These 14 tools we use to automate our business processes

ToolsSoftware Development

As software developers you might assume we build every business process ourselves with custom software, but honestly a lot of our day-to-day processes are not that different from what other companies do. There are also plenty of (free) software packages that can save work. That is how you help each other. In the spirit of sharing is caring, we are sharing the tools we use most often ourselves, so this list might help you too. That is especially true if you are looking for software for administration, a Glossary · In briefCMSA CMS is software that lets users create, organize, edit and publish digital content, usually through an administration interface.Read more for your site, or a communication platform with fairly standard requirements.

It is certainly not the case that we write all software in-house. Usually there is something standard that works fine and fits what we expect.

1. Moneybird

We use Moneybird for our administration. Sending invoices, quotes, managing customer data. Recurring invoices roll out automatically, and we can attach PDF files with written hours and descriptions without any fuss.

2. Jira

We hear a lot of references to Agile at work when it comes to scrum boards and Glossary · In briefsprintA sprint is a short, fixed period in which a team develops an agreed part of the software. Afterwards, you review the result and decide on the next priorities.Read more planning. That is why we use Jira. We create our scrum boards inside Jira and add the tickets for each sprint. It is an easy-to-see overview that lets us keep moving. Sound like gibberish? More about how we work and what those terms mean is in Glossary · In briefagile & scrumAgile is an approach to developing software in small steps and adapting based on feedback. Scrum gives it structure through short sprints and regular team discussions.Read more.

3. Employes

Our payroll runs through Employes. Employees find their payslips and official documents there, and they can request leave in a few clicks. It really saves us a mountain of hassle.

4. GitHub

All the code we write is stored in Git. It gives us a watertight Glossary · In briefversion controlVersion control records changes to code, including who changed what and when. It lets developers collaborate, compare changes and return to an earlier version.Read more that greatly reduces the chance of errors. Our clients can also easily access their source code themselves.

5. Overleaf

We generate contracts in Overleaf. It is an online LaTeX editor where you can build templates fairly easily. For a new client we fill in a handful of basic details: name, chamber of commerce number, the agreed hours, a description of the work, that kind of thing, and a complete contract rolls out immediately. Setting up the basics does require some knowledge of programming or LaTeX. But once the templates are ready, even Linda, our non-programmer in residence, can work with them fine.

6. Contentful

Contentful is the content management system, the CMS, we use to put text and images on our website. It is clear enough that our content marketer can update the site easily without us worrying that she might accidentally wreck the source code.

7. Picnic

Every afternoon we lunch together, and Picnic is our regular grocery partner. We like how smoothly that service works. We even set up our own Picnic tablet where everyone (read: Merel) can add items for the coming week. The delivery drivers come straight to the door, so we never have to haul full bags anymore. The one handy trick we still need to figure out is that inevitable occasional trip to the bottle bank.

Every afternoon we lunch together and our regular grocery partner is Picnic.

8. Slack

When it comes to how we communicate internally and externally, we almost always choose Slack. Many of our clients get their own separate environment, so contact lines between client and developer stay short. Without switching to email, conversations are easy to follow throughout the day. It gathers those chat fragments in one central place, and the whole story looks a lot clearer in retrospect.

9. Bitwarden

For our passwords we trust the team collectively to Bitwarden. This password manager effortlessly creates strong passwords, stores them in an organised way, and opens sharing to colleagues when it becomes relevant. No more mess in a shared text file, which was awkward for everyone.

10. Tracking

Okay, Tracking is one of those programmes we built ourselves. It lets everyone at our company register hours and add notes to different tasks. We also track leave and sick days there. Every month a neat overview rolls out that we use to prepare invoices and handle payroll.

11. Leadinfo

Leadinfo is a lead generation tool that works very well for us. We see exactly which business visitors browse our site, through which channels they arrive, and which pages they view. Together with Google Analytics we use it to sharpen campaigns and online conversion.

12. Freshsales

Freshsales is our CRM tool for sales. We track new leads and ongoing deals there, and it prevents us from bothering prospects unnecessarily, which we hate, without letting good opportunities slip away.

13. Homerun

We manage the application process with Homerun. Through a custom landing page (you can find it here) all applications come in to one place, and we easily invite people for an interview.

14. Drift

Drift is the one tool we disagree about most within 10KB. A pop-up on the site lets people get in touch quickly via chat; there is a good chance you just closed it. We all agree that pop-up is pretty dumb. And yet it surprisingly often leads to valuable conversations. So if anyone knows a better, nicer or more stylish alternative, please let us know!

As you can see, within 10KB we are already helped enormously by these general software packages. Do you have a good addition to this list? Or are you missing a tool that has helped your company a lot? Please let us know!