When deciding which small business software to use, you need to first consider what your actual needs are. Many times platforms that do a lot of different things may not offer the right range of tools. Free or low cost software options can sometimes provide all the tools you may need to get started.  As your business scales and your needs may grow — it may just be a new app to help you scale and be more profitable.

The best option for small business software should be simple and easy to manage your business more efficiently, but the best is different depending on the size and needs of your company.

We are going to touch on some different software options that small businesses might want to consider. The challenge is finding the type of software you need, at the right price that works for your budget. There is a lot of competition online in the software market, and while there are big name products with big prices, there are always smaller and less robust packages which can be just as good.

Below are some great small business software solutions currently available.

Document management software

There are many different office software suites but Google Workspace (formerly called G Suite) offers a large range of features and functionality that others can’t match for the price.

Google offers cloud computing, collaboration and productivity. It’s ideal for smaller businesses because it provides a one-stop-shop for all document management needs.

It is cloud based approach that is constantly updated. The email has built in controls, encryption, and verification with a Zero Trust approach that enables employees to work from anywhere using any device.

Google Workspace allows team members to have video meetings, access email, secure data and customizable email addresses. It is easy to use, secure, and access across different devices.

Within the workspace there are apps to quickly and easily create and share documents (Google Docs), spreadsheets (Google Sheets) and presentations (Google Slides).

Microsoft 365 provides a great office suite that is also cloud based and can be use on the go, at home or in the office.

If you’ve used Microsoft Office you’ll easily find your way around Microsoft 365. The advantage is all your employees can use it with a smartphone or tablet and their documents are saved online in the cloud with OneDrive. No more worrying about losing important files to a hard drive crash and that you can switch between devices without losing any work.

Pricing is a bit more expensive than using Google Workspace. Microsoft 365 Home offers up to six licenses which could be ideal and cost-efficient for distributing around employees if you have five or less. Microsoft 365 Business Premium is targeted at larger businesses and includes Sharepoint, Microsoft Exchange and Microsoft Teams.

Microsoft 365 delivers what you need in terms of an office software and admin platform. You will also find many suppliers using it, making it easy to share, swap or send files.

Project management software

If you are a medium size company with ongoing projects Trello is great to manage them. Trello is a collaboration and task management tool that supports marketing campaigns, content development, customer support, sales tracking, data entry and HR tracking. It’s important to note that it doesn’t support budgeting and invoicing.

For smaller businesses, it is an easy tool that tracks projects through due dates, card cover photos, users, a task commenting feature, labels and allows attachments like files, images, or documents for project management pipelines.

Mobile payment processing

iWallet is an established field service point of sale provider for processing payments anytime and anywhere. An easier, smarter and faster way for employees to process payments in the field. The app offers low credit card fees for businesses that process over 1m annually. They help small businesses take home more money each month.

The  iWallet app includes mobile remote check uploads. No more accepting bad checks and no more trips to the bank. And once you start processing credit cards there is no fee to make mobile check deposits.

The app has bank level security, is Verisign secure and has 256-bit encryption. All of this means that you only need one payment processing app to cover all forms of payments from a smart phone, no matter what sort of business you have.

Human resources and payroll software

Smaller companies rely on both full-time, seasonal and contract employees. With different needs they need a payroll solution that can manage both W-2 and 1099 workers. Gusto is a great option for these types of situations because it can handle payroll processing and payroll tax responsibilities for all types of workers.

Gusto is simple to pay your team, manage their benefits and protect your business. It is easy to add new employees and designate which type of worker they are. Even better, both types of workers are considered an employee, so the cost of running payroll is the same for someone considered a full- or part-time employee versus a freelancer or contractor.

Gusto charges monthly fees vs. a per-payroll cost structure that many other payroll companies use. This means you can run payroll as many times as necessary for no added charge. Additional services such as health coverage options, 401(k) plans, free financial planning tools are available for companies who need extra support. 

Collaboration Tool

If you’re a larger appliance repair business with service teams across multiple states, instead of sending emails back and forth, consider Slack.  This communication platform has helped transform the way your teams keep in touch.

The basic idea is simple: It allows employees to communicate on any mobile or desktop device. It is very useful for smaller businesses that may not have a single office or whose employees work remotely. It is real-time messaging in web browsers, mobile apps or with desktop clients. Team members can chat one to one, in channels based around topics and groups (i.e. customer questions, part ordering or repair issues).

Slack brings that simple idea to life very intuitively and has a responsive interface to keep conversations flowing.

The free version of Slack gives a basic feel for the app and suitable for smaller teams. With the paid tiers you get round-the-clock support and unlimited message archives.

