Any recommendations for "online collaboration" tools?

All great suggestions here, but I can attest that using Google apps has been a great boon to effective collaboration and management of remote people. I have combined that with YuuGuu (for screen sharing of other non doc screens) for a simple but effective system.

Microsoft also offers a free 5 user small business account that gives access to a hosted sharepoint installation among other things, info found at smallbusiness.officelive.com.

I've written about HyperOffice.com several times, and they do all you say you need. You might also check out InfoStreet from StreetSmart. Those two are the most popular of general purpose team collaboration tools.

You may want to checkout Central Desktop. The good think I like about them is they have an exit path and allow you to get your data if you decide to go with different provider.

Take a look at BaseCamp http://basecamphq.com/

I agree with Brian. You can try basecamp, it's easy. If you're looking for a more advanced collaboration tool, try solve360.

NuVox Business Apps is a strong product. www.nuvox.com or I would be happy to send you some info - email me at athomas@nuvox.com

Start simply with Google