Top 5 iPad Finance Apps for Business

The last two years have been a whirlwind in mobile computing and people are embracing these new devices, like the iPad, at breakneck speeds. Apple’s fourth-quarter revenue increased 21 percent from a year earlier, including the sale of more than 11 million iPads. It is clear that the enormous advances in mobile devices are not only changing the way we live our personal lives, but also the way we do business. For businesses, especially small ones, some of the biggest benefits come from the world of applications. If you want to simplify your business finances, check out these apps:

1. Square – Credit card transactions have never been easier. The developers of this free app will send you a real credit card reader that connects to your iPad. It’s secure, easy, mobile, and even has built-in analytics to track sales, collect tips and taxes, and send electronic receipts via email or text. It is no longer necessary to delay the payment process. Oh, and they only charge a 2.75% transaction fee – no contracts, fees, or business accounts needed.

2. Expensify has the business travel world in an uproar. The features of this app are impressive to say the least: sync banking information to track purchases in real time, digitize receipts to reduce the chance of losing them (just take a photo and the app will discern and write down the necessary information), customize and send Email reports for approval and your checking account will be reimbursed. You will be your accountant’s best friend with the organization and ease that this application offers.

3. Time Master + Billing: With a 4-star app store rating, this app sets the bar for time and expense tracking. The best overall feature is the flexibility to customize to suit the way you work: rounding minutes, multiple run timers, billing fees, expenses, client projects / tasks, and many more options. There are even additional modules available to include billing, QuickBooks export, and wireless syncing between mobile devices.

4. Intuit GoPayment credit card terminal: similar to Square but a bit more complicated. It’s also a free app, but you have to overcome a few more hurdles (aka a 15-minute application process) to be approved to use this service. However, if you are looking for a proven brand, this may be for you.

5. QuickBooks Connect – This is a great add-on to your QuickBooks Online subscription (QuickBooks 2011 users will need to get a paid subscription to use this app for the past 30 days). Manage customer information and balances; create invoices and sales receipts; convert estimates into invoices; Email quotes, invoices and sales receipts and more with this handy app.

Mobile computing can make a difference in the efficiency of your business. Look for the bottlenecks in your financial management and ask yourself, is there an app for that?