The Ultimate List of Company Management Tools
Categories of company management software to consider:
- Integrated business management platforms (inventory, orders, customers)
- Accounting and financial management (Xero, MYOB, QuickBooks)
- Customer relationship management (CRM) tools
- Project management and collaboration platforms
- Industry-specific solutions (wholesale, manufacturing, retail)
- Operational tools (inventory, warehouse, order management)
The company management software landscape is overwhelming: hundreds of platforms claiming to solve your business problems. This guide cuts through the noise by categorizing management tools by function and highlighting solutions relevant for Australian small-medium businesses—particularly those managing inventory, orders, and operational workflows.
Rather than an exhaustive list of every business tool available, we focus on software categories that matter for product-based Australian businesses: integrated business management platforms, accounting systems, order and inventory management, customer relationship tools, and industry-specific solutions. Each category includes representative platforms with notes on Australian suitability.
The goal isn’t to evaluate every platform in detail (that would require a book), but to help you understand what categories exist, which tools dominate each category, and where Australian-specific solutions like BSimple fit within the broader landscape.
Integrated Business Management Platforms
These platforms combine multiple business functions—inventory, orders, customers, purchasing—into unified systems. They’re the center of operational management for product-based businesses:
BSimple: Australian business management platform for wholesale, manufacturing, and distribution. Integrates inventory management, order processing, customer portals, purchasing, and native Xero integration. Designed specifically for Australian businesses with GST compliance and local support. Flat-rate pricing with unlimited users. Industry focus: product-based businesses managing physical inventory and B2B operations.
NetSuite: Enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform owned by Oracle. Comprehensive functionality covering financials, inventory, order management, CRM, and ecommerce. Suitable for larger businesses ($5M+ revenue) but expensive and complex for SMBs. Pricing typically starts $10K+ annually. Better fit for enterprises than Australian small-medium businesses.
Cin7: Inventory and order management platform with multi-channel capabilities. Integrates with ecommerce platforms, POS systems, and accounting software. Australian presence with local support. Mid-market pricing ($300-600/month depending on features). Stronger inventory focus than complete business management.
Unleashed: Cloud-based inventory management with manufacturing capabilities. Good Xero integration (both New Zealand companies). Suitable for manufacturers and wholesalers. Pricing starts around $350/month. Per-user pricing model can escalate costs for larger teams.
TradeGecko (now QuickBooks Commerce): Inventory and order management acquired by Intuit. Being integrated into QuickBooks ecosystem. Suitable for businesses committed to QuickBooks, less ideal for Xero users. Pricing and feature set evolving as Intuit integrates the platform.
For Australian SMBs needing integrated operations with strong Xero integration, BSimple’s business management platform provides industry-specific functionality at accessible pricing.
Accounting and Financial Management Software
Accounting platforms are essential for Australian businesses. Your business management software should integrate with your accounting system:
Xero: The dominant accounting platform for Australian small-medium businesses. Cloud-based, user-friendly, trusted by bookkeepers and accountants Australia-wide. Pricing $32-170/month depending on features. Essential for GST compliance and BAS reporting. Most Australian business management software (including BSimple) integrates natively with Xero.
MYOB: Traditional Australian accounting software, now cloud-based. Strong in Australian market particularly for established businesses and accountants who’ve used MYOB for years. Comparable pricing to Xero. Integration ecosystem not as extensive as Xero for newer business management platforms.
QuickBooks: International accounting platform (Intuit) with Australian version. Growing in Australia but less dominant than Xero/MYOB. Good integration with QuickBooks Commerce (formerly TradeGecko). Consider if you’re committed to Intuit ecosystem, otherwise Xero typically better fit for Australian SMBs.
Sage: Enterprise accounting and business software. More complex and expensive than Xero/MYOB. Suitable for larger businesses with complex accounting requirements. Overkill for most Australian SMBs managing under $10M revenue.
For inventory-based businesses, accounting software alone doesn’t provide operational management (inventory, orders, purchasing). That’s where integrated business management platforms fill the gap, syncing operational data to your accounting system. Our Xero inventory integration guide explains this connection.
