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OMEWHERE between sitting down at your computer to jot down ideas about a new widget store, and becoming big enough to hire a systems manager, the owner of a small company has to buy software to smooth the way.

But with so many products on the market, it is hard to know what to buy and what to ignore. "If someone came to us and wanted to know what type of software they need, the first thing we would recommend is some kind of bookkeeping program," said Dennis Gruell, the director of the Connecticut Small Business Development Center at the University of Connecticut in Storrs.

The center has counselors to advise entrepreneurs and workshops and training sessions. "You can't expect to succeed in small business without proper record-keeping," Mr. Gruell said. "With a minimum of effort, an owner can track expenses and generate reports on a monthly basis to tell them how they're doing against their business plan."

Beyond a basic financial program, Mr. Gruell said owners should keep purchases simple. Software to design business cards, brochures and advertising fliers can be helpful, for example, if the product is straightforward. "An owner should not spend a lot of time learning how to use complicated software instead of finishing a brochure and getting it out on the street," he said.

Such financial software includes QUICKBOOKS PRO from Intuit, Microsoft's SMALL BUSINESS MANAGER and MYOB PLUS from MYOB US. These programs handle banking tasks like printing checks and invoices and paying bills; generating expense reports; printing forms and shipping labels; and tracking inventory, sales, employee time and taxes. It is sometimes possible to try the products before you buy them, or at least see a detailed profile online. A visit to findaccountingsoftware.com can also help gauge the type of financial software a start-up needs.

Guarding against viruses is critical for companies that want to protect their customer, banking and inventory data, and the two biggest programs are McAfee's ACTIVE VIRUSSCAN SMB EDITION and NORTON ANTIVIRUS by Symantec. (And everyone, of course, should back up important computer files on a regular basis.)

For people who are starting out, there are several products available to help write a business plan, among them BUSINESS PLAN PRO as well as programs at SmallBusinessPoint.com. NoLo, which publishes self-help legal books for consumers and small businesses, offers software to navigate the United States Patent and Trademark Office and complete an incorporation.

Larger companies may want to buy an office suite program, which combines budgeting, word processing, sales, marketing and other features. These products include MICROSOFT OFFICE SMALL BUSINESS EDITION, WORDPERFECT OFFICE by Corel and LOTUS SMARTSUITE. There are also dozens of products designed for Main Street businesses like restaurants, antiques dealers, medical offices, florists, construction contractors and even diamond sellers.

Start-up owners may want to check the software their computers came with before they buy anything besides an accounting product because most packages include spreadsheets; and word processing programs often have templates for business cards.

When it is time to set up a Web site, Mr. Gruell advises entrepreneurs to ignore the software that is available. Starting and operating a site is best left to a professional because an owner's time can be used more productively elsewhere, he said. "Software is a tool to automate tasks. It's not going to run your business for you." SHELLY FREIERMAN