Managing a small business requires a significant amount of effort and time. Any opportunity to reduce the amount of manual work needed is a worthwhile one to explore. While there are many digital tools on the market to help automate time tracking, payroll, or other core business functions – you may find yourself juggling back and forth from multiple platforms. Ultimately, hindering your efficiency by having your operations spread across different tools. That’s why entrepreneurs and small business owners should invest in a business management software (BMS) to centralise their workflows and company documents. In this guide, we’ll outline the best 5 business management software for small business and give you all the information you need to make a well-informed decision.
What is Business Management?
Business management software (BMS) is an all-in-one platform that encompasses tools to manage your whole business. It tracks your employee hours, simplifies the recruitment process, monitors company expenses, and so much more. It eliminates tedious, manual work by automating your workflows to reduce your team’s workload. Additionally, business management software can create reports and generate insights so HR teams, managers, and employers can make well-informed decisions.
Comparison Chart: Software for Business Management
| Tool | Highlights | Price |
| Factorial | Scalable and customisable platform that offers AI features, time tracking, performance management, controls your finances, and so much more. | Premium bundles start at £5.40 PEPM. Get your custom quote here. |
| Salesforce | Works well for SMEs and scaling companies | Starts at £20 per user per month. |
| Sage | Robust integrations to merge accounting, payroll, and HR in one unified platform. Better suited for enterprises. | Contact Sage’s sales team for a direct quote. |
| Bitrix24 | Ideal for entrepreneurs or small businesses on a tight budget. | Provides a free plan with limited capability. |
| Zoho One | Wide range of tools and customization options | Starts at $37 PEPM to give access to every employee at your company. |
Top 5 Best Small Business Management Software
1. Factorial
Factorial is a cloud-based platform that automates and centralises your key business operations. From creating rota schedules to time tracking, customising workflows and generating reports. Factorial’s BMS system securely stores all your company documents so you don’t have to shuffle between file cabinets and other platforms to find what you’re searching for. Moreover, Factorial manages every aspect of the employee lifecycle – from candidate sourcing to offboarding.
If you’re looking to scale or boost productivity levels, Factorial’s got you covered. Its robust suite of features automates your essential workflows to give back time to your team. That way, they can focus on making a more strategic and meaningful impact.
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Artificial Intelligence: Factorial AI
Speed up your time-to-hire with Factorial AI. It quickly filters and sorts applications to connect you with the most suitable candidates more efficiently. This means you save both time and resources while securing the best fit for the role. You’ll be able to fill critical positions and onboard new starters without causing any disruption to your day-to-day business operations.
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Applicant Tracking System (ATS)
Factorial’s ATS comes with built-in AI features to help you connect with top talent while reducing your time-to-hire. This ensures critical roles are filled promptly, preventing any disruption to business operations. You can also create job descriptions with Factorial AI and, once finalised, publish them to multiple job boards simultaneously. All candidate communication, interview notes, and CVs are centralised within one platform, so once a candidate accepts an offer, all their information is ready for a smooth onboarding process.
Generate reports to gain a deeper understanding of your business needs. Customise your reports and access real-time data on your organisation’s expenses, staff turnover, and overall performance. Using these insights, you can make informed adjustments to improve productivity, boost employee satisfaction, and refine training methods.
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Performance management
Track your team’s performance and make informed decisions to support their development while achieving company objectives. Leaders who take a hands-on approach and offer practical, consistent feedback are less likely to see high turnover within their teams. This involves investing in skills development and celebrating successes – no matter how small.
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Time tracking, PTO requests, and rota management
Track employee hours, manage time off requests, and create schedules directly on Factorial’s platform or app. This allows managers and employees to have visibility into their worked hours, PTO balances, and future schedules.
Check out why Factorial is the best business software for small businesses in 2025.
In summary, Factorial’s robust, all-in-one platform makes collaboration simple, offers extensive customisation, and supports business growth by helping you focus on developing your people. You can manage all your projects with ease – from tasks and expenses to creating invoices – all within Factorial. Whether you’re using the desktop version or the mobile app, Factorial covers all your business needs. Try it today by signing up for a free trial and experience one of the best small business management solutions available.
Pros
✅ A scalable & efficient solution with built-in AI features
✅ Affordable price point for all business sizes
✅ All-in-one platform from employee hours, rota management, finances, mobile apps, and so much more
Cons
❌ Running payroll is through an integration
❌ Mobile app is limited
👉 Try Factorial for yourself. Get a free demo today!
2. Salesforce
Salesforce is designed to help organisations streamline processes and make data-driven decisions to boost overall efficiency. Its platform offers features to manage sales, service, marketing and analytics from one, unified tool. They even offer advanced integrations, customisation capabilities and AI-powered insights. Salesforce can be tailored to adapt to your company’s unique needs and is easily scalable to grow as your team grows.
Key features:
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Eliminates the need for spreadsheets and allows you to manage customer data straight from the platform. You can monitor sales pipelines, track leads, and enhance customer interactions.
- Automation & Workflow: Automates several actions like lead scoring, email follow-ups, and sales processes to boost team efficiency.
- Advanced Analytics & Reporting: Provides real-time dashboards and custom reports to make data-driven decisions to grow your team.
Pros
✅ Highly customisable with thousands of third-party integrations
✅ Provides holistic view of customer journey
✅ Strong reporting and dashboard capabilities
Cons
❌ Steep learning curve for new users
❌ Can be costly, especially for small businesses
❌ Complex setup and configuration process
3. Sage
Sage’s enterprise business management software allows teams to gain real-time data on their finances and HR processes. It gives teams a snapshot view of their core business processes, from employee absences to payroll details. Its platform lets you create customizable dashboards to have complete visibility into everything from payroll to employee absences. Additionally, Sage supports multiple currencies and languages, which is valuable for global teams.
