Online office suites

SME IT: COST CUTTING

The Web is starting to change workaday productivity.

This time, I would like to continue with the topic of free online office suites. Considering the low cost of an "always on" broadband connection, these options are worth considering. Zoho is very similar to Google Apps, a Web-based productivity suite, which I explained in detail last month. And like Google Apps, AdventNet (that sports the Zoho offerings) has free versions of its various services (see table). However, it also has a 25-user, one-year subscription to Zoho Virtual Office, the core suite, which goes for $295. The Web is indeed starting to change workaday productivity for the better.

The Zoho suite comprises applications like a word processor, a spreadsheet programme, a presentation package, e-mail, and a calendar. There are also Zoho modules for databases and managing projects. There are even tools to build wikis (aka Wikipedia). Most of Zoho's applications sport interfaces that resemble Office. They also support Microsoft file formats. Zoho Writer, for instance, handles basic graphics and lists, has tools for Web-page design and blogging, and offers multiple levels of undo. It lets you share documents selectively or post them on the Web with a few clicks. And while the Zoho applications are inaccessible when you're offline, plug-ins for Word and Excel let you save and open documents from your online Zoho file repository.

Zoho Writer features a hideable list of documents divided into sections for private, shared, and public documents, plus templates. Like Google Docs and ThinkFree, Zoho Writer can publish items directly to a blog and save and import a range of text document formats, from Microsoft Word to HTML. With a plug-in for Microsoft Word, you can save from that application directly to your Zoho account. Zoho also offers a version of its software that runs on your own server and that is free for up to 10 users. This option may alleviate security concerns about hosting sensitive business documents outside the office firewall. Zoho Writer support offerings include free 24/7 technical support by telephone and email, which is rare for free online software.

And there's Zoho Meeting, a web conference facility that allows you to broadcast your screen to invitees to your online meeting as well as share control. The application works via an add-in in Firefox (a free internet browser) but requires no install on the part of attendees to your meeting. I was able to quickly launch Zoho Meeting, ping my friends an email invite containing a link and within minutes, they were able to view my onscreen activities without worrying about installs on their machines. The application includes Zoho Chat which means you can swap messages in text with your invitees, but doesn't include VOIP or video. Consequently, you may want to run a Skype call (if legal) or other VOIP service to allow you to talk. There's Zoho CRM too, that is free for the first 3 users. If you run a small business, Zoho CRM will be an ideal fit.

The author is Editor (IT) at Business Standard