasks. You can synchronize your mobile app to your desktop Freshbooks. You can keep track of projects and tasks and analyze progress. This app even works offline.
