Helen Bradley

The iPad hides its sensible side under a consumer gadget veneer that can lead one to believe that the iPad is best-suited for watching videos and checking Facebook and Twitter. However, considering their light weight, good screen size, generous battery life and functional interface, it’s not surprising that many people ask “Can I do real […]

4 Free Excel Alternatives Google Docs Spreadsheet You can save Google Docs spreadsheets online and download them to your local disk, and you can collaborate with others on them. If you have a fast Internet connection, then Google Docs Spreadsheet is a worthy alternative to using Excel. OpenOffice.org OpenOffice.org is an open source office application, […]

It is frustrating when you don’t have the right application to open a file with. When someone sends you a PowerPoint or Publisher file and you don’t own the program, you will find it difficult to open the file unless you know some of the small business technology tricks of the trade. In this column, […]

To create a Google map you need a list of addresses and, optionally, data for the map’s tool tips. (Click for larger image). How do you show your customers where your stores are located or where they can find nearby places of interest? Well, you could try to draw your own map to post on […]

If making backups isn’t your strong point then online office applications make good sense because someone else takes care of backing up your data and storing it securely. They also take care of upgrades so you’ll always be working with the most up to date version of the software. The Downside of Online Office Apps […]

Ever click on a website only to recoil in near-physical pain because the site’s colors don’t exist in nature and should never, ever be combined on a Web page? Your products or services could be the best on the Web but, as ridiculous as it might seem, pick the wrong colors for your website design […]

One of the things I love most about Google Docs small business software is its Forms feature. You can use to create surveys to collect feedback from your customers or Web visitors. You can email your survey to participants or add it to your blog or website, and you can view and analyze the responses […]

The first time you open Outlook 2007 you might be disappointed to see that, on the face of it, Outlook does not display the new ribbon and new interface that you will see in the other major applications in the Office 2007 suite such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Dig a little deeper under the […]

It may seem patently obvious, but you can’t invest money in your ecommerce website unless you know you’ll make a return on that investment. And when it comes to your website, you’ll need that information when you initially build the site, and when you want to upgrade it and add new features and capabilities. Our […]

Microsoft Outlook is vital small business software for many business people. With tools to handle not only email but also calendar, contacts and daily tasks, it’s a program small businesses rely on every day. Because of its importance in the business world, anything that makes Outlook easier to use or that gives you better access […]

After spending the time and money to develop your small business website, you might be tempted by inexpensive website maintenance services that promise to keep your site updated while saving you money. It’s a classic caveat emptor scenario, and you really need to do your due diligence to ensure that your website — a crucial […]

We all know what it feels like to waste time looking for missing emails, documents and files on our computers. Multiply the time you spend each day looking for missing files by the number of people in your small business — and then by each working day — and you’ll see that time spent looking […]