9 Apps That Help Improve Productivity It's not just information that makes smartphones so important, they also allow us to become more productive in our daily lives.

By Patrick Schock

This story originally appeared on Bizness Apps

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Smartphones are our best friends. We make sure to keep them with us everywhere we go. They allow us access to nearly anything we can think of, the world at our fingertips. It's not just information that makes smartphones so important, they also allow us to become more productive in our daily lives.

We've listed the best apps for increasing productivity.

1. Microsoft Office

Microsoft have always dominated desktop when it comes to productivity and their mobile version of Word, Excel and Powerpoint are exactly what you'd expect. Available on Android and iOS, the app offers exceptional file compatibility so that your work is in sync with the desktop version. Users can easily edit and view documents, plus cloud support makes it great for sharing and collaborative working. The free version allows basic functions to be carried out but the paid subscription offers more features.

2. WPS Office

Previously known as Kingsoft Office, the app offers an all-in-one functionality for word processing, presentations and slideshows. It works with a number of different file formats and its features enable the viewing and modifying of documents. There's also a tab feature that makes it simple for you to work on a number of documents at the same time. Cloud support is also available for Google Drive, Dropbox and other services.

3. Outlook

The Outlook app from Microsoft is the full package -- emails, attachments and contacts are easily accessible. The app brings important emails to your attention based on communications and it works with Exchange, Office 365, Outlook.com and many other email accounts.

4. Workflow

Workflow is an iOS exclusive that allows you to consolidate phone tasks and apps that monopolize your time. You can organize a ride for your next calendar appointment, save images from a webpage and upload photos to your cloud storage. Create workflows and then open them in the app or create iOS Action Extensions. It allows you to carry out over 200 actions using a number of apps and users can share their creations.

5. Feedly

Feedly is a news reading tool that brings together a number of interfaces allowing you to browse news stories quickly and efficiently. You can have topical updates delivered from blogs and websites or add customer subscriptions form sources such as RSS. The app also allows articles to be saved so they can be viewed offline.

6. Paper by 53

Originally a drawing and notebook app, Paper offers checklists, note-taking and a photo annotation function. It still retains the drawing engine that made it so popular and users can bring checklists, notes and photographs into a notebook system that provides simple organization. Work can be exported in a number of different formats as well.

7. Quip

Quip adds something different to the mobile office sector. It incorporates messaging and collaborative editing into its app so that you can import, create and share documents. As a group you can edit them and the sidebar allows you to speak to colleagues or friends. Importing documents is simple using multiple cloud services and exporting documents in many different formats is also available.

8. Trello

This bulletin board app is easily customizable and helps you and your team create to-do lists, notes and much more. Lists are created and are filled with cards, which are tasks, ideas and/or images that can be dragged and dropped between steps. Sharing with other users is simple and they can add their own comments and assign tasks.

9. Dropbox

Possibly the most popular cloud storage service, Dropbox's app offers sharing and storage solutions (of course it does). It allows you to store your files online and they can be accessed from anywhere. Files can be shared for collaborative working and new files can be uploaded anytime, and they will sync with other devices.

Patrick Schock is Campaign Manager at Bizness Apps.

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