The choice between using offline and online tools largely depends on your business type and day-to-day operations. An online tool offers real-time communication and collaboration. You can access it from anywhere. However, you will need a stable and fast internet connection for it to work seamlessly. What’s more important though, some online tools with weak encryption protocols pose data security risks.
On the other hand, offline tools can benefit many companies with no or low requirements for internet use. Not only do these tools ensure data security, but they also don’t require active internet connection, so you and your team members can work without hassle. However, these tools require manual updates and lack real-time collaboration. Today’s post will discuss the safety, privacy, and usability of offline and online tools for companies, but before all that, let’s discuss the types of these tools with some real life examples.
Types of Offline and Online Tools You Might Consider
General offline tool categories that companies use most often are:
- Development Tools
- Microsoft Office Suite
- Graphics Design Apps
- Custom Tools
Development Tools
Software, application, and system development companies use these tools. You are very well aware of linkers, compilers, designers, and editors if you are a software engineer, graphics designer, or system analyst.
Members of your team, particularly in the development department, use these tools to create, edit, support, maintain, and debug frameworks, programs, and applications. Keep in mind that these tools require regular updates, which you can download from the official websites or use the tool’s update feature.
Microsoft Office Suite
Although Microsoft now has online office applications for companies, most organizations still use the traditional offline suite. Popular office tools that are widespread are:
- Word
- Excel
- PowerPoint
Also, keep in mind that some companies have started using Canva for presentations due to their large selection of templates. Yet, even though you can download the Canva app for your desktop, as of right now, you still need an active internet connection to save your progress.
Graphics Design
Most graphics design tools don’t use online capabilities. Some of them are Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. You don’t need an internet connection to create layers in Photoshop, crop images, apply brushes, or add masking effects to pictures. You can do these things offline.
Custom Tools
Most companies have custom, industry specific tools for different operations. For example, if you are running a retail shop, you may need desktop software for inventory management. You can customize this tool based on your requirements.
Online Tools Categories
Here are the types of online tools.
- Content development tools
- Collaboration tools like:
- Slack
- Trello
- Google Docs
- Email Marketing tools, such as:
- MailChimp
- SendinBlue
- Social Media, for example:
- Buffer
- Hootsuite
- CRM Tools such as:
- Zoho CRM
- Salesforce
Safety
So, how safe are offline and online tools? Well, this is a very difficult question because safety depends on various factors. For example, offline tools are generally safe because you don’t have any internet connectivity.
It’s especially important when it comes to software that might store sensitive data, e.g. data about what you’ve been working on daily. One app that is a good representation of following this best practice is Memtime, an offline time tracking tool. It’s used by employees, freelancers, managers, and bosses. It tracks your activities, but the data does not go out of your device unless you specifically decide to export it. Many companies looking to streamline their time management and ensure higher productivity are relying on privacy oriented software, and ditching the cloud solutions.
Anyways, the safety of offline tools depends on their type/source and how you use them. So, an offline tool does not pose risks like hacking and phishing. But keep in mind that downloading a .exe file or any other format from untrustworthy sources may still pose a risk because that file you downloaded might not be safe. Always use official websites and distribution platforms.
Moreover, storing important data offline can pose risks if you fail to implement physical security measures. For example, you must have lock rooms to safeguard confidential data that was printed from desktop software.
Likewise, you must encourage employees not to share passwords with unauthorized team members. Use keypads and swipe cards to access the office, and make sure you install CCTV cameras so no one steals USBs, hard drives, etc.
On the other hand, online tools for company use are safe if they have:
- Strong encryption
- Two-factor authentication
- Biometric data authentication
- Regular updates
- Robust security policies
However, if the tool has weak security measures, it becomes vulnerable to data breaches. Some tools seem legit, but in fact they trick companies and users into providing sensitive data. So be careful. Don’t buy or use online tools that sell your data to third parties without your consent.
Privacy
Offline tools maintain your privacy because you don’t share data with others. In simple words, your data does not go out of your computer. So, how would it reach third parties? Nothing to worry about!
However, if you are worried about your privacy or data, you can install applications like Windows Defender Offline to create a secure scanning environment and inspect whether the computer has any potentially risky files.
Keep in mind that online tools are more vulnerable to privacy issues. According to Microsoft’s survey, 69% of online users experienced privacy and security issues in 2023. About 39% of companies experience data breaches once a year by using online collaborative tools.
Therefore, to maintain your privacy, use a dedicated VPN. Free VPNs are not secure enough to protect your data or maintain your privacy. Don’t forget to use Ad and Script blockers to prevent websites from breaching your privacy.
Usability
Offline tools are ideal for some companies that don’t require internet access or have unreliable internet connectivity. You can use these tools to handle sensitive data without worrying about transmitting that information over the internet.
When it comes to usability, offline tools are usually easy to use. But what’s more distinctive is the fact that because these tools don’t rely on internet connection and speed, they are more responsive. So, you don’t wait just like you do when opening an online application. Online tools also can be intuitive, but sometimes they can be laggy.
On the other hand, online tools have seamless updates and offer features like version history and auto-save options, allowing efficient operations and increased productivity. Real-time interaction via Google Docs is an example of how efficient online tools are in 21st century for companies.
But again, keep in mind the performance of these tools relies 100% on internet connectivity. You can’t do anything if you refresh a page and suddenly all your data is gone.
Final Words
The choice of offline and online tools depends on your company’s needs and workflows. In addition to considering privacy, security, and usability, you must emphasize the ease of use and cost before buying an online or offline tool.
In general, a good practice is to use both types of apps, leaning towards offline solutions, when it comes to privacy aspects, and online when it comes to having the data easily accessible anywhere, where there’s an internet connection.
