1) Take Full Advantage of Notes

Notes is an underrated app. At first glance, it doesn’t look like much, but underneath the hood, there are nifty mechanisms at play that make it a powerful little tool. The notes you make on your iDevice can automatically sync to your Mac’s Notes program, or any other account that you have set to sync with Notes, such as Gmail. You can email, text, or print notes, and also create them on the fly by using Siri. Just say “Siri, create a note that says…” You can also search through your notes by swiping down from the main Notes screen to reveal the search bar. 

2) Scroll Like a Master

Scrolling may seem like a simple skill, but did you know there are three ways to scroll up and down web pages and documents? You can tap the very top of the screen for an ultra-fast zip to the top of the page, you can drag the page up or down, or you can flick it and let the natural momentum of the flick continue until you’ve reached your destination. If you want to stop the natural scroll, simply tap anywhere on the screen. 

3) Change Default Text Replies

When a call comes in and you can’t immediately accept it, you now have the option of sending a quick text reply to the caller by swiping up from the incoming call screen. The three default messages are: “I’ll call you later,” “I’m on my way,” and “What’s up?” You can change the default messages to anything you want by opening Settings > Phone > Reply With Message. 

4) Using Dictation

There are two ways to dictate a note, text message or email: One is to double-click the home button to bring up Siri, and then tell Siri what kind of message you want to create and what it should say. The other is to tap on the messaging app you wish to use, and when the keyboard comes up, click on the dictate button (see image). You’ll hear a double-beep, prompting you to dictate your message, and when you’re done (or when there’s a pause in your speech), you’ll see your message being typed. If you wish to correct any errors or add punctuation, you can do so manually.

HoursTracker  (Free, or $4.99 for Pro version, app2.me/5378) If you bill clients on an hourly basis, accurate timekeeping is a must. HoursTracker allows you to create multiple projects at different pay rates and clock in and out with just a few taps. Earnings are computed in real time, displaying a running total that updates every minute. Your virtual time card can be exported in text or CSV format for your records, and in-app purchases add options for cloud backup and location awareness.

SignEasy (Free, app2.me/5380) When you do most of your work in the digital realm, stopping your workflow to print and sign a document, then scan or fax it, can be quite a time waster. Instead, import contracts and non-disclosure agreements—or any document that requires a signature—into SignEasy and use your finger to sign it. Signed documents can be emailed back to the recipient or exported to Dropbox or Box to e-fax later. 

FreshBooks (Free, app2.me/5376) FreshBooks is a comprehensive cloud accounting system that allows you to create and send invoices, track your time and expenses, estimate project costs, access client information, and view financial reports based on your information.

Bento ($4.99, app2.me/5375) Bento is the ultimate personal database app for the iPhone and iPad, capable of organizing every aspect of both your business and personal life into easily searchable libraries. Store contacts, customer lists, digital media, expenses, task lists, and more using the 25 included templates, or design a custom template to suit your needs.

Read about all 12 must-have freelance apps in this issue.