There are some things available to us that make our lives much easier. Here is a list of a few of my favorite things for you, your team and your office.

Universal Document Converter: Probably one of best innovations in converting documents to PDFs, JPGs, or other formats. It simply installs on your computer like an additional printer so you can easily take a Word document and turn it into a PDF.
http://print-driver.com/

E-Money Advisor: The founder of eMoney, Edmond Walters, was originally an advisor who became frustrated by not being able to find software that worked with and for his clients. eMoney Advisor grew out of his obsession to meet his clients' spoken and unspoken needs in a timely and efficient fashion. His programs allow advisors to consolidate each household's accounts into one program and allow each client to access it through the internet.
http://www.emoneyadvisor.com/emacorp/default.htm

Gimp: It was a happy day around here when we discovered a software program called Gimp. Instead of spending thousands of dollars on Adobe products, we were able to design everything in Gimp. The program is great for modifying pictures and creating images for websites (all of the images/headers on this website were created on Gimp). Best of all, it's free.
http://www.gimp.org/

Kolbe: Over all of my years in this industry, I have always recommended the Kolbe A Index for advisors and members of their team. In fact, in the Foundation Program, it is mandatory that every office complete a Kolbe A Index on every team member. The results of each index illustrates how each person operates according to their instincts and the best positions for them within the organization. This not just another personality test - I promise!
http://www.kolbe.com/

Laserfiche: Compliant AND paperless - that can be a bit tricky. A great resource for practices seeking to go paperless is Laserfiche, especially if you're securities licensed. They dot every "i" and cross every "t" to insure your company meets the industry standards while improving practice efficiency.
http://www.laserfiche.com/en/Solutions/Financial%20Services.aspx

Morningstar: Nearly everyone has heard of Morningstar but not everyone uses it in their practice. This is such a great resource for client appointment preparation and recommendations. Instead of you just talking, you can objectively illustrate benchmark performance versus actual portfolio performance thus providing evidence and not just opinion. Many broker-dealers have a discount with them so be sure to check.
http://www.morningstar.com/

Your Silver Bullet: In early 2009 I had the pleasure of hearing a few different CRM/database founders speak at a panel. During their discussion they mentioned a new website and company that is integrating all the various software programs and databases to work together (what a great concept) in our industry! Although I have not had the pleasure of working with this company directly, it is definitely worth a look (especially if your practice is utilizing various software programs).
http://www.yoursilverbullet.net/