Top 5 Productivity Web Applications

One the main reasons we use software is to cut down on complexity, automate things where possible, and hopefully make it easy to do things. With that in mind I’ve compiled a list of popular 5 web applications that we use or have used in the past that should help you be more productive in day-to-day tasks from project management to sales & CRM. This is by no means a comprehensive list I have experience in using them.

1. Basecamp

37singal’s basecamp, changed the way project management should be thought of, I certainly did! From the outset the functionality seems way too simple but remarkably provides most of what we’ve needed when managing client & internal projects. It’s simple to use and in terms of functionality it allows you to create and monitor projects, create to do lists, milestones, upload files and time tracking. Where it doesn’t provide functionality chances are another web application will provide what you’re looking for.

2. Salesforce

A very comprehensive CRM application salesforce allows you to manage everything related to customer enquiries from contacts to leads. It’s very flexible and for this reason I found that it wasn’t all that intuitive, however, with some coaching it all made sense.

3. Remember the milk

In my opinion the the best to-do application on the web, it’s very comprehensive, includes a bunch of API’s so you can do things like send you todo’s to your email/feed aggregator. It’s available as an IGoogle Plugin, IPhone application, BlackBerry Application, they really have thought of everything!

4. Google Docs

Part of the google apps suite of applications, Google Docs offers a powerful if limited word processor, useful for writing up quick docs and the ability to share documents, Google Docs also includes spreadsheets, form creator and a presentation tool.

5. Gmail

I’ve been using gmail since the early days for my personal mail & recently I’ve chagned my company email to gmail also, gmail has eclisped outlook by a long shot, it’s simple to use and has all the usual email features: search, contacts, calendars, and tasks. I recently move from remember the milk to gmail tasks due to it’s simplicity and also that it integrates into gmail, however, while writing this blog I’ve noticed that remember the milk is available as a gmail gadget, I might need to revisit remember the milk