Software technology undoubtedly helps businesses to adapt their operations. Messaging apps, mobile payments and contactless transactions are now the norm. For smaller businesses trying to reduce costs and grow their business, now is the time to look software and apps that can help automate and manage your business more effectively.

As technology advances, small to medium size businesses now offer their technicians quicker and more securer ways to process all forms of payments using a smart phone. 

There are now specific processing apps which are designed to make it easier for businesses. One popular feature—mobile remote check deposit—which now allows technicians to deposit customer’s checks through an app before leaving the job.

For small to medium size businesses and organizations that receive a few to several checks a day, a mobile device is the best solution to make mobile remote check deposits. It is quicker and cheaper than other solutions.

With a remote check deposit app like iWallet there is no need to purchase dedicated hardware to perform the deposits in the field. This reduces overhead cost like hardware, maintenance and software licensing.

Who benefits from remote check deposits?

Service businesses with a small or large volume of checks benefit because any number of checks can safely be processed daily via a phone.

Small businesses often wait for the check to arrive in the mail which could cause an overdraft situation. Mobile remote check deposit reduces employee time by not having to drive in traffic to a local bank branch. Using an app allows the company to get funds quickly for operations, payroll and expansion.

Non Profits and other organizations prefer to use remote check deposit. The technology is easy to use and is less-expensive with no hardware to lease or purchase. They don’t have to have donor checks lying around until accounts receivable takes them to the bank.

Mobile remote check deposits are safe

Processing apps use industry-standard encryption, so account details should be safe. In addition to that check images and other data is not stored on the mobile device. Mobile check deposits are also harder for checks to get dropped or lost before they are deposited.

It is however recommended not to use public Wi-Fi for any sensitive information including remote deposits. It’s better to use a wireless connection on a mobile phone’s data connection to avoid sharing sensitive information.

Mitigate the chance of accepting bad checks

Paper checks may have their drawbacks, but they remain commonplace. Real-time check risk mitigation helps employees accept a check as soon as it’s presented.

Bad checks are a major issue in payments today but if you can catch it in real time you can ask for another form of payment. Some processing apps like iWallet help mitigate the possibility of accepting and trying to deposit a fraudulent check. The app also requires a credit card for checks over $500 dollars as further protection on large transactions.

Integrated capture points detect and prevent duplicates and fraud in real-time, allow customized business rules for eligibility.

Best practices to deposit a clear check image

• Check images should be taken in a well-lit environment
• Images should be taken on a contrasting background
• The camera should be held parallel to the item
• Make sure check is filled out correctly, dated and signed
• No shadows across the check
• All four corners of the check are visible
• Check is not blurry and camera flash is off
• The MICR line – numbers on the bottom of the check is readable
• Make sure amount you entered in app matches the amount written on check

Checks that cannot be deposited using mobile remote uploads

• Altered checks or  non-legible checks
• Third Party Checks 
• Restrictive endorsements- checks payable to you and a lien holder
• Foreign checks from a bank located outside the United States)
• Checks not payable in United States currency
• Savings Bonds
• Stale dated or postdated checks
• Checks  stamped “non-negotiable”

Do you need to save checks after a mobile deposit?

After you make mobile remote check deposits it is not 100% necessary but is recommended to hold until you receive confirmation from the bank that the deposit has cleared. After it clears you can destroy the check to prevent anyone attempting to deposit the check a second time.

With remote deposit capture, businesses are now able to reduce labor costs, streamline efficiencies and provide an easier and faster way to deposit in the field. The growing number of small to medium businesses are now using apps to help streamline all forms of invoice processing. If you are looking to make the switch, make sure to look for a processing app that includes mobile remote check deposits too.

One of the best developments for small businesses is Remote Deposit Capture technology that is also referred as RDC which makes the process of accepting checks in the field safe and seamless. The mobile check deposit  technology actually helps businesses process paper checks faster using a smartphone or tablet.

Remote Deposit Capture API technology is the best choice

Mobile check deposits using an RDC API is a check capture solution that allows employees to use a mobile device to capture check images and convert both the front of the check to federal standards. The API completes a multi-check capture experience allowing developers to deploy this offering into any app.

Remote Check Deposit API technology

APIs have become very common in financial services because they unlock the power of third-party services and tools such as account verification. RDC API technology enables a business to process paper checks deposit faster and safely.

Many businesses still make manually daily/weekly deposits at a local bank which is a waste of resources and time and can be eliminated using an API like iWallet.

