A portable USB drive makes life so much easier. Rather than carrying a laptop with you when you travel, simply have the files and applications right on your USB drive that fits on your keychain. Then, wherever you are, you can get to your information and applications on any computer, as well as save any work you complete. The following portable applications are ones we think those in the accounting profession will really love.
- Open Office: The portable free alternative to Windows. It offers a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation tool, database and drawing package. It’s also fully compatible with Microsoft Office documents.
- Foxit PDF Reader: FOxit PDF Reader is the Perfect application for reading PDF files.
- RQ Money: A quick and easy to use money tool for managing credits and debits. It can produce charts and graphs, too.
- Convert: A quick and easy metric conversion tool. Convert distance, temperature, volume, time, speed, mass, etc.
- Country Codes: A small and simple database for your USB that contains country codes and other information for 250 countries.
- Tree Pad Lite: This is a great little personal database and personal search engine. Store all your notes, documents, emails, etc, into a file. It navigates very much like Windows Explorer, so there’s no learning curve.
- Drive Manager: This is a small tool that lets you retrieve drive information for all your drives quickly and easily. You can view all drives at a glance.
- YamiPod: Great iPod manager for your USB drive.
- RoboForm2Go: This is a great password manager tool and form filler. It keeps all your passwords secure and in one place and it remembers your information for filling out forms online.
- Notepad++: If you like Notepad, you’ll love this portable Notepad alternative. It uses very little space on your drive, and looks just like Notepad, but with a few other bells and whistles.
- G Disk: Turn your Gmail account into a portable hard drive. This allows you to always have your important files all across the internet with you on your USB.
- GIMP: GIMP is a great portable editor for your digital photos. It closely resembles how Photoshop works. While it’ s likely that you don’t want to do any serious photo editing when you travel, this one makes it easy to do quick edits.
- GnuCash: Take all the portable financial information with you with GnuCash. It has all the features of most commercial money management programs.
- Finance Explorer: This is a personal finance and budgeting software that’s portable and easy to use. It’s compatible with Money and Quicken downloads.
- Speedcrunch Portable: A portable algebraic calculator for your USB drive. Make calculations quickly and easily.
- Money Manager EX: This portable application lets you keep track of your finances at a glance.
- To Do List Portable: This is a simple to use task management tool. What’s cool about it, besides the fact that it’s portable, is that it makes it easy to subdivide tasks into manageable segments.
- Gnumeric Portable: This is a full featured spreadsheet application that works in a variety of formats.
- Libre Office: Another full featured spreadsheet application.
- Task Coach Portable: Another great “to do” list application. In addition to working on your USB drive, you can use it on your iPod, or a CD.
Whenever you choose USB applications, it’s important to ensure that they leave none of your personal information behind. These applications, and most you find online today are secure enough that you can use them anywhere without worry that your personal information has been compromised.
Another great thing about portable USB applications is that they are typically free or can be obtained at very little cost. Their low prices make it easy for you to truly have everything you need at your fingertips on your drive.
Traveling with a USB drive, whether for a business trip to see a client or on a personal vacation, makes it much easier to travel “light”. We’re certain you’ll enjoy these and many other portable USB apps you can find to make your work and personal life that much easier.
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