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Every business enterprise needs the help of foolproof accounting software to make light work of financial matters. There are so many responsibilities to take care of that wasting precious manpower on tasks that can be handled by computer software is foolhardy.

With the computerization of offices, accounting software has become standard. Multinational corporations, government offices and even small businesses have realized just how invaluable it is to heighten productivity and free staff to task them with other responsibilities. Even so, there is some software that misses out on key features in which case efficacy may be compromised. So here is a list of what to look for when browsing the staggeringly vast collection of accounting programs.

Ease of Use

Accountants are not always computer experts and cannot be expected to understand programs designed for software engineering skill levels. There are programs that are simple and versatile and don’t require the technical savvy of tech geniuses and finding one that meets requirements is not difficult. In fact, more developers are designing software for ease of use so that expensive mistakes are eliminated even when worked on by users with basic skills.

Reporting Accuracy

Generation of reports must be accurate and comprehensive to give a clear overall view of what’s being calculated. Most software is very precise these days but some may display reports in a manner that may make it difficult to find solutions to problems. What buyers should do is check online reviews to get an honest look at how software stacks up against each other.

Specific Modules

Not all accounting software is created alike since some are designed for home use, others for small businesses and more for large operations. There’s no purpose in purchasing high-end programs unless all the features can be used because the cost can be very high. Price, therefore, is an indicator of what level of work software can perform though it shouldn’t be the only influence in a purchase.

Features such as payroll and business management are a few examples of the types available. Web-hosted applications have also made a presence in the market where storage is located on the ‘cloud’, a virtual pool that can be accessed anytime of every day from not only computers but cell phones with access to the application.

Modules that can improve financial performance: Irrespective of what type of business software has to cater to, certain modules can better financial performance so are worth looking at. Cash management and budget management are examples where the two can be assessed properly, tracked and revised when necessary. Financial forecasting is another where future planning becomes easier through accurate prediction of profits, losses, cash flow etc.

Reputation

Not quite a feature but no less important, the vendor’s reputation must be excellent. Software can be prone to crashes or glitches that prevent seamless use. Since so much confidential data is entered it’s vital that it’s protected and able to serve requirements without a fault. The best way to find out which vendors are in demand is to visit a tech blog that features several software choices with each facility reviewed.

Think of software searches as house hunting where a lot of different features can influence purchase. It’s an investment and one that isn’t too cheap either so avoid making a costly mistake by keeping these pointers in mind.

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The lure of free anti-virus software is powerful. Many companies such as Norton and McAfee offer free versions of their pro products, but AVG was the first to offer a free version of their software over 10 years ago. The software can be free indefinitely or free for only a trial period, often lasting 14 to 30 days. These free versions are generally stripped down and limited in features and options. In the case of 14 or 30 day trial software, you have access to all the options and features for the duration of the trial. After that, the software is downgraded.

Free anti-virus software looks like a real bargain. In fact, I’m willing to bet that many of you are using it right now. However, it is advisable that you switch to a paid version. There is a hidden cost to using such software. Before we examine the hidden cost I’m going to list those features that are commonly reserved for paying customers:

• Link checking
• Email protection
• Personal data protection
• Automatic and frequent updates
• Complete and timely tech support
• Automatic scanning for threats
• Automatic scanning of removable storage

The above list is a composite list. I examined many of the leading anti-virus software maker’s websites to generate that list so be aware that your options may vary. Now, let’s examine the list in detail.

Link Checking

Pro anti-virus software interrogates each webpage before it loads in your browser. If it discovers suspect code it stops the page from opening. Free versions often leave you to fend for yourself.

Email Protection

Link checking also takes place in your inbox. Links in emails are scanned for malicious content, and built-in email rules stop virii from ever reaching your inbox. Free versions don’t perform thorough email protection, potentially leaving a hole in your protection.

Personal Data Protection

Cybercriminals make money by stealing and selling your personal data. Many free anti-virus software will only provide limited protection, where pro versions provide users with proactive protection by blocking unauthorized outside connections to your computer.

Automatic and Frequent Updates

Pro versions of anti-virus software update several times per day, even up to once (or more) per hour. Free versions either require you to manually perform the updates or updates are performed automatically but infrequently. You are less protected that way, and the downloads are quite large resulting in long waits.

