Chat apps are currently a hot commodity, but it takes a balance of ease and cool functionality for any of them to overtake traditional email communication.
That’s especially true at work. Specifically, in the Accounting Today offices, where we’re ruled by the almighty Outlook, correspondence vacillates between an abundance of emails or resorting to shouting between cubicles. Or it did, before our parent company implemented Slack for all editorial teams.
While most often used as a desktop app, Slack is also available for mobile devices. After a domain is created and users signed in, the app features two built-in channels of #general or #random for team members to chat within. Both are useful for their self-explanatory purposes, but users can also create their own channels for specific teams, departments, or even topics.
In addition to text messaging, Slack supports file sharing and gifs, making for more colorful and casual conversations than email allows.
While we’re just starting to learn the benefits of Slack in the Accounting Today offices, its prevalence at many progressive companies bodes well for it as a master communication and collaboration tool.
Slack is available for
Missed any of the previous Apps of the Week? View them here:
EasilyDo -- digital assistantCalm -- relaxation and meditation assistantMiFlight -- crowdsourced flight trackerAny.do -- task managementSnagajob -- hourly employment marketplaceAccounting Today's Tax Break -- accounting-related games and notationLinkedIn Pulse -- professional news feedTriage -- email organizerGoodReader -- PDF readerDashlane -- password management30/30 -- task managerAroundMe -- local searchWolfram Alpha -- computational knowledge engineIntro -- digital business cardsSurpriise -- giving platformCloudMagic -- email managerSunrise Calendar -- calendar and schedulingThings -- task management suiteQuip -- collaboration and productivity suiteBizzaboo -- event planning and networkingDoodle -- meeting schedulerDue -- reminder alertsgetAbstract -- subscription reading serviceWunderlist -- list making and sharingSuperBeam -- document sharingAddapt -- address book updaterDocuSign -- electronic signaturesCamScanner -- mobile scanningCar Locator -- travel and transportZoom Cloud Meetings -- online meetingsLectureNotes -- note-takingIndeed Job Search -- job listingsRoambi Analytics -- data presentation and analysisLastPass -- password management/securityFeedly --content aggregationWiFi Finder -- finding connection hotspotsAccounting Balls -- accounting educationCM Security Heartbleed Scanner -- anti-virus/securityFantastical 2 -- calendaringWorkflowy -- list-making and note-takingConojo Whiteboard -- whiteboard and collaboration toolContactually -- contact management/CRMWorld Clock -- time and date infoDispatch -- e-mail managementPocket -- saving Internet contentGneo -- to-do listsSwiftKey Keyboard -- typing/keyboard appClockwork Tomato -- organization/time-tracking appGoogle Kee p -- note-taking appDragon Dictation dictation/transcription appTodoist to-do lists/task organization appSecret! encryption appWhatsApp Messenger -- smartphone messengerFolderSync document and file storageCloud Print -- printer access appTempo Smart Calendar -- scheduling appPenultimate -- note taking/sharing appEchoSign -- eSignature appJump Desktop -- remote desktop appTweetbot -- Twitter appBoxer -- email appPrintCentral -- digital document printing appSave2PDF -- PDF creation appPDF Expert -- PDF editing and management appScout GPS -- navigation appTimesheet -- time tracking appCloud On -- MS Office appSuper Note -- note-taker and reminder appAir Display -- dual monitor appStickyboard 2 -- iPad whiteboarding appDigits Calculator -- calculator app with editable calculationsLogMeIn -- computer remote control appChrometa 4.0 -- phone time and email capture appScanner Pro -- scan-from-a-mobile-device app
