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Guides for getting the work done.
Proposals, contracts, payments, meetings, projects and AI, explained plainly, with the templates to go with them. Written by the nerix team.
FeaturedSales and contracts6 min read
How to write a business proposal that wins
How to write a business proposal that wins: what to put in it, in what order, how long it should be, and a free business proposal template to start from.
More guides
Comparisons and alternatives5 min read
Appointment scheduling software compared
Appointment scheduling software compared for small teams: Calendly, Cal.com and nerix booking pages. Prices, free plan limits and what to check first.
Sales and contracts6 min read
Bookkeeping basics for small business
Bookkeeping basics for a small business: what to record, how debits and credits work, a simple monthly routine and when to bring in an accountant.
Teamwork5 min read
Expense tracking for small teams
Expense tracking for small teams made simple: write a short policy, capture receipts at once, approve claims quickly and choose a tool that fits your size.
Comparisons and alternatives5 min read
Free electronic signature options compared
Free electronic signature options compared: Adobe, SignWell, DocuSeal, Documenso and nerix. What each free plan allows, where it stops and when to pay.
Quality and audits7 min read
GDPR checklist for small businesses
A GDPR checklist for small businesses, article by article. Lawful basis, privacy notice, processors, security, 72 hour breach reports and data subject requests.
Quality and audits7 min read
HKZ certification guide for care organisations
HKZ certification for Dutch care and welfare providers. What the HKZ norms are, how they relate to ISO 9001, the audit cycle and a readiness checklist.
Quality and audits7 min read
ISO 27001 for small teams, a 90 day plan
ISO 27001 for small teams in plain steps. Who does what, how to scope it, a 90 day plan to audit readiness, what to skip and how certification works.
Quality and audits7 min read
ISO 9001 checklist for small businesses
An ISO 9001 checklist for small businesses, clause by clause, with the records the standard requires, what auditors sample and common delays.
Quality and audits7 min read
NIS2 checklist for small companies
A NIS2 checklist for small companies. See if the directive applies, the ten Article 21 security measures and the 24 hour, 72 hour and one month deadlines.
Teamwork6 min read
OKRs for small teams, a plain guide
OKRs for small teams explained with examples: how to write objectives and key results, how many to set, how to check in weekly and what to avoid.
People and evaluations6 min read
Payroll for a small business, step by step
Payroll for small business made plain: what to collect, how a pay run works from gross to net, the checks that catch mistakes and how to keep records.
Teamwork5 min read
Roles and permissions for a small team workspace
Roles and permissions for a small team: how to set who can do what and who can open what, with a simple plan, common mistakes and a checklist for reviews.
Quality and audits6 min read
Staff training records, what to keep and how
Staff training records explained: what to write down, how to track certificates that expire, and how to show an auditor who was trained and when.
Teamwork5 min read
Workflow automation for a small business, what to automate first
Workflow automation for a small business: ten routines worth automating first, how to test one safely, and how to pick between Zapier, Make, n8n and others.
Comparisons and alternatives4 min read
Zapier alternatives for small business
Zapier alternatives compared for small teams: Make, n8n and built-in automations. Prices, free plan limits and which one suits which kind of work.
Comparisons and alternatives7 min read
The best call transcription tools for small teams
Compare call transcription tools by price, free plan, minutes and languages: Otter, Fireflies, Rev, Happy Scribe and Sonix, checked on their own pages.
Comparisons and alternatives7 min read
The best free invoice generators for a small business
Compare free invoice generator options for small business: Zoho Invoice, Wave, Invoice Ninja, QuickBooks and Square, with limits and fees on their pages.
Comparisons and alternatives5 min read
The best HR software for a small business
What HR software for small business costs and does: BambooHR, Factorial, Humaans and Timetastic compared on price, time off, hiring and payroll.
Quality and audits7 min read
How to run a risk register in a small company
A risk register in plain steps for a small company: what to list, how to score likelihood and impact, who owns each risk and how often to review it.
Documents and templates6 min read
How to write a contract termination letter
How to write a contract termination letter: check the notice terms, what to state, how to send it so you can prove it, and mistakes that void the notice.
Quality and audits5 min read
Incident report template and how to investigate
How to write an incident report and investigate it: what to record in the first hour, how to find the cause, what to fix and when to tell an authority.
Comparisons and alternatives6 min read
Time off tracking: a spreadsheet or software?
Time off tracking with a spreadsheet or software: what a sheet can and cannot do, what Timetastic, BambooHR and Factorial cost, and when to switch.
People and evaluations6 min read
How to write an employee warning letter fairly
How to write an employee warning letter that is fair and clear: what to include, how to word it, the steps before and after, and what to avoid.
Quality and audits7 min read
ISO 27001 checklist for small businesses
An ISO 27001 checklist for small businesses, with the documents the standard asks for, the Annex A controls, the evidence auditors sample and tool prices.