Specialized Operational Tools
Beyond integrated platforms and accounting, specialized tools address specific operational needs:
Customer Relationship Management (CRM):
- HubSpot: Popular CRM with free tier and paid features. Good for sales pipeline management and marketing automation. Not Australian-specific but widely used
- Salesforce: Enterprise CRM platform. Powerful but expensive and complex. Overkill for most SMBs
- Pipedrive: Simple sales-focused CRM. Good for businesses needing basic sales pipeline without complexity
Ecommerce Platforms:
- Shopify: Dominant ecommerce platform globally and in Australia. Easy setup, extensive app ecosystem. Good for retail but needs integration with wholesale operations. Our Shopify fees guide covers costs
- WooCommerce: WordPress-based ecommerce. Flexible and customizable but requires more technical management than Shopify
- BigCommerce: Enterprise ecommerce platform. More sophisticated than Shopify but more complex and expensive
Project Management:
- Asana: Task and project management. Good for team collaboration on projects and workflows
- Monday.com: Visual project management platform. Flexible workflows for various business processes
- Trello: Simple kanban-style task management. Good for smaller teams with straightforward project needs
Communication and Collaboration:
- Slack: Team communication platform. Replaces email for internal communication in many businesses
- Microsoft Teams: Communication and collaboration. Good if you’re already using Microsoft 365
- Zoom: Video conferencing standard for remote meetings and client calls
These specialized tools complement business management platforms rather than replacing them. Use integrated platforms like BSimple for core operations (inventory, orders, customers) and specialized tools for specific needs where integration isn’t critical.
How to Build Your Company Management Tech Stack
With hundreds of tools available, how do you build an effective tech stack without drowning in software subscriptions and integration complexity?
Start with Core Operations: Choose integrated business management software for functions that need to work together: inventory, orders, customers, purchasing, accounting. This provides your operational foundation. For Australian product-based businesses, platforms like BSimple handle these core functions with Xero integration.
Add Specialized Tools for Specific Needs: After core operations are covered, evaluate specialized tools for needs your core platform doesn’t address: advanced marketing automation, complex project management, sophisticated analytics. Only add tools that solve real problems, not nice-to-haves that create subscription bloat.
Prioritize Integration: Tools that integrate with your core platform provide more value than standalone tools. If your business management software integrates with Shopify, Xero, and payment processors, you can build an integrated tech stack. Disconnected tools create data silos and manual work.
Audit Regularly: Review your software subscriptions quarterly. Are you actively using each tool? Does it justify its cost? Can functionality be consolidated? Many businesses accumulate software they’re not using effectively. Regular audits prevent subscription creep.
Avoid Platform Lock-In: Choose tools with data export capabilities and open APIs. You should be able to migrate if a platform no longer fits. Platforms that trap your data make switching difficult and costly.
For Australian SMBs managing inventory and operations, the typical effective tech stack includes: integrated business management platform (BSimple, Cin7, or similar), Xero for accounting, ecommerce platform if selling online (Shopify, WooCommerce), and selective specialized tools for specific needs. This provides comprehensive functionality without excessive complexity or cost.
Explore our comprehensive business management solutions as your operational foundation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What company management software do Australian small businesses need?
Australian SMBs typically need: integrated business management platform for operations (inventory, orders, customers), Xero for accounting, ecommerce platform if selling online, and selective specialized tools for specific needs (CRM, project management). For product-based businesses, the business management platform is core—everything else complements it. BSimple provides this operational foundation with native Xero integration.
Should I use many specialized tools or one integrated platform?
For core operational functions (inventory, orders, customers, purchasing, accounting), integrated platforms provide more value than specialized disconnected tools. The efficiency of data flowing automatically between functions outweighs having best-in-class standalone tools. Use integrated platforms for core operations and specialized tools only for specific needs where integration isn’t critical (advanced analytics, marketing automation).
How many software tools should a small business use?
Most Australian SMBs run effectively on 3-7 core tools: business management platform, accounting software (Xero), ecommerce platform (if applicable), communication tool (Slack/Teams), and 1-3 specialized tools for specific needs. More than 10 active software subscriptions often indicates redundancy and integration complexity. Audit regularly and consolidate where possible.
What’s the best business management software for Australian wholesale businesses?
For Australian wholesale and distribution businesses, platforms with native Xero integration, customer ordering portals, and inventory-focused workflows work best. BSimple is designed specifically for this use case with Australian GST compliance and local support. Alternatives include Cin7 and Unleashed, both with Australian presence. Evaluate based on industry fit, Xero integration quality, and pricing model.
Can I start with free tools and upgrade later?
Free tools (Excel, free software tiers) work temporarily for very small operations (under 50 SKUs, single-person management). Most growing businesses outgrow free tools within 6-12 months. Starting with proper business management software often prevents painful migration later. However, free trials let you evaluate paid platforms before committing, reducing risk of choosing wrong solution.
How do I know if I need company management software?
Signs you need business management software: spending 5+ hours weekly on admin tasks, experiencing errors that cause stockouts or overselling, managing disconnected spreadsheets or systems, needing multiple people to access business data simultaneously, or wanting integration with Xero/ecommerce platforms. If these apply, managed software provides ROI through time savings and error prevention.