No need to pay for desktop equipment

In the past, businesses used RDC technology by integrating a desktop scanner in the office. The scanners are hardware that is purchased and can process both high and low volumes of checks. This may automate a portion of the accounts receivable process by capturing the data on a paper check and sending that information to the bank but it is a dated process.

The issue with scanners is that checks need to be dropped off by employees at the end of the day or week which ties up cash flow. It is also a waste of time and gas when you go do it from a phone. Businesses that operate across multiple cities and state often times have employees mail the checks to the home office which runs a risk of getting lost. Other issues small business owners face is the possibility the check is bad.

Helps with risk mitigation

Mobile check deposit API is a seamless approach that shares the check data from a smart phone with a financial institution. It helps a company’s risk mitigation which can lead to fewer bad checks or insufficient funds. Real-time risk mitigation and mobile RDC can ensure you are able to accept that check as soon as it’s presented so they have access to those funds more quickly

Choosing the best Remote Deposit Capture API

iWallet Mobile Check Capture is one of the best APIs to mitigate risk, increase back office efficiencies, and accelerate cash flow.  

The API provides the same information; check payee name, address, amount and good image quality for depositing purpose. The check image component, with the corresponding data, is both captured with the API. It is than transmitted to the payment gateway and directed to the client’s financial institution for deposit.  The deposit converts the extracted check data (account number, routing number and check number to ACH and submits the actual front of check image to the financial institution.

Also important when selecting an RDC API, make sure it is supported by iOS, Android and mobile web and is offered at both App Store and Google Play Store.

iWallet API offers upload success on the first try using a patented front side of check video capture technology and helps businesses to detect check duplication and manage risk by running all checks through a 3rd party data base.

What is a financial check risk?

When a customer pays with a check you better hope they aren’t a bad check writer and the funds are available. Deposits take a couple of days to settle and that may be too late if they are a bad check writer. iWallet Remote Check Capture API has built in fraud protection and automatically scans a database of bad check writers. It will send a real time notification in if the check is bad. Getting a notification while your employees are still with the customer offers the ability to accept another form of payment.

People still use paper check because there are a number of advantages, so be prepared as they will be around for a while. Remote check deposit capture is a key driver of mobile processing adoption and will help you to streamline processes while speeding up funds.

Just as humans communicate, applications talk to each other too using an Application Programming Interface or API—for short.  It is an interface that allows an application to interact with an external service through a set of commands.

Since the beginning of the internet, different applications and web pages have used APIs to get data for various resources. The flight you booked on your favorite airline or the movie ticket you bought online, APIs are working behind the scenes every day to provide you a richer digital experience.

What is an API

An API includes a set of functions that allows applications to access data and interact with external software components, micro-services or operating systems. It delivers a user request to a system and sends the system’s response back to the user.

APIs can be accessed over the Web using the HTTP protocol. It is also considered a great tool to push data to a server that can be accessed by server code. APIs do the work in the background and the digital experiences remains effortless.

APIs make things easier and speeds up the development process of other applications or systems. And when using an API you won’t need to deal with source codes.

For example, if you are building your own software and wish to integrate mobile check deposits or payment processing with apps like iWallet, using an API is the best way to do it. You only need to connect your software with the correct payment software. This is manual for developers to help implement the desired functionalities which are provided via the API’s documentation.

How an API works

API is considered the middleman between the application you are using and the server. It will tell the app to do something, and then the app will use an API to communicate with the web server to do it. This action is called a request. Once the request is sent, the server will send a response to the app.

Here’s an abstract example. You walk into quick service restaurant, stand in line and wait for someone to take your order. The person at counter is the middleman who takes your order because you cannot communicate directly with the cooks in back. The person than gives the order to the kitchen, the cooks – cook it and the order is delivered to you at the table.

An API is an abstraction of the web server, as the application doesn’t know what is going on, just what the final result will be.

Benefits of APIs and why are they important

APIs allow for unlimited functionality of your applications. They speed up development time and save money. Without API’s, application are limited to a narrow list of its own functions.

APIs allow you to save time. They are more efficient and more convenient to apply existing API capabilities rather than to trying to independently implement similar functions.

APIs recharge your applications with the latest technology. With APIs, you can teach your application the latest image recognition and natural language processing methods.

Types of API’s

There are four types of APIs.

1. Open APIs which are known as Public APIs. There are no restrictions to access because they are public.
2. Partner APIs need specific rights or licenses in order to access because they are not available to the public.
3. Internal APIs, known as Private APIs, only internal systems expose this type of API and are often meant to be used inside the company.
4. Composite APIs is a type of API combines different service and data APIs. It is a sequence of tasks that run synchronously. It speeds up the process of execution and improve the performance.

