Software to Get You Organized
Personal information manager applications to the rescue. It's not easy to get organized. The old-fashioned Rolodex and paper calendar, while useful, can't always keep up with the pace of business today. After all, there are names, addresses and telephone numbers to keep in order, appointments with colleagues and clients to synchronize and reminders to call people and track ongoing assignments and projects. The most efficient way to accomplish all these tasks is with a personal information manager (PIM)--software that can do all of the above and then some. But before you can experience the power of a PIM, you've got to select the one that's right for you. There are about a score on the market--each with its strengths and weaknesses; not all contain the same functions and each works a little differently. Some probably won't have enough muscle (number and power of functions) to meet your needs; others may have many complex functions, making them difficult to use. This article is designed to help you find the right product for you and your organization. WHAT'S A PIM? PIMs are programs that, at their simplest, are essentially little black books and perpetual calendars all in one package. At their most complicated, they can organize and list tasks in priority order, schedule appointments, maintain client information, track and update sales and marketing information, dial phone numbers, compose form letters and faxes, send e-mail and faxes, recognize the identity of incoming telephone callers (prompting the computer to call up the people's files) and even ring a reminder alarm. Each of the three basic types of PIMs is targeted to a different audience. The most elementary PIM--the basic calendar and address book--also may have a few bells and whistles: appointment scheduling, to-do list, planner and appointment alarm. Such PIMs are relatively inexpensive--ranging from about $15 to $40--and easy to use. The second type of PIM--perhaps more suitable for many accountants--contains all of the above plus a task manager. The task manager possesses the features of the basic calendars and also keeps track of assignments and appointments. For example, task managers can schedule people and resources to specific projects, manage tasks on a daily, weekly, monthly and annual basis, store important memos, alert you to scheduling conflicts, offer fax functions and provide keyword search capabilities of all the data stored in the application. Such products range in price from $40 to $250 and are relatively easy to use. Some task managers can even Coordinate your calendars with others in your organization. The most sophisticated PIMs contain contact managers. Such functions are for professionals who depend on frequent client, supplier or customer contacts and need immediate information about those contacts. Some products, for instance, monitor incoming telephone calls and automatically bring up a contact's profile when the phone number matches that contact's phone number. In addition, they can manage marketing functions, track a customer's sales, arrange group meetings and schedule group appointments. Their client-contact focus makes them most suitable for accountants engaged in marketing and consulting activities. Many of these packages are designed for large organizations whose information systems are linked through networks, including the Internet. Contact manager PIMs can be expensive, ranging from about $250 to $5,000. While extremely powerful, they can be a bit difficult to learn and use. Exhibit 1, at right, provides a list of common PIM features available on the market today. In reviewing the table, however, keep in mind there is no precise definition of a PIM or its many functions. In this article, we attempt to draw boundaries around the three types of PIMs; however, when you begin shopping for a product, those distinctions may blur somewhat. The bottom line is: To be sure you're getting what you need, try out the product; most vendors--especially for the more expensive products---offer evaluation copies. …