Anyone who says their business “runs itself ” probably owes a big debt of gratitude to a small army of software applications and Web services working tirelessly behind the scenes. With capability and frugality firmly in mind, we collected the 20 software tools and Web services that we think are the best for powering a small or medium-size business.

Accounting Software Tally 9 :This comprehensive accounting software is as close to a standard in financial management as the small-business world has, and is easy enough for non-professionals to transfer their financial records from the filing cabinet to the computer, where they belong. (Rs 40,500 for Multi-User license)

Backup/Recovery Mozy : You can, and should, back up files regularly to an external hard drive or NAS (network-attached storage) device in your office— but what if the whole place goes up in smoke? Hedge your bet with an online backup service such as Mozy, which automatically archives whatever files you’d like across the Internet, safe and sound. ($5 approx Rs. 225 per month for unlimited service)

Blogging Tool WordPress : If your business doesn’t have a blog, you’re only about three years behind the curve. Hey, it’s not too late to catch up: WordPress installs in minutes and is dazzlingly easy to use. It even offers a free, hosted option at its Web site. (free)

Calendar Sunbird : Thunderbird lacks a calendar, so most business users rely on the equally free Sunbird for scheduling. It’s a very straightforward application, with day, week, and month views, and even a publishing feature to enable sending your calendar to a Web site. Get the Lightning plug-in to integrate Sunbird with Thunderbird. (free)

Collaboration Vyew : With Vyew, anyone can host a Web session where colleagues can work together on a project in real time. Vyew gives you a very simple whiteboard where you can upload documents for discussion, share your desktop, or create designs from scratch. (free for up to 20 live participants; additional services extra)

Office Suite With Collaboration Google Docs: If your team members all have Google accounts (and why wouldn’t they?), sharing files and collaborating on them simultaneously and in real time is a snap with Google Docs. A word processor and spreadsheet are your only choices—no free-form whiteboarding here—but the service is free and easy as pie to operate. (Standard Edition is free) CRM Salesforce.com: Customer relationship management isn’t just for the Fortune 500. Even one-person shops can benefit from a more ordered approach to managing the sales process, including tracking leads and ensuring that follow-ups happen in a timely fashion. Salesforce.com requires some training and patience due to its vastness, but its exhaustive feature set and affordable pricing options make it a business must-have. ($8.25 -approx Rs. 371.5 to $250 - approx Rs. 11,250 per user per month)

Database FileMaker Pro : Access is a part of many editions of Microsoft Office, but if you don’t already have that database program, consider springing for FileMaker Pro instead. FileMaker Pro is more intuitive than Access, and it offers highend features such as live SQL data source support and easy Web-publishing capabilities, so your whole team can access the database via a browser. FileMaker’s array of prebuilt templates helps you get up and running in no time, too. ($299- approx Rs. 13,455)

E-Commerce Service Yahoo Small Business : You’d be surprised at some of the sophisticated things being done with the simple e-commerce service at Yahoo Small Business. Yahoo now provides everything from templates and wizards to credit-card processing and sales-tax collection tools. If you sell less than 50,000 units a month, this is definitely one of the easiest and quickest ways to go online. Even better: A cadre of third-party developers stands ready to create Web designs that work specifically with the service. ($40-approx Rs. 1,800 per month, plus transaction fees)

E-Mail Thunderbird : If you have Microsoft Office, you already have Outlook. But if you’re looking to save a buck while still getting most of Outlook’s features, Thunderbird is a capable, free alternative. Message tagging and a speedy, integrated search system actually offer a few improvements over off-the-rack Outlook. (free)

E-Mail Marketing Topica : Communicating via e-mail with your customers is cool, as long as they opt in. Topica has been in the e-mail marketing/mailing-list game for years, and most spam filters are pretty kind to messages sent through the service. It’s also one of the most affordable services of its type on the Web. ($50 -approx Rs. 2,250 per month, depends on e-mail volume)

Instant Messaging Pidgin : You don’t have to run four different IM apps just to communicate with your clients and with everyone in your office. A multiprotocol program like Pidgin lets you communicate with users across more than a dozen IM services. (free)

Mobile Remote Access SoonR Desktop : It’s one thing to be stuck in an airport without access to a critical file back at the office, but what if you don’t even have access to a computer? SoonR lets you snag files from your PC or Mac via a cell phone. SoonR isn’t built for large data transfer needs, but the servicemight get you out of a jam when it counts. (free)

Office Suite Microsoft Office : Like it or not, any business, big or small, probably needs at least one copy of Microsoft Office somewhere in the building. All of the suite’s apps are simply too close to being industry standards to ignore. It can be pricey, but you likely needn’t worry about upgrading to the latest edition—any version released since 2000 should do. ($85- approx Rs.3,825 to $400- approx Rs. 18,000 per user, depending on version)

Project ManagementBasecamp : Build complex project timelines, to-do lists, and message boards, and share files among your team members—all via one simple Web tool. Basecamp can keep all your workers on task while letting everyone else know what other team members are up to. ($24-approx Rs. 1,080 to $149- approx Rs. 6,705 per month, depending on number of projects) Remote Access/Syncing Syncplicity : If you regularly use more than one computer, keeping track of which machine has which version of which report can get a little confusing. The solution: Synchronize the PCs so that you can ensure they’re all up-to-the-minute, while protecting yourself in the event you made different changes to the same file on more than one system. Unlike most traditional sync software, Syncplicity works over the Web, so you can sync from anywhere. (free for 2GB, to $10- approx Rs. 450 per month for 40GB)

Security Suite Avira AntiVir : At its most basic, Avira offers solid security for individual PCs for free; but if you need protection for file and mail servers or other central services, Avira can provide such tools as well, for a reasonable price. (pricing varies by protection level)

Social Networking LinkedIn : When it comes to finding employees, contractors, service providers, and even outsourcing partners, LinkedIn has proved an invaluable tool. But the beauty of it is that as you expand your network, you might find other users recommending your business to potential customers or employees, also. A Q&A system lets you ask for advice on all matters business, as well. (free to $50-approx Rs. 2,250 per month for premium services)

VoIP Skype for Business : Should you spend megabucks on your own PBX (private branch exchange), or instead spend nothing for a Voice-over-IP setup like Skype for Business? If you’re on a shoestring, and you place a lot of international calls, Skype is a solid and hugely affordable choice. (free software; subscription up to $10 -approx Rs. 450 per month for unlimited international plans)

VPN LogMeIn Hamachi : you don’t have to set up complicated VPN (virtual private network) servers to give remote users access to your corporate network. Hamachi does the job with managed peer-to-peer technology, so no centralized VPN server is necessary. ($5-approx Rs. 225 per month)