Google Apps Marketplace: 10 Hot Cloud Applications

Google has launched the Google Apps Marketplace, an online store where third-party suppliers of on-demand applications that supplement Google's own cloud-based applications can highlight and hock their wares.

Google's Apps Marketplace takes some queues from the widely popular Apple App Store. Currently, Google Apps includes the search giant's Gmail, calendar, Google Docs and a host of other applications. Now, with the launch of the Google Apps Market, Google offers myriad productivity, accounting, security, scheduling, workflow and management applications.



Here, we take a look at 10 applications that hit the ground running and are already gaining traction in the Google Apps Marketplace.

So far, the most downloaded application in the Google Apps Marketplace is Manymoon, a team collaboration application for Google Apps that leverages social networking. San Francisco-based Manymoon gives uses a social networking platform that allows them to attach Google Docs to tasks, projects and events; add project information to shared Google Calendars; and Gadget for collaborative task management in Google Sites. The free application can integrate into existing e-mail and features built in security while giving uses a single pane view of all projects and tasks.

Seattle-based OffiSync has launched an application that extends Microsoft Office applications with Google Docs and Google Apps. The application lets users use Google search to find files, save files in the cloud onto Google Docs from within Microsoft Office and add some new real-time collaboration features within Microsoft Office. Basically, users of OffiSync can store and share Microsoft Office files in the Google Apps cloud.



OffiSync is an add-in for Office 2003, 2007 and 2010 that ties Google cloud services into Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Essentially, OffiSync combines the Microsoft Office world with Google Docs.

RunMyProcess is a cloud platform that brings workflow, business process and integration capabilities to Google Apps to let users design, connect, deploy and measure day-to-day or complex workflows. Paris-based RunMyProcess delivers tasks, reports and graphs in Google Sites and Gmail; connects Google Apps to more than 1,000 cloud, business, telecom or on-premise services; and lets users build and run cloud applications.



The cloud based business process and workflow suite lets users deploy in various environments and set up custom integration schemes based on several protocols and languages.

RunMyProcess costs $40 per user per year.

MyERP.com moves management into the cloud, enabling users to streamline CRM, sales, projects, purchasing, inventory and accounting. It integrates into Google Apps, Gmail and Calendar. The cloud-based business management suite requires no software and is free for up to two users. After that MyERP.com costs $29 per user per month. MyERP.com, based in San Francisco, keeps all business management data online and is visible in one place.

Socialwok offers a cloud-based social productivity and collaboration application for Google Apps that offers a platform for users to share ideas, Web links, email and Google Docs; share and access files from the Web or mobile; and integrates with Gmail, Google Talk and Google Docs. Users receive a private collaboration network on Google Apps to share all of that information with colleagues and outside parties.



Users can manage distributed teams and projects; share knowledge; build communities and share Google Docs and Calendars. Socialwok, which is based in Avon, Conn., can be accessed via Google Apps and Gmail logins and status updates can be posted by attaching files, Google Docs and Google Calendar. All posts, feeds and people are searchable and real-time notifications can be made via email or Google Talk.



Currently, one free version and two paid versions of Socialwok are available in the Google Apps Marketplace.

New York-based Aviary Design Suite offers a free set of design tools and templates in the Google Apps Marketplace that lets user create, modify and share images, logos, presentations, audio tracks, podcasts and other multimedia content, while also letting users collaborate on projects.





Integrated into Google Docs, users can create logos, slides, business cards and letterheads; retouch photos, make Web templates and banner ads; and develop, edit and remix podcasts and other audio in the cloud.

TripIt offers a free Google Apps-based cloud business travel application that can organize and share travel plans; make travel plans viewable via gadgets or on mobile phones; and lets users see which colleagues are traveling where on a company travel map.





San Francisco-based TripIt lets companies create groups that automatically notify employees with valid e-mail addresses. Basically, travelers forward their travel information and confirmation e-mails to TripIt, which generates an itinerary that can be customized to include weather, maps, directions, meetings and other data. Employees can share their travel data with travel arrangers, colleagues and family and can collaborate on shared itineraries.



TripIt also integrates with LinkedIn and Facebook and TripIt mobile apps are available for Google Android, the Apple iPhone and BlackBerry.

Netherlands-based Cordys has made its Cordys Process Factory available via the Google Apps Marketplace. The Cordys Process Factory lets users create workflows, automate business processes and build situational and mashup applications in the cloud with no coding. Users can put Google Spreadsheet data through a workflow; build applications and plug them into Google Sites; and integrate tasks from processes with Gmail.



The Cordys Process Factory application lets Google Apps users build and run process flows in the cloud to build applications on demand to track and monitor activities. Along with the ability to put any Spreadsheet template through a workflow, the application also lets users build forms for certain tasks as gadgets that can be plugged into the Google Apps start page or Google Sites. It also lets users send tasks and notification messages via Gmail within the workflow.



Cordys Process Factory runs $95 per user per year.

Zoho CRM is a complete customer relationship life-cycle management solution for organization-wide sales, marketing, customer support and service and inventory management tied into Google Apps.



Pleasanton, Calif.-based Zoho offers the CRM suite for free for the first three users and $12 per user, per month after that. The Zoho CRM application offers a single view of customer interactions and helps sales teams and executives with automation tools like lead generation and qualification, pipeline analysis, sales stage and probability analysis, competitor analysis, real-time forecasting, quote management, reports and dashboards and other metrics.



The Zoho CRM application also offers marketing automation for e-mail campaigns, expenditure tracking and campaign management; and e-mail integration that can track e-mail conversation with customers.

Toronto-based FreshBooks is leveraging Google Apps for online billing and bookkeeping. The application lets users send, track and collect payments quickly. Users can send and manage invoices online; create and track invoices and recurring subscriptions send invoices via e-mail and collect online credit card, Google Checkout or PayPal payments. Meanwhile, FreshBooks lets users track and report time and expenses; manage contracts; and brand systems and invoices.



FreshBooks is available in the Google Apps Marketplace at various price points: $19 per month for 25 clients; $29 per month for 100 clients; $39 per month for 500 clients; $89 per month for 2,000 clients; and $149 per month for 5,000 clients.