Just as there's more to running a real business than unlocking the front door in the morning, there's more to running an online business than creating a Web site. Fortunately, all sorts of back-end software tools can help you tend to the details of entrepreneurship. At the top of your list of must-have business software should be an office suite, such as Microsoft Office, Lotus SmartSuite or WordPerfect Office. Maybe you're wondering now why you'd ever need a presentation package. But six months on, someone asks you to give a formal presentation, you'll be glad you have the right tools available.
Opinions vary on which office suite is the best.
For the typical small-business user, a word processor is a word processor and a spreadsheet is a spreadsheet. Having one brand instead of the other isn't likely to affect your bottom line. More and more, business depends in varying degrees on moving information back andforth between computers. Maybe you'll need to send a spreadsheet to your accountant. Or maybe a freelance copywriter will send a word processing document to you.