Top 5 Open Source Business Software

Can you get business software for free? The short answer is with open source business software you can get full free access to great business software. Open source business software offers an unlimited, fully functioning access to business software on the condition that someone on your team must know how to install and configure the software.

Open source business software also have the advantage of being really customizable. As long as someone on your team has the necessary know-how, you can easily customize the software to meet your unique needs. In this article, we are going to look at some of the best open source business software you can use in your business.

Part 1: 5 Best Open Source Business Software
Part 2: The Best Business Software to Manage PDF

Part 1 Top 5 Open Source Business Software for Small Business

1. Odoo

This is an integrated open source business software that includes modules for project management, billing, accounting, manufacturing, inventory management, purchasing and billing. All of these modules communicate with one another seamlessly to ensure easy information exchange.

Pros:

It makes ERP simple
The interface looks much like Google Drive which means anyone can use it
It is a web- based tool which makes it accessible on any device

Cons:

The download version needs to be installed via source code which can be a little bit intimidating

2. ERPNext

This program was featured on Opensource.com as one of the best open source business software of the year. It is built specifically for small and mid-sized companies and comes with multiple modules that include accounting, managing inventory, purchase sales and project management.

Pros:

It comes with numerous modules in one
All the available modules integrate very well together
The whole suite is very easy to use

Cons:

Some modules are only available when you buy a subscription

3. Dolibarr

This is an open source business software that is tailored to help small and mid-sized business keep track of invoices, contacts, invoice orders and payments. It comes with a very easy to use and clean user interface.

Pros:

It is use and comes with a lot of great modules that work very well together
It has an online demo to help you test-drive before installation

Cons:

There are some modules that will only work with purchased add-ons

4. CUBRID

This is an open source business software that is optimized for use on web applications. It offers a number of different features, each designed to help with data organization on your business. It is particularly useful when you have to keep track of large amounts of data and it is very easy to use.

Pros:

It comes with multiple granularity locking
An online backup ensures the safety of your data
It has GUI tools for drivers for developmental languages
Comes with 24/7 support

Cons:

It doesn't work with Apple systems
It also doesn't have a script debugger

5. MariaDB

If you are looking for a much more advanced database management tool, this open source software is the one to choose. It is used by some of the biggest tech businesses including Google, Facebook and Wikipedia. As you probably can already guess, it is primarily designed for business that need to keep track of large databases.

Pros:

It is highly scalable and easy to integrate with other services
Offers real-time access

Cons:

It is missing an optimizer trace
It may not be easy to use especially for beginners

Part 2The Best PDF Software for Small Business

If your business utilizes PDF format for business documents (and which business doesn't), you need a PDF document management program that will make it easy for you to create, edit and share the PDF files your business uses. While many are available, there is only one that is specifically designed to help you deal with PDF files for business. This program is none other than Wondershare PDFelement for business and the following are just some of the features you can enjoy.

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It is particularly useful when you want to edit PDF files. You can add and delete text or even add and delete images, with the capability to edit these components of the document anyway you want to.
It can also come in handy when you want to edit image-rich or scanned PDFs thanks to its highly developed OCR features.
Creation of PDF files can be done in a single click
It is also very good for annotation purposes. You can highlight or strikethrough text and even add comment, notes and custom stamps.
It also has features that allow you to secure your document such as a custom password and the ability to add a signature to the document.
Above all, it is completely easy to use and affordable.