If you just started your microbusiness, you might have noticed that managing it can be a complex task. Fortunately, numerous digital tools and platforms make it easier to simplify daily administrative work and enhance overall efficiency. In this article, we discuss three types of software applications that are indispensable to your microbusiness: accounting, project management, and communication. We also explain how Stripe can help you grow your business.

What’s in this article?

• Accounting software for the self-employed
  
• Project management software for the self-employed
  
• Communication software for the self-employed
  
• Other software applications
  
• The benefits of using software for your microbusiness
  
• Grow your business using Stripe solutions
  

Accounting software for the self-employed

A microbusiness is required to follow a certain degree of formality when it comes to accounting and billing, though its obligations remain lighter than those of large entities. At a minimum, this structure must be able to create quotes and invoices that contain all mandatory information, maintain accurate bookkeeping procedures, and accept secure payments.

An efficient accounting software application can:

• Automate issuing and sending compliant invoices
  
• Handle payments in multiple currencies
  
• Reduce data entry errors and avoid potential sanctions for noncompliant invoices
  
• Follow up with customers about unpaid invoices
  
• Simplify tax obligations (e.g., if you decide not to use the basic value-added tax [VAT] exemption regime)
  
• Provide visibility into your annual income
  

Stripe offers a solution that combines billing and secure payment management features into a single, unified platform. With Stripe, you can manage one-off invoices, recurring subscriptions, fiscal obligations, and amounts due, all within the same application. Stripe also provides detailed reports on your transactions and income for the year, all without having to write a single line of code.

Project management software for the self-employed

These solutions make it easier to organize your microbusiness more effectively and increase productivity, especially when working on multiple projects simultaneously. A good project management tool lets independent workers:

• Plan and execute tasks
  
• Set deadlines
  
• Follow project progress
  
• Keep a global vision of the business
  

Asana and Notion are two management platforms suitable for both microbusinesses and larger enterprises. You can use them to access Unito, a partner application of Stripe. Notion helps organize workloads, centralize note-taking, and create documents. Asana centralizes communication and work items for all parties involved in a project, facilitating collaboration and tracking.

Communication software for the self-employed

To be a successful businessperson, you must be able to communicate clearly and professionally with your customers, suppliers, and prospects. In addition to the phone, there are many messaging and collaboration tools offering various features:

• Slack, a professional messaging app
  
• WeTransfer, an application for securely transferring documents in the cloud
  
• DocuSign, a service designed to facilitate signing contracts electronically
  
• Zoom, a videoconferencing platform used by professionals (especially since COVID-19)
  
• Loom, a tool that records video presentations on your screen, then sends them to clients or prospects
  
• Calendly, an appointment scheduling software
  
• Twilio, a client engagement platform that helps personalize interactions with clients
  

Other software applications

Other useful programs for microbusinesses include:

• Dropbox, Google Drive, or iCloud Drive for storing data and documents
  
• Microsoft Office or Google Workspace for word processing, spreadsheets, and emails
  
• Squarespace or Wix to build a website, or Shopify for ecommerce
  
• Canva to create graphics online (e.g., logos, banners, infographics, illustrations)
  
• Substack for your blog
  
• HubSpot to manage customer relationships (a CRM)
  

The benefits of using software for your microbusiness

It’s important to note that adopting these tools for your microbusiness is not mandatory in France. However, these software applications have many advantages for self-employed people, including:

• Reducing administrative tasks and providing significant time savings (which allows you to then spend more time on your business’s core purpose)
  
• Centralizing information
  
• Minimizing data entry errors through automation
  
• Improving professional branding
  
• Organizing and running the operation better
  
• Providing access to intuitive web-based interfaces
  
• Simplifying tax filings and legal compliance
  

Grow your business using Stripe solutions

You can simplify administrative tasks with Stripe tools. Stripe Invoicing is a powerful solution that optimizes creating and sending invoices, automates revenue recognition and speeds up payments—no coding required.

Stripe Billing is another tool that lets you invoice and manage your customers however you want: easy subscriptions, usage-based billing, contracts negotiated at the time of sale, etc. Billing makes it so you can accept recurring payments worldwide in just a few minutes.

For VAT, you can depend on Stripe Tax, a software package that can figure out your tax obligations, manage your registrations, calculate and collect taxes, and automatically submit your filings. With the imminent arrival of required e-reporting for all businesses, it’s a good idea to use efficient tools to ensure compliance.