Small business owners tackle a daily stream of paperwork — sign documents, update and share files, track packages, and much more. Fortunately, there are plenty of small business software applications designed to help tackle day-to-day responsibilities. Here are five programs that are essential software for small businesses.

Microsoft Office 365

Microsoft Office is one of the quintessential computer software programs everyone should have, businessperson or not. Office 365 provides online versions of Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and several other programs. It's designed for use in an office setting, so the programs guarantee 99.9 percent uptime and robust security measures. Monthly subscription costs make the upfront cost of outfitting your entire office significantly less expensive than purchasing individual versions of the software.

DocuSign

How many times have you printed a contract just to sign it, scan it, and email it back to the sender? DocuSign gives you the ability to digitally sign documents with ease. Plus, you can use DocuSign from your phone. Just upload a document, sign it, and send it on its way. Digitally signed documents carry the same weight as if you signed with pen on paper, so you don't have to spend that extra time printing things out.

Carbonite Pro

Unless you have redundant backups, your data is only one accident away from loss. Studies have shown that 93 percent of businesses are at risk for data loss. Whether from hardware failure, power surges, or something as simple as a spill, hard drives are vulnerable. Software like Carbonite Pro automatically backs up your important data on a regular basis. The backups can be accessed from anywhere, so if an accident happens, all it takes is a bit of time to restore a system.

QuickBooks Online

The right accounting software can help you stay on top of your finances — without the need for an accountant. QuickBooks Online gives you the ability to manage your finances, automatically scan in receipts, identify tax deductibles, and much more. Plus, this online bookkeeping service can be accessed from nearly any platform.

Comcast Business Cloud Solutions

Managing all of your business software can be a tall order, but Comcast Business Cloud Solutions gives you a single login that allows you to manage your subscriptions, try out demos of new programs, and download the programs you have already purchased. The marketplace also allows you to purchase additional programs you might need. Comcast curates the app options so you don't have to spend hours reading reviews and deciding which products to invest in; the services will already be at your fingertips. Comcast Business Cloud Solutions provides access to Microsoft Office 365, online backup tools, antivirus software, DocuSign, and a suite of web conferencing tools.

Whether you need help with billing or just want to upgrade your internal email system, these types of business software packages will help streamline your daily workflow.