Timely Tech Support

Pro versions offer you telephone support, or at least a response via email that is measured in hours, not days. If you are using the free version, you’ll still get help. Just not right away, and you may have to visit a forum to get answers.

Automatic Scanning for Threats

Anti-virus software should sit in the background and watch over your shoulder as you work, much like a bodyguard. Just as a bodyguard will spring into action even before you realize there is danger, your antivirus software should neutralize threats as soon as they are found. Free versions require you to manually start the scans – you aren’t constantly protected.

Automatic Scanning of Removable Storage

Attacks can come from anywhere. Flash drives are those little dongles that have taken the place of 3.5″ floppies and are used to carry data from one computer to another. Pro versions of anti-virus software will begin a scan as soon as a flash drive is inserted into the computer, looking for any harmful software and stopping it in its tracks. Free versions require you to manually scan the flash drive. Forgetting to manually start a scan could lead to your computer getting infected.

Free anti-virus software has a hidden cost and it is expensive once you add it up. Firstly, many of the free versions just aren’t as robust and feature filled as the pro versions, leaving you without comprehensive protection. Secondly, you have to invest a lot more time into the free versions, doing chores such as:

• Manually scanning for threats as you work on the web throughout the day
• Remembering to update the database several times, daily
• Searching for your own answers, or waiting for email replies while malicious software is infecting your computer
• Scanning those portable flash drives that can also carry harmful code

Forgetting to do any of the above chores could potentially leave you open and vulnerable to attack. It is advisable that you switch to a paid version of anti-virus software to protect yourself and your sensitive data from online threats.

John Wright is a Computer Consultant who has been successfully removing malware from personal and business computers for several years. Visit http://www.johnscomputerconsulting.com to ask questions and learn more.

The search continues for the ‘holy grail’ of writing software. If you ask 100 writers what the best writing software on the market is, you’ll get at least 50 different answers. Why? Because ever writer has his or her own favorite software and their own style of writing.

The truth is, all you really need to write is a pen and a notebook.

But, if you want to share documents, format your book for e-publishing or write a blockbuster screenplay and send it off to Hollywood then you’ll need some sort of software that will do most of the heavy work for you.

If you’re like most writers, just starting out, you have little experience with writing software and even less money to spend; so you may want to start out with freeware. Yes, I said free. The favorite word of every wannabe freelance writer in the industry. No one likes free software more than I do, but you have to be careful to choose software that will do what you need it to do.

Apache OpenOffice

Every writer needs a good word processor for at least some tasks, and OpenOffice has one of the best free offerings around.

OpenOffice is the leading open-source office software suite for word processing. It’s a free alternative to Microsoft Office and does pretty much everything that MS Office does including: word processing, graphics, databases, spreadsheets, presentations and more. It’s available in many languages and works on any type of computer OS. It also stores all your data in an international open standard format and can read and write files from other office software packages. It can be downloaded and used completely free of charge for any purpose.

Storybook

Storybook is a versatile tool which helps you to properly structure a novel, screenplay or other complex written work.

Storybook allows you to organize all the elements of your book or screenplay, namely characters, locations and different plots, including main story and secondary threads. Storybook defines and configures each element on their own, which makes the whole job much easier because it gives you a clearer view of your book’s structure. Plus, it lets you have multiple active projects working at the same time.

Keep in mind that Storybook is not a word processor. It’s more of an organized database where you keep small bits of information which, once properly developed and linked together, will produce a book. So, if organization isn’t one of your strong points then Storybook may be worth trying.

Evernote

Evernote is one of those applications that you either get or struggle to understand. Evernote has a text editor, photo upload tool, and voice recording device, and you can use any of these components separately or in combination, to upload content to your account. Yes, unfortunately Evernote requires and account with a username and password.

Everything you do on your phone and on your computer or tablet gets synchronized to your Evernote account on the Web. Since it synchronizes as soon as you log on, and regularly thereafter, reinstalling the software or losing data because of a crash are not a problem. Keep in mind though that the Evernote text editor isn’t keystroke compatible with the PC-based editor. It makes switching between the two nearly impossible. The free version offers 40MB per month for uploading while $45 a year gets you a 500MB a month as well as security and tech support.

