Which tech tools do the people at InMyBag think indy workers need to know about?

When you work for yourself, you often find yourself performing several roles as well as your particular area of specialisation; during any given month you may find yourself doing your own PR, accounting, networking, admin and negotiating, to name a few!

Luckily, the evolution of tech tools allows freelancers to manage all the requirements of their business seamlessly, navigating tasks such as tracking hours and invoicing with minimum fuss so that they can focus on their chosen field. See below for InMyBag's top recommended tech tools for freelancers to ensure maximum productivity.

Best project management and communication tools

Though you may often be working on your own, these tools mean you can also work with a virtual team and stay abreast of project developments:

Trello

This online collaboration tool helps you get organised with boards, lists and cards, tracking changes people make in real time and allowing you to attach files and images.

Basecamp

You can use Basecamp to execute projects without drowning in a sea of emails – it tracks deadlines and tasks with clear accountability.

Asana

Asana puts conversations and tasks together so you can get more done with less effort. You can choose which notifications to subscribe to.

Slack

You can ditch back-and-forth client emails with Slack and set up real-time chat groups, making it much quicker to communicate and get the job done.

Best time management tools

Freelancing typically comes with a variable schedule and keeping tabs on how much time you spend on individual client work is really important, these tools will help you track time:

Toggl

This simple time tracker tools is built for speed and ease of use, it lets you track the time you spend to the minute, meaning you can monitor your work closely without filling in timesheets.

Timely

If you plan your weeks in advance and track hourly rates for projects, Timely is a great tracking tool to give you a better sense of what is taking most of your focus.

Harvest

Harvest has an intuitive interface, allowing you to send clients reports and invoices directly from the app. It also syncs up with other popular apps like Trello, Basecamp, Asana and more.

Best organisation tools

Freelancing offers flexibility and freedom when you work but it does mean that you have to stay super-organised to stay on top of your tasks and responsibilities. These tools allow you to plan your work so you don’t drop any balls:

Wunderlist

This streamlined to-do list tracker syncs across all your devices and sets reminders that you can send to others for collaboration or assignment.

Doodle

If you’re trying to schedule meetings across multiple time zones without visibility of other guests’ calendars, use Doodle to find an open slot that works for everyone, saving reams of emails.

Evernote

Evernote means you can declutter your life and go paperless, organising your data in a personalised way. You can visually gather notes and projects together in a way that suits you.

Productivity Wizard

This productivity-boosting app is available on iPhones and iPads, helping you to plan, focus and create the results you want in any area of your life and business.

Best accounting tools

Many of us find the task of tracking our income, cash flow and taxes rather daunting; thankfully there are plenty of tools which can help you to manage your money without the headache:

Sighted

This mobile-friendly invoice and expense tracking software is designed especially for independent professionals – it integrates payment options, generates profit and loss report and is really easy to customise for your requirements.

Due

Due offers an easy, fast, encrypted digital wallet with a smart invoicing system so that you can make quick online payments in a professional manner.

Crunch

You will come to rely on this tool when it’s time to pay your taxes, it lets clients pay you faster via bank transfer and the system will track it, it also does invoicing and accounting.

Expensify

If your work involves a lot of travel and business purchases, Expensify makes it easy to track all transactions as well as photograph and upload your receipts.

Best client communications tools

When you first start out freelancing, you will want to set a standard of professionalism so that new clients are reassured that they are in safe hands, these tools will help you create useful documents from high-quality templates:

Proposify

Proposify allows you to deliver beautifully-designed winning proposals to your clients, giving you simple design tools and streamlined metrics. The software also gives you management tools for larger teams as you grow.

HelloSign

HelloSign saves you the hassle of printing out and sending on paper contracts, its secure electronic signature mechanic is easy-to-use and legally binding. It also integrates with Google apps and Gmail.

Bidsketch

Bidsketch provides you with project proposal templates which will reduce the time spent showing clients what you can do.

Balsamiq

This rapid wire framing tool enables you to produce mock-ups and UI concepts, reproducing the experience of sketching on a whiteboard. You will be able to discuss content with client designers and developers and get immediate feedback.

InMyBag insures your gadgets and backs up your data with unlimited, military-grade secure cloud backup. They replace and repair within 24 hours, so you’re never without the tech you need to run your business.

 

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