Technology has changed the way we work and how we run our businesses. Using the right software and apps can not only make your life easier, it can also make your office more efficient, effective and productive. However, with so much new technology being introduced regularly, it can be confusing to know which apps are worth your money. Here are five of the most essential apps any office should have:

Greetly

Gone are the days of walking into an office and catching a bored looking receptionist listlessly playing solitaire on their computer. Modern technology has made it possible to eliminate the need to tether a dedicated admin assistant to your front desk. An app like Greetly can welcome your visitors, notify you of their arrival, receive deliveries, and even print visitor badges.

With this reception app, your people are free to focus on more productive tasks instead of being tied down to the front desk, waiting for visitors and packages. This app comes with a free trial and several reasonably priced plans. To learn more about how a digital receptionist works, visit greetly.com.

Skype

Competitors have tried time and again to dethrone Skype as the king of videoconferencing, but this app remains one of the most popular and effective. With Skype, you can voice or video call anyone in the world, and send them text or voice messages.

With Skype for Business, you can easily schedule and record meetings, and conduct training sessions where you can share your screen and collaborate with up to 250 people. It also offers whiteboard, polls, Q&A and instant messaging features so you can make your meetings more productive.

QuickBooks

QuickBooks is the accounting software of choice for many respected businesses and companies. You can use QuickBooks to pay your employees and vendors, to help you do your business taxes, and to keep an eye on your company’s overall financial health.

QuickBooks also lets you track your company’s sales and expenses, view its financial statements, and allows your bookkeeper, accountant and colleagues to log in simultaneously and work directly with your data.

Asana

Asana helps you stay organized and on top of your daily to-do list and tasks. It allows you to easily collaborate with your colleagues by sharing notes and files, and to view your ongoing projects and follow their progress at a glance. Asana integrates with Google Drive and Dropbox for easy file sharing, and with Slack for communication without having to rely on email.

Google Drive

Google Drive gives you everything you need to do word processing and create spreadsheets, presentations, slideshows, forms, and do basic graphic design. This cloud-based app makes it easy for you to access your files anytime, anywhere, on virtually any device. Collaboration is also made simple as you and your colleagues can work on files at the same time, and your work is always saved as you go.

These are some of the best reviewed and most reliable apps available today. They are competitively-priced, tried and tested, and will give you value for your money. By embracing technology and automating certain tasks and workflows, you will be freeing yourself to focus on the work you’re best at, and that truly matters.