WordPad

If you’re running Windows OS then it came preloaded on your computer. Some people find all the extra bells and whistles of a full word processor distracting when writing. If you have trouble figuring out all of the different features that come with MS Word or OpenOffice, WordPad allows formatting (bold, italics, etc) and can be easier to use than Word.

WordPad can format and print text, including fonts, bold, italic, colored, and centered text, etc., but lacks the more advanced features such as a spell checker, thesaurus, and tables. However WordPad can read, render, and save many RTF features that it cannot create such as tables, superscript, subscript, colors, text background colors, numbered lists, right or left indent and URL linking, and various line spacing’s. Pasting into or from an HTML document such as from the internet or email typically will automatically convert most or all of it to RTF. As such, WordPad is well suited for taking notes, writing letters and stories, or for usage in various tablet PCs and smart phones. However, WordPad is underpowered for work that relies heavily on graphics or typesetting such as most publishing-industry requirements for rendering final hard copy.

Celtx

Celtx is the world’s first all-in-one media pre-production software. It’s designed for creating, organizing, and scheduling media projects such as film, video, documentary, theater, comics, advertising, video games, podcasts and more.

Celtx gives independent filmmakers and media creators an integrated and non-linear approach to pre-production work by providing support for industry standard scriptwriting, story development, storyboarding, breakdowns, production and scheduling. It also allows writers to attach images, videos and audio files to a project and provides features for collaborating with others team members online.

Remember, while freeware is a great option for those of us with small pocketbooks, it’s not always the best option. Paid software offers many options that freeware doesn’t such as tech support, tutorials, various formatting solutions, pre-loaded templates and many other features not available of the free versions.

When you get right down to the bare bones, it’s all about what you need and what you can afford. There’s no need to go out and spend several hundred dollars on writing software when freeware will do the job just fine.

Appointment of Ruth Porat, as Chief Financial Officer at Google, may be symbolized as an empowerment of women in tech marketing jobs. But, it’s sad that this glory is dimmed down with the actual data showing the decline in the ratio of tech jobs held by women. According to the study of the American Association of University Women, which is an NGO, on a mission to promote gender equality, the percentage of women in computing jobs has significantly fallen over last 23 years. The data reveals an uncomforting fact for the fairer sex; where women constituted 35% of the total tech workforce in 1990, the share dipped to 26% in 2013, painting a skewed image of tech jobs in the favour of male professionals. The study also alarms about the falling numbers of women earning computing degrees.

The reasons of this decline can be discovered in the untold stories of inequality and discrimination, women face in their everyday professional life in tech world, be it for the promotion list or appreciation for their hard work. Although, the society applaud women for scaling heights in every sphere of work and their substantial contribution to the world economy, still millions of success stories, though scripted by women, were grabbed by the “boys club of silicon valley”. Of all such cases, only a few are raised. One such case is of Whitney Wolfe, who has worked hard to promote a mobile dating app (called Tinder) with different marketing strategies and executed them herself. But at the time of recognition, when Tinder’s profile was written, there was no mention of her hard work.

The Hurdles Tech Marketing Women Face

Gender Pay Gap

The study conducted by Glassdoor on 25 leading tech companies shows a remarkable gender pay gap. In most of these companies, men are reported to get a higher salary package in comparison to the female employees (with similar skills and experience) working in the same capacity. The difference in median annual base pay of men and women working in leading IT companies ranges from +$4,192 to -$25,104, which shows a yawning gap in salaries wherein the boys club of Silicon Valley continues to bag the lion share. Although, at entry-level the gender pay gap is not visible but in the course of rise through the ranks, the women are left behind.

Fit to Follow, not to Lead

According to the latest Grant Thornton International Business Report, the share of women in senior management roles globally is only 24 percent. Women are considered to be good for retail or background services but not for high designations making big and impacting decisions. When it comes to promotion or assigning a profile with many responsibilities, women are not included in the candidature. Using the shield of “with all other responsibilities that women have, they should be given easy work”, the women in tech marketing jobs are not given the opportunity to come up.

Sexual Harassment

Heidi Roizen, co-founder and CEO of software company T/Maker, was working on a deal with Sr. Vice President of a leading PC manufacturer, in 1985. The deal failed because, Roizen did not respond to the lecherous advances by the senior executive during a meeting over dinner for some paperwork. After a long time, she has shared this experience on her blog. Although this is one case to cite but if this happened with a CEO, the probability for women in a hierarchy can be easily estimated. Tech valley is not an exception in considering women as a sex object.