Key features:
- Project management: Connects finance, HR, and task tracking in one module to manage projects efficiently.
- Inventory management: Tracks and manages inventory operations.
- Analytics & reporting: Provides comprehensive and custom reports for your key business metrics.
Pros
✅ Suitable for medium-sized businesses
✅ Robust features for manufacturing companies
✅ Centralized platform that connects finance, HR, sales, CRM, marketing, and operations
Cons
❌ Advanced features that aren’t necessary for small businesses
❌ High cost point
❌ Implementation is a lengthy process
4. Bitrix24
Bitrix24 is a small business management software that offers tools for project management, communication, and customer relationship (CRM). This digital tool makes it easy for your team to collaborate, manage tasks and access documents from a single platform. It even includes workflow automation so your team can be more efficient and help your business grow. Bitrix24 is a great, flexible software that eliminates the need to carry out repetitive tasks and provides your team with the tools they need to grow.
- Project Management: Monitor the progress of your projects, assign tasks, and cross-collaborate between teams.
- Communication Tools: Provides built-in chat and video conferencing features for seamless collaboration and enhanced internal communication.
- CRM: Centralises all your leads, contacts, and sales processes with automated workflows.
Pros
✅ Wide range of built-in business management tools
✅ Free plan available with limited features
✅ Cloud and on-premise deployment
Cons
❌ Interface can feel cluttered and overwhelming
❌ Limited customisation compared to competitors
❌ Some users report slower performance with larger data volumes
5. Zoho One
Zoho One is a robust business management software solution that integrates with more than 45 applications so you can run your business from one tool. You can create financial reports, manage HR processes, and automate onboarding tasks. This platform gives organizations the tools to enhance their productivity levels to reach their business objectives. Its flexibility and scalability supports teams to have better communication and eliminate the need to juggle between multiple tools.
Pros
✅ Automated expense reporting from receipt capture to reimbursement
✅ Ability to add features
✅ Intuitive and easy to use
Cons
❌ Users report slow response time from the platform
❌ Limited customer support
❌ Unattractive interface
Features to look for in a Small Business Management Software (BMS)
The best business management software solution will offer a robust selection of features. Some features to take into consideration while browsing through software selection are:
- Document management: A centralized storage system with the ability to send documents in bulk and request e-signatures.
- Mobile app: Stay in the loop wherever you are.
- Task tracking: Monitor progress and assign tasks to your team.
- Project Hub: Execute projects and centralize all communication, expenses, and hours associated with each project
- Workforce management: From conducting performance reviews to upskilling your team with training courses.
- Real-Time Reports: Generate reports for real-time data to make smarter decisions.
These features make it ideal for companies looking for a singular platform to assist them in sales, marketing, back office tasks, and general management. Exactly the type of software small businesses are looking for. Essentially, softwares for business management were built to replace the need to use multiple tools. Allowing users to rely on one system for all their business needs. Additionally, implementing the right tool can simplify your tech stack and eliminate unnecessary costs due to several subscriptions.
How can Business Management Software help Small Businesses?
As technology is advancing and transforming the way businesses operate, it’s time to consider the tangible benefits a BMS can provide you. As there are several benefits of using a BMS, let’s focus on these 5 essential benefits:
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Compliance
Utilizing software for your business management helps you stay compliant with local and national employment laws. With their document storage system, you have a digitalized record of your employee hours, payslips, recorded overtime, and more. In the event of an audit, you will be fully prepared to provide the necessary documentation. Moreover, you can set alerts and reminders to prevent compliance misses, including performance reviews, renewing certifications, and completing mandatory courses.
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Automation & customization
Business management software saves you time by automating complex workflows and eliminating the need to complete repetitive, manual work. You can even customize different workflows to fit your business needs. Additionally, you can automatically sync different aspects of your business to save you time, such as employee hours and payroll. Some platforms include more advanced features like AI. Which can help you plan projects, find documents quickly, or create reports to gain deeper insights into your operations.
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Increased productivity levels
Using a BMS enhances communication, reduces errors, and simplifies complex workflows. These platforms eliminate the need for manual data entry by digitizing and automating core processes. With everything centralized in one place, you can improve project management by viewing all projects, tasks, and related expenses in real time. This gives you a clearer overview of your business, from tasks and budgets to employee hours, enabling better decision-making and increased productivity.
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Business Overviews
Generate reports to see a complete overview of your small business so you can make more informed decisions. Whether it’s about budget cuts, scheduling employee shifts, or tracking time spent on projects, you’ll have data to support your decisions. And the tools to help make changes happen. With everything centralized in a single platform, you’ll be able to act accordingly to support your small business.
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Alignment
When you don’t have to switch between different platforms, it’s easier to keep everyone informed. Your team communicates more effectively and stays up to date with the latest company information. Additionally, announcing changes or key objectives becomes much simpler, helping keep everyone aligned and working toward the same goals.
Choosing the Best Software for Business Management
Selecting the right tool for your team can be a time-consuming process, but it’s worth investing the time and money to find software that best meets your team’s needs. Identify the areas of your daily workload that can be automated, and take advantage of free trials to test platforms before making a commitment.
While some solutions excel in reporting and analytics and others offer more advanced AI capabilities, the objective remains the same – to find a platform that removes tedious manual tasks and automates core business operations. Factorial’s all-in-one business management software provides everything you need to cut company expenses, save time, and improve overall efficiency.
See Factorial in action! Get your free demo today ✅