People and evaluations5 min read
How to run a performance review people trust
A practical way to run fair, useful performance reviews in a small team: what to ask, how to collect it, how to talk about it and what to do afterwards.
People and evaluations5 min read
Anonymous team surveys that get honest answers
How to design, send and act on an anonymous survey so people tell the truth: good questions, real anonymity, small team traps and what to do with results.
Comparisons and alternatives5 min read
Asana alternatives for small teams
Asana alternatives compared for small teams: Trello, ClickUp, monday.com, Basecamp and nerix. Free plans, prices, strengths and the limits to check.
Comparisons and alternatives5 min read
The best AI email writer for work
The best AI email writer compared: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grammarly and nerix. What each costs, where it works well and the limits to know first.
Comparisons and alternatives6 min read
The best AI meeting note takers compared
Compare the best tools for AI meeting notes: Otter, Fireflies, Fathom, Granola and nerix, with prices, free plan limits and the privacy questions to ask.
Comparisons and alternatives6 min read
The best AI to chat with PDF files, compared
Which tool is best to chat with PDF files? Compare Acrobat AI Assistant, NotebookLM, ChatPDF, ChatGPT, Claude and nerix on price, limits and source checking.
Comparisons and alternatives7 min read
The best AI website builders for a small business
Which AI website builder should a small business use? Wix, Squarespace, Framer, Hostinger, Durable and nerix compared on price, free plans and limits.
Comparisons and alternatives5 min read
ChatGPT alternatives for business, and what each one costs
The best ChatGPT alternatives for business compared: Claude, Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, Mistral Le Chat and nerix, with prices, free plans and honest limits.
Comparisons and alternatives6 min read
ChatGPT vs Claude vs Gemini: which one should you pay for?
ChatGPT vs Claude vs Gemini compared on price, free plans, strengths and limits, with a plain way to choose and test them on your own work.
AI, data and websites5 min read
Check AI answers before you rely on them
A practical routine to check AI answers at work: why answers can be wrong, how sources help, what to verify and where a human must always decide.
AI, data and websites5 min read
How to choose an AI model for the job
How to choose an AI model for the job: weigh speed against care, where your text is processed, what it costs, and how to test before you commit.
Documents and templates5 min read
Contract clauses to read twice before you sign
Ten contract clauses that cause most surprises in business deals, what each means in plain words, and the questions to ask before you sign.
Quality and audits5 min read
Corrective actions that fix the cause, not the symptom
How to turn a mistake or an audit finding into a corrective action that lasts: describe it, contain it, find the real cause, act, check and close.
Comparisons and alternatives6 min read
DocuSign alternatives for small business
DocuSign alternatives compared: Dropbox Sign, PandaDoc, Adobe Acrobat Sign, Documenso and nerix. Prices, free plans and limits, with the legal basics.
Documents and templates5 min read
Formal letters that get a reply and a result
How to write a formal business letter that gets a reply: the structure, the facts to include, how to ask for what you want, and when to send a demand letter.
Comparisons and alternatives5 min read
Free AI tools for small business
Free AI tools for small business: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Canva, Perplexity and nerix. What each free plan gives you, where it stops and when to pay.
AI, data and websites6 min read
Get answers from your own documents, with sources
Use an AI document assistant to chat with your documents and get answers you can check: how it works, how to prepare your files and how to spot a bad answer.
Quality and audits5 min read
Get ready for an ISO 9001 or 27001 check
A plain roadmap to ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 for small companies: see where you stand, close gaps with evidence and avoid claiming more than you do.
People and evaluations5 min read
Handle a performance problem fairly and early
How to handle a performance problem with an employee kindly and clearly: find the cause, agree support, keep records and decide next steps fairly.
Teamwork4 min read
Handle customer complaints and keep the customer
A calm routine for handling customer complaints in a small team: acknowledge fast, find out what happened, make it right and write replies that sound human.
Sales and contracts6 min read
How to write a quotation that gets accepted
How to write a quotation clients accept: what it contains, how to price and word it, how long it stays valid, plus a free quotation template to fill in.
AI, data and websites7 min read
Keeping your data in the EU when you use AI
What keeping your data in the EU really means for AI tools: where storage and processing happen, what to ask providers and a checklist under the GDPR.
Teamwork5 min read
Meeting minutes with AI, without losing the plot
Take meeting minutes people trust with a meeting minutes template and AI: what to capture, what to check by hand, and decisions turned into tasks the same day.
Comparisons and alternatives6 min read
Microsoft Copilot alternatives for small and midsize teams
Microsoft Copilot alternatives compared for small teams: ChatGPT Business, Claude Team, Gemini, Mistral and nerix, with prices, limits and how to choose.
Sales and contracts6 min read
NDA basics: one-way or mutual, and when to use each
What a non-disclosure agreement does, when a one-way NDA fits and when a mutual NDA is fairer, plus the clauses to check before you sign or send one.
Comparisons and alternatives5 min read
Notion AI alternatives worth trying in 2026
Notion AI alternatives compared: Coda, ClickUp, Google Workspace with Gemini and nerix. What each costs, what it does well and where it falls short.
