Free Software - Free Office and Accounting Programs
Reviews and ratings of quality, hand-picked, websites.
All the programs listed here are 100% free and include free word processing software, free accounting software, free payroll, free pdf readers, free desktop publishers and free online faxes.
Open Office 
• www.openoffice.org
Program Type: Office Suite
OpenOffice.org is compatible with all other major office suites and inlcudes a very sophisticated word processor (equally as good as Word in most respects and in some cases better), database, spreadsheets, drawing package, presentation package and a maths program. Its hard to believe you can get something this good for nothing! You can, however, contribute time or money to the project (not compulsory). Large 89MB download.
The product is free to download, use, and distribute.
Platforms Supported: Most Windows OS, Solaris, GNU/Linus, Mac OS
AbiWord 
• www.abisource.com
Program Type: Word Processing Program
Can read most document types including MS Word docs, WordPerfet, OpenOffice, Rich Text, HTML web pages and more. It doesn't have quite the same capabilities as Open Office, although it comes close. If you just want a basic word processor then choose this one as it is quick to download (5MB) and easy to use.
Completely free. This is an open source program.
Platforms Supported: Linux, Solaris, FreeBSD, Win 95 or later, QNX Neutrino, Mac OS
TurboCash
• www.turbocashuk.com
Program Type: Accounting Software
Fully-featured open source accounts packages for small businesses. Features: debtors, creditors, general ledger, full stock control, VAT accounting, invoicing, bank reconciliation, trial balance, balance sheet and income statements, full reporting and analysis, as well as mutli-company and multi-user capabilities. The software is a free download but you will have to pay if you want full support or would prefer the CD. Not as user friendly as Sage or Quickbooks but provides all the features needed to operate a set of accounts. Beware this is a massive 81MB download!
Platform: Windows, a Linux version is being planned.
Winweb
• www.winweb.com
Program Type: Online Accounting Software
Winweb offers online solutions for businesses. Included in there amongst its other, paid for, packages, is its free offering LiveNet with Accounting Software which is for one companies accounts only. Don't forget that you do not download this software - its done online. The free package includes live support, also free of charge.
Platform: Not applicable
Adminsoft
• www.adminsoftware.biz
Program Type: Accounting Software
The free version of this software is a cut down version of the paid for software on offer at Adminsoft - but you can maintain a set of accounts on it. Although the interface will appear pretty basic to anyone used to Sage or Quickbooks, the program does include sales and purchases ledgers, bank payments and receipts, journals and an asset register.
Platform: Windows
GnuCash
• www.gnucash.org
Program Type: Accounting Software
Gnu Cash is an open source finance/accounting program. Although this is a nice, easy to use program, we advise starting up some ficticious accounts and then spending time getting used to the way the program works. You can operate as many sets of accounts as you like and there are several templates to choose from, although these can be altered later. The way the program works is fairly simple and operates on the double entry principle - you can edit an account (eg expenses, income etc) and the program will prompt you to enter the equivalent double entry - for example, if you want to enter a payment you have made, you are asked to specify what kind of expense it is. The program has several usefull features such as an online banking connection, budgetting, account reconciliation, recurring transaction and good reporting. Businesses can also use this program as you can enter vendors and customers plus it will generate aging summaries as well as a number of other features useful for business acounts. However, if you do have a business we reckon it is probably better to spend the £100 or so on a program like Sage Instant Accounting which handles things like VAT much more easily.
Platforms: GNU/Linux, BSD, Solaris, Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows. Also available in several languages.
Payroo
• www.payroo.com
Program Type: UK Payroll
Web based payroll for up to 50 employees. The program has the main features you will find in any paid for software including SSP, SMP, automatic tax code updates, BACS payment linkage plus many more. And it is automatically updated with legislative changes. The program is Inland Revenue accredited and you can use it to file your returns online. Online tutorials available.
12Pay
• www.12pay.co.uk
Program Type: UK Payroll
Free HMRC accredited payroll software that you download and use on your own computer. There is an introductory training video that you can download to get going. You can upgrade to a premium version if you want more functionality but even this is still cheaper than the cheapest Sage payroll package.
HMRC
Employers CD-ROM (UK only)
Did you know that the CD-ROM you get from the Inland Revenue can be used to calculate PAYE and NIC? We don't recommend that you use this if you have more than just a few employees as it is a little clunky and slow compared to commercial packages. However, if you have a small business with just one or 2 employees then this will enable you to calculate pay without having either fork out for yearly software upgrade fees or pay someone to work out the wages - the process is fairly simple and anyone can use it whether they have an accounting background or not.
You will need to install the CD onto your computer to use the calculators. If you are new to payroll, click on "Learning Zone" on the main menu and you will be taken through the process step by step.
Foxit Reader
• www.foxitsoftware.com
If you do not have a pdf reader, we recommend Foxit Reader, a free pdf reader which runs on most Windows platforms and which is very fast. It runs instantly without any installation.
Adobe Reader 
• www.adobe.com
Alternatively you can download Adobe Reader, also free but rather slow and clunky, but which will run on Windows, Mac, Linux, Palm and mobiles.
PagePlus SE
• www.freeserifsoftware.com
Program Types: Desktop Publishing
Sophisticated free desktop publisher from Serif that allows you to create leaflets, brochures, cards etc.
All you need to do to get this is to register with Serif to recieve their weekly newsletter. Tutorials available on site.
FaxZero
• http://faxzero.com
Program Type: Online Fax
Send a fax for free to anywhere in the U.S. and Canada only. Select a .doc or .pdf file or simply enter text. The free version includes ads on the cover sheet.
ReplaceEm
www.snapfiles.com
Program Type: Search and Replace
100% free text search-and-replace program that can operate on multiple files at once. You can also setup a list of operations to perform. Software is by Custom Fit Software.
572KB Download
AutoHotkey
• www.autohotkey.com
Program Type: Macro Utility
Excellent free, open source utility that allows you to get out of performing repetitive computer tasks using shortcut keystokes and mouse clicks.
Features:
Automate almost anything by sending keystrokes and mouse clicks.
Create hotkeys for keyboard, joystick, and mouse.
Expand abbreviations as you type them. For example, typing "btw" can automatically produce "by the way".
Create custom data-entry forms.
Remap keys and buttons on your keyboard, joystick, and mouse.
Respond to signals from hand-held remote controls via the WinLIRC client script.
Run existing AutoIt v2 scripts and enhance them with new capabilities.
Convert any script into an EXE file that can be run on computers that don't have AutoHotkey installed.
Tutorials available on the website.
Platform: Windows
PDF Creator
• www.pdfforge.org/products/pdfcreator
Program Type: Open source PDF Creator
Create PDF documents from any program that is able to print. Also you can create PNG, JPG, TIFF, BMP, PCX, PS and EPS files. And you can merge multiple files into one folder.
Unfortunately (and this is a common problem with free PDF makers) hyperlinks do not work in the generated PDF documents - you can get around this by installing PDF-T-Maker (choose help and search for hyperlink for details). This program installs itself into Word and from the Word toolbar you should be able to create a postscript file (.ps) of your document which will work with PDF Creator.
However, I couldn't get it to work! You have to specify a default postcript printer, in this case PDF Creator, but I just get a runtime error each time I try. C'est la vie.
Even more unfortunately, I could get none of the other free pdf makers, such as qvPDF and Free PDF, to even work! So kudos to this one for at least producing something!
Platform: Windows
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