API documentation

APIs documentation contains specific instructions on how to effectively use and integrate. Well-written documentation will help to save cost and support. It also makes onboarding users easier because it doesn’t require technical support. Some APIs may provide a sandbox to test out and see live results. This helps developers better understand the capabilities and to visualize what the API does. Watch out for poorly written documentation as it can be frustrating for developers or the support team.

What is API Testing

While there are many aspects of API testing, it generally consists of making requests to a single or sometimes multiple API endpoints and validating the response. The purpose of API testing is to determine if the API meets expectations for functionality, performance, and security.

The growing number of software and credit card processing apps need communication and resource exchange methods. Delivering data quickly is an essential for most businesses in today’s digital age. APIs are the key to helping the expansion of software technology.

Mobile Remote Deposit Capture (mRDC) solution takes the manual process of depositing paper checks for small business owners and automates it into a seamless transaction. Integrating a mRDC API automates an inefficient task into an easy process that helps businesses process funds better and faster. 

Need to get time back in the day, well not having employees taking unnecessary trips to the local bank to make manual check deposits is the first task to eliminate.  Automating this simple task is easy when you integrate a Mobile Remote Deposit Check API into your current applications. Using a cloud based mRDC API will also help with continuous communication between your various applications.

Mobile Remote Check Capture

mRDC is a convenient check deposit solution for employees remotely accepting paper checks so they’re not reliant on making local deposits or having to batch checks and mail into the home office. Mobile remote check deposits are intuitive for employees to learn and quickly start to use. It allows them to simply take a photo of a check from their checking accounts with their mobile device. API’s such as iWallet mobile check deposit includes proprietary technology that only requires the front side capture.

Benefits of Mobile Remote Check Capture API Integrations

For most businesses there are many tangible benefits of API integration are quite clear and they break down like this.

Increased productivity

Leverage powerful mobile technology into your applications by selecting the right API will save development time and enables business goals faster.

With a good API, developers can quickly implement remote check deposit function quickly. This helps to re-allocate financial resources in to other areas of the business.

Collect data in one place

Data is powerful and an essential asset in the digital economy. APIs make it easy for office managers or accounts receivables to easily access and pull daily, weekly or monthly reports from desktop.

Reporting and account reconciliation will be easier than ever. Using a mobile remote check API Like iWallet removes the manual process but more importantly it helps keep your data store in one place.

Speed up cash flow

Getting paper checks deposited in the field quickly speeds up cash flow. It also helps orphan payments for that customer that insists to send by mail their payment by check. Orphaned checks can lie around offices for days and many times are tucked into a desk waiting to be deposited.  An API is a big benefit for volume businesses that prefer to use a lockbox.  They also help large national businesses that have numerous banking relationships across multiple states.

Streamline reporting

If you’re data is being shared by your applications then it’s much easier to create robust reports that take into account all of the data sets possible. Better reporting leads to easier pattern recognition and hopefully better business decisions. Technicians have individual portals which help to keep everything organized.

Reduces risk

Remote Check Deposits helps with the reduction in lost or bad checks – requiring humans to make manual deposits at the bank inevitably results in errors. Employees can lose checks along the way or accept bad checks and not know it until it is deposited and rejected.

iWallet API includes a  bad check scan feature. All checks are automatically scanned to make sure it is not in a national database of bad check writers. If it is on list the your employees get real time notifications.

Security

The biggest concern with APIs is they can come with security issues.  Gartner 2022 report unveiled vulnerabilities in APIs which create data breaches in web applications.

To help mitigate a data breach it is important to only use a Remote Check Deposit API like iWallet which is backed TRUSTe-certified.

 iWallet comes with bank-level security and 256-bit SSL encryption. 256-bit encryption is a data/file encryption technique that uses a 256-bit key to encrypt and decrypt data or files. It is one of the most secure encryption methods, and is used in most modern encryption algorithms, protocols and technologies.

Another important certification to look for in a mRDC API is to make sure it is Verisign Trust and doesn’t sell or share customer. This seal means that you can be assured that all details are secure and the system operates using encrypted technology to keep your customers details safe.

An individual gateway

Using mobile check deposit API allows the companies to create separate portals for each employee. Individual portals allow them to deposit from anywhere and is a digital gateway in the field is a great consumer experience too.

As the technology improves, API integrations will continue to grow in popularity and become more streamlined. iWallet mobile remote check API integration makes it so your data is less flawed, more accessible  and provides increased efficiency. It’s no surprise that many companies have built their businesses around integrating the latest APIs like iWallet.