Culture UN-fit

The “she” candidature is kept on lower priority with a plea “not a culture fit”. This jargon lacks a clear definition but has certainly reduced the number of women hired for tech profiles. Since this is a totally self-created criterion with no standard or transparency, chauvinist decision makers conveniently play this card in gender biased hiring.

Social Prejudice

The “Society Earth” has some widely accepted prejudices about men and women, across the borders. Few of them are critical obstacles on the path of success for women in tech jobs. According to social norms, “Technology is thought to be a man’s strong point”. For instance, in May 2009, Dell unveiled a new website with the classic “make it pink” conviction. It is believed, that women, in general, have no worthy knowledge about technology and buy gadgets or laptops solely on the basis of their looks. Social norms relating to women’s intelligence in science and mathematics also curb their growth in the IT sector. It is said that women cannot take crucial decisions or handle pressures of deadlines. To add, people think that the Silicon Valley is extremely dynamic, and for a woman to cope up this speed is an unrealistic challenge.

Yes, there are many barriers obstructing women in the tech world, but there are role models too, to look up to. With reports revealing these hidden aspects, the leading tech brands are now making serious efforts to secure women power in the IT Jobs. Once such initiative is taken by Google wherein the company has conducted workshops on unconscious bias. Women just need to be more assertive and vocal and learn to brag better, to diffuse the power of boys club at Silicon Valley.

Mr Anurag Gupta writes on behalf of Placementindia.com, one of the leading job portal for Jobs & Career Development. His creative articles always encourages people for Online Job Search in very successful method for all job seekers.

Non-vessel operating common carrier shipping companies or NVOCCs spend thousands of dollars for their IT infrastructure. They want to make their services attractive to customers and get ahead of the competition. Among the facilities that NVOCCs allocate a substantial amount from their budget is the NVOCC shipping software. These programs assist in the safe and fast delivery of cargo and other items for shipment to their destination. It has become a business tool that increased the profit of NVOCC companies.

The software as a business tool is rather costly, but it is a wise investment. It makes shipping operations more organized and convenient. Using this tool can bring a host of advantages to a company. There are several options for the software. For instance, there’s a packaged software that can offer enhanced services to customers. It can provide significant solutions to shipment problems such as:

• Inaccurate collection of freight
• Inapparent actual contribution for every consignment
• Inefficient and lack of equipment

These problems, among others, when neglected can result to lost revenues. Otherwise, the company would be forced to incur more expenses. This is where an integrated software comes in to address these discrepancies and glitches, and they are widely available in the market today. An NVOCC staff can easily familiarize themselves with the intricate functions of the program. They have been designed to be user-friendly. Shipping transactions sometimes get complicated, but with a software, they can be controlled from a central location. An NVOCC company’s crew can readily access information from related transactions with the aid of high-tech integrated software that can create a comprehensive database. Communication is real-time as well. A high tech customized software makes an NVOCC more productive. It is one of the major business tools that will take them a notch higher in the international shipping industry.

Sales and booking tasks, documentation and invoicing, disbursements and container-control tasks are accomplished efficiently using the software. There’s no delay of time in dilly-dallying in persnickety and considerable paperwork that normally endorses more expenses. Manual labor that are prone to errors are done away with because of the software that has become a handy and reliable assistant.

A programmed software for shipping disseminates information to customers in a quick and expedient way. Customers can have accurate knowledge about the destination of their shipment and the pertinent services of the provider. Whatever necessary details about the customers are readily accessible, too. An efficient IT infrastructure assisting in their operations allows NVOCC’s to make better decisions about their business because the profitability of every consignment is better determined. Expenses are reduced for routine operations and staff productivity is increased. Multitasking is normally costly and damaging, but this tendency is reduced with the use of a software.

The amount and expenses of human labor in their day-to-day activities are reduced and an NVOCC’s overall operations become fully automated. Time has become more convenient because transactions are quickly accomplished, not to mention that they are more organized and accurate. No doubt that a software for NVOCC shipping advances the company’s services to the next level resulting to happier and more satisfied customers.

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