Tip #004 - Google Docs Demo - Part 2

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A demo of using GoogleDocs, a free, online service from Google that allows one to create, share and upload documents. This free service is great for sharing documents with others for the purpose of collaboration.

Tip #003 - Overview of Google Docs

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Do you need to share documents with others for editing or team collaboration purposes? Are you seeking an alternative to Microsoft's Office suite? Google Docs maybe a solution for you. Google Docs is an application suite for uploading, creating, editing and sharing documents online and the best part, it's free!!! For individuals or those starting a business, reducing start up costs is essential.

Why Use Google Docs

Google Docs is great for team collaboration. Instead of e-mailing documents and editing revisions to multiple people, you can keep one copy (and revisions) online for the group to view and/or edit. It should be noted there is an option to share a document with read-only access.

Another option to upload documents is for safe-keeping. I don't advocate using Google as a total backup or disaster-recovery plan but having a copy of a document on your local computer as well as Google docs will provide some degree of recover ability if the local copy is lost or destroyed.

Requirements

To access Google docs, an internet connection, a google account and a web browser are needed. Since access is achieved via the internet using Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari or another favorite web browser, any operating system can be used. It will not matter if you use Windows, Mac, Linux or another operating system on the computer, Gooogle Docs will work the same.

It should be noted that having a Google account does NOT mean having Google's e-mail account. You can associate your business email address with a Google account. As a result, when you send communicate with Google, your email address will be username@mydomain.com or queengeek@terrystechnicaltips.com and your business does not lose credibility by using a gmail.com e-mail address.

Stay tuned in the next week for the demo of Google docs. In the interim, enjoy the video of the overview.

Tip #002: Read The Small Print - TurboTax and Quicken on Sale

As the tax season begins, this is the time of year that tax software, such as Turbo Tax, are on sale. As a long time user of Intuit's Quicken Home and Business financial package and Turbo Tax, I was investigating any packaged deals. Staples, appeared to offer the best deal. The local ad stated buying Turbo Tax Deluxe with State and eFile for $59.99 and get Quicken Deluxe Free after rebate. The deluxe version did not meet my needs so further investigation was needed. At Staples' website, all versions of Turbo Tax and Quicken had the similar deals however, upon visiting a local store, the story was slightly different.

Do your homework

After researching on Intuit's site, Staples and other local computer stores, the price for Quicken Home and Business ranged from $79.99 to $99.99. Most stores offered Turbo Tax Home and Business was $99.99 which included 5 Federal e-filings and 1 state e-file. As a packaged deal, the price should have been $100 (Turbo Tax) + $100 (Quicken) - $60 rebates = $140. This would be far better than filing individual tax returns for 1 Federal Deluxe ($29.99) + State ($34.99); 2 individual Federal Home and Business filings (2x $74.95) + 2 individual State versions (2 x $34.99). I have not added all of this together but the packaged deal via CD was obviously more cost effective.

Read the Posted Ads

Off to the Staples I went for my packaged deals. Turbo Tax Home and Business version was $99.99 as expected. The sales sign stated Quicken 2009 Home and Business version was $59.99. Not $59.99 after rebates but $59.99 with the purchase of Turbo Tax. This meant that after all the applicable mail-in rebates of $60, Quicken Home and Business would be free!!! At the end of the day, both packages totaled $100!! I love getting a bargain. Needless to say, the store manager corrected the sign for the versions of Quicken above the Deluxe version but the store had to honor what was written, even if the print was small.

Tip #001: Get Affordable and Quality Business Cards

As a small or home-based business owner, business cards are essential. Using online services such as Vista Print or Moo Cards is easy to use and offer a host of printing services that can meet almost any budget.