If your small office depends on multiple PCs running different operating systems or Windows versions, sharing folders can be a pain. But you have a business to run, and you could spend your time in better ways than messing around with folder permissions. Cisco’s Network Magic can get the job done.

Although a free version is available, it’s the $29.99 Essentials package that claims to simplify file/folder sharing - and, man, does it ever. It’s literally a three-click process. However, the program must be running on each PC for you to take advantage of this feature.

Essentials includes licenses for up to three PCs, which is probably sufficient for most home-based offices. The $49.99 Pro Edition supports up to eight PCs.

Of course, Network Magic does way more help with folder sharing. But its acumen in that area alone makes it worth the price. It also analyzes your network for security holes, and alerts you to available patches and updates.

Grab a seven-day trial of the Pro version from here; it reverts to the free utility if you don’t buy either Pro or Essentials at the end of the trial. The application is ideal for anyne who has ever struggled with a small network.

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