People and evaluations5 min read
Onboard a new hire in the first 30 days
A week by week plan to welcome a new hire in a small company: before day one, the first week, goals, check ins and a survey at day thirty.
Documents and templates5 min read
Organise business documents so you can find them
A simple system to organise business documents: naming, filing, versioning and searching, with rules a whole small team will actually follow.
Sales and contracts5 min read
Payment reminder emails that actually get you paid
A payment reminder email template and the wording for each stage: when to send it, what to write, what to attach and when to move to a formal demand.
Comparisons and alternatives5 min read
Perplexity alternatives for research and web answers
Perplexity alternatives compared: ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Kagi, Brave and nerix, with prices, free plans and how to check sources before you trust them.
Quality and audits5 min read
Prepare a management review in one afternoon
What a management review is for, what to look at, how to prepare the facts beforehand, run a focused meeting and record decisions that actually get done.
Sales and contracts5 min read
A price increase notice that keeps your customers
How to write a price increase letter to customers: decide a fair rise, tell them early, explain the reason clearly and answer pushback. Template included.
Teamwork6 min read
Project management without the overhead
A light way to run project management for a small team: one list, clear owners and dates, a weekly check and an honest status update.
Quality and audits5 min read
Your first internal audit, step by step
How a small business can plan, run and close its first internal audit: scope, questions, evidence, findings, corrective actions and what to do afterwards.
Sales and contracts5 min read
Ask suppliers the right way with a request for proposal
How to write a short request for proposal or quote that gets comparable offers: describe the need, set the rules, ask the same questions and choose fairly.
Teamwork6 min read
How to run a help desk for a small team
How to run a help desk for two to ten people: one queue, clear owners, reply targets, saved replies and a few numbers worth watching.
Teamwork4 min read
Run a weekly planning meeting that works
A short, structured weekly planning meeting for small teams: what to review, how to set priorities, who owns what, and how to keep it under thirty minutes.
People and evaluations5 min read
Run one to ones that people value
A simple structure for a regular one to one meeting between a manager and a team member: how often, what to ask, how to listen and how to follow up.
Comparisons and alternatives5 min read
Slack alternatives for small teams
Slack alternatives for small teams compared: Microsoft Teams, Zulip, Mattermost and nerix. Free plans, prices, strengths and the limits to know first.
AI, data and websites6 min read
A small business website with AI, built to be found
How to plan, build and publish a small business website with AI, and the search basics that decide whether anyone finds it: pages, titles, speed and trust.
Quality and audits5 min read
Supplier audits for small companies
How to decide which suppliers to check, what to ask, and how to run a light supplier audit by questionnaire or visit, then follow up kindly.
Teamwork6 min read
Team chat that keeps the work in one place
Why team chat turns into noise and how to fix it: spaces and topics, decisions that become tasks, notification habits and rules a small team can keep.
Quality and audits4 min read
Turn a process into a checklist people follow
How to turn a process into a checklist anyone can follow: pick the process, watch it, write short steps, test them and keep the checklist alive.
People and evaluations5 min read
Write a job offer letter that gets a yes
How to write a job offer letter that gets a yes: what it contains, how to word it warmly, what to settle first, and how to handle questions and negotiation.
Documents and templates6 min read
How to write a service agreement in plain words
How to write a service agreement in plain words, with a template to start from: scope, price, changes, ownership, ending the work and what to check.
Documents and templates5 min read
Write business emails that get read and answered
Practical rules for clear business emails: subject lines, the first sentence, one ask, tone, follow ups and the cases where a call or a letter is better.
Documents and templates5 min read
Write clear terms and policies customers read
How to write terms and conditions of sale, a returns policy and a privacy notice in plain words: what each must cover and how to keep it current.
AI, data and websites5 min read
Write prompts that give you usable first drafts
A plain guide to writing prompts for an AI assistant: say the goal, the reader and the facts, set limits, ask for changes and check the result.
Comparisons and alternatives5 min read
Zendesk alternatives for small business
Zendesk alternatives for small business compared: Freshdesk, Help Scout, Zoho Desk, HubSpot and nerix. Prices, free plans, strengths and limits.
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Topics
- AI 16
- comparison 12
- quality 8
- small business 7
- iso 6
- contracts 5
- hr 5
- privacy 5
- writing 5
- compliance 4
- email 4
- feedback 4
- management 4
- planning 4
- audits 3
- customers 3
- documents 3
- finance 3
- hiring 3
- meetings 3
- risk 3
- search 3
- support 3
- tasks 3
- accounting 2
- automation 2
- chatgpt 2
- communication 2
- employment 2
- esignature 2
- free tools 2
- GDPR 2
- help desk 2
- invoices 2
- iso 9001 2
- letters 2
- minutes 2
- pricing 2
- projects 2
- sales 2
- SEO 2
- suppliers 2
- team chat 2
- websites 2