At a glance
By Adam Turner
Many professionals stick to Microsoft and Google’s suites of tools for day-to-day work, but many other apps can also provide a meaningful workplace productivity boost. Here are five of our picks.
1. Otter
Operating systems: iOS, Android, Windows, desktop browser
Usage: Meetings
Otter can cut back on hours of tedious work by automatically transcribing uploaded audio and video recordings, as well as live meetings. It integrates with Microsoft Teams, Google Meet and Zoom, and can capture slides of onscreen presentations. It can also capture live audio if placed on the table in a face-to-face meeting.
Otter even remembers different voices and inserts speakers’ names into transcripts. It also produces a summary of each transcript, while Otter Chat allows users to ask questions about the conversation, such as asking for a list of action items and decisions from a meeting.
2. TextExpander
Operating systems: Windows, macOS, Chrome, iOS, Android
Usage: Text additions
In TextExpander, a “snippet” is an abbreviation of text that a user types regularly. The software uses keyboard shortcuts to allow users to insert a snippet into any application to reduce the time spent on repetitive tasks.
Users can create snippets to insert an email recipient’s name into the body text, create custom forms with multiple field types and sections, or customise a response to a boilerplate sales query.
TextExpander’s strength is its ability to synchronise keyboard shortcuts and snippets across devices, applications and between team members to create universal shortcuts.
3. Toggl Track
Operating systems: Windows, macOS, desktop browser, iOS, Android
Usage: Time management and billing
Toggl Track can help users keep track of time for billing purposes. It can be used to track projects and manage employee timesheets. The app syncs to the cloud, so it is accessible for users across their devices, and it can be shared within teams.
Toggl Track can also track how people spend their time, which can help them find ways to use their time efficiently. It includes a Pomodoro timer for scheduling productivity bursts and short breaks to help reduce procrastination and distractions.
4. Adobe Scan
Operating systems: iOS, Android
Usage: Scanning
Adobe Scan uses the camera of a smartphone or tablet to capture printed documents, generate PDFs or JPGs and convert images to text. It is also useful for scanning printed receipts, business cards and notes on whiteboards.
It automatically stores every scan in Adobe Document Cloud, Google Drive or Dropbox for easy access from a range of devices.
The optional premium subscription offers extra cloud storage, allows users to export scans to Word and Excel, and can extract text from longer documents.
5. TripIt
Operating systems: macOS, desktop browser, iOS, Android
Usage: Travel
TripIt lets users store all their travel
plans on their smartphone, rather than carrying reams of travel documents. It can ingest details from flight and accommodation booking confirmations, create a comprehensive itinerary and sync with calendars. It can also track a traveller’s carbon footprint and show offset options.
TripIt can provide travel reminders, flight delay notifications and alert users to their eligibility for compensation.
It includes airport and terminal maps as well as local transportation options at the destination.
