5 Apps We Can't Live Without
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If you’re a Shopify store owner, you’ll be well aware that not every app does what it says on the tin. The interface may be clunky, or you might find that it slows down operations.
So, we’ve gathered our top five apps, plus a few alternatives, that really make managing your business more efficient.
Most of these apps have similar options already on your laptop or computer. However, these software packages are categorically better and more efficient than the generic options.
Colour picker
Online stores depend on appealing to site users.
A colour picker app simplifies your design process. Build colour palettes and meld advanced colour editing with your current design software packages.
Sip
Sip is a great colour picker that is miles ahead of its competitors. Using Sip, you can create different colour palettes, share them with your design program and export them in loads of different ways.
You can attach the colour dock to different screens so it’s easy to access and duplicate. Sip allows you to edit different shades, give them names and grab multiple colours at once.
Sip’s snapshot feature lets you quickly go back through your colour inspirations.
Please note: Sip is only available for Mac.
Clipboard history
A clipboard history app lets you access your history of copied text, images and files.
Computers tend to have basic clipboard history software pre-installed. However, the clipboard erases its history each time you reboot your computer.
Paste
Paste is what’s known as a cloud clipboard. It automatically collects and organises all copied content.
The unlimited history capacity makes Paste a valuable friend. And, with Paste’s intelligent search function, you can find things in a flash.
Although it’s a simple enough concept, you’d be surprised how much time it saves. You can often spend the better part of a day looking for a file.
Another aspect that makes Paste stand out is the pinboards. Using pinboards, you can organise snippets that you frequently use for quick access.
If you’re an Apple user, you can set Paste to automatically sync to iCloud so you can use it seamlessly across devices.
Please note: Paste is only available on Mac and iOS.
Screenshots
Emails have their place and function. I’m not about to diss them. However, they don’t always integrate well into projects that require input from a team.
Using consumer apps for business communications is a risky undertaking for security reasons. Combining media can be a great way for teams to communicate.
Droplr
Droplr is an advanced and innovative file sharing app and makes sharing screenshots, screencasts and files a breeze. It’s great when an app can handle a couple of your business’ needs.
For an app to get a thumbs up from us here at Elkfox, it’s got to do it well.
Droplr is an excellent communication tool that gives you multiple options to get your thoughts across with simplicity and ease.
It takes away the need to draft long emails. Below are some other handy things you can do:
- Annotate screenshots
- Free up a ton of space as it’s all saved online
- Explain thoughts easier by using an editing tool
- Receive bug reports
Droplr provides different plans, Lite, Pro and Enterprise, to fit your store’s needs.
We use Droplr here at Elkfox, as it provides the best user experience in its category. However, another excellent competitor in the market is CloudApp.
CloudApp
CloudApp prides itself on being an easy-to-use screen recorder. You can shoot videos, webcam recordings, GIFs and screenshots annotations straight to the cloud.
This app has a cult following amongst developers and designers who need to relay and get feedback for visual progress quickly. It’s extremely useful for businesses striving to accelerate communications; especially in a Shopify store where visual marketing is so crucial to success.
You can even search for images by colour or other visual components.
It’s also got secure sharing and control options to make sure that your content gets into the right hands safely.
CloudApp has plan to suit every business, with Free, Pro, Team and Business options. And, it’s available across Windows, Mac and Chrome.
Password manager
Password manager is a self-descriptive term. A lot of people don’t lose passwords anymore because they recycle the same one multiple times. This can lead to a security nightmare.
A password manager helps you create new passwords, keep them safe and hand them over whenever you need them.
Dashlane
Using Dashlane, you’ll never lose another password again. Your store’s data and financial information deserve reliable online protection, and you can sleep easy knowing they’re locked up all safe and sound.
Dashlane has a lot going for it. Their in-app integration auto fills passwords so that you don’t have to flit between apps.
There’s also these cool features:
- Write sensitive information in your secure account
- Alerts you when it finds your data in the dark web
- Provides you with VPN for WI-Fi. If you’re working in a coffee shop or any place with public Wi-Fi, it’s good to use a VPN (virtual personal network) to keep private data private.
Dashlane is available for Mac, Windows, iOS, Android as well as multiple browsers including Chrome, Safari and Firefox.
Whilst we love using Dashlane, there are other alternatives out there. 1Password is another excellent password manager on the slightly more expensive side.
1Password
A similar app to Dashlane is 1Password. 1Password helps to keep your company safe online, and has a clean, simple interface. Like Dashlane, it also has in-app integration.
It's the more expensive option and is more suited to family use than Dashlane.
However, if you travel a lot, 1Password may very well be the right app for you. Its travel mode enables restricted access to passwords across all devices so no one, not even law enforcement agencies at border checks, can access this information.
Database management solution (DBMS)
A DBMS is a system software for creating and managing databases. It’s all about organising that data, so it doesn’t become a big tangle that ends up bottlenecking operations!
Once everything’s in order, you can use the data to quickly answer queries you have about your store, such as:
- What were your bestsellers last quarter?
- What product colours does the supplier provide?
- What time is the client meeting scheduled?
It provides you with a stable and scalable way to increase your store’s data management potential without costing you a fortune.
Airtable
We are fond of Airtable here at Elkfox, and it is a key app to our own operations.
Using Airtable, you can edit, collaborate and comment in real time.
It’s handy adding checkboxes, long notes or any sort of attachment and knowing Airtable won’t spew it back out. Seriously, it can handle everything you throw into it!
The interface is very slick and user-friendly. The intelligent linking creates a flow of ideas that gets the entire team clued in much quicker than with other platforms we’ve tested.
Airtable is integrated with a lot of apps which speeds up projects and lets you get the most out of your toolkit.
Ready to get started?
There is so much technology you can use to maximise your store’s productivity, it’s overwhelming. It can be difficult to know what exactly your business needs to succeed.
Lucky for you, our goal on our blog is to research the latest technology and report back with expert advice! If you’re looking for more information on any of our favourite apps, feel free to get in touch with us.