Essential guide to the best software for small business

Running a small business means you have to be inventive and always on the lookout for a new and better way to get things done. With the growth in web tools and mobile computing, the amount of software choice for small businesses has expanded considerably.

Most businesses still use Microsoft Office for feature-rich functionality. However, many open source alternatives now offer the basic functionality of business productivity software for free. Desktop systems, such as OpenOffice.Org, offer a cheaper alternative to Office, yet many of their applications are also compatible with Microsoft software too.

What's more, web-based applications, such as Microsoft Office Web Apps, can often carry a low cost, or even no cost, and can be accessed from anywhere in the world, making them ideal for executives that need to travel.

Google Wave has also put traditionally expensive collaboration software within reach of smaller businesses. These tools can help companies to share information in a more interactive way.

Here is our pick of some of the best small business software tools on the market today. These technology tools offer pretty much everything you need to set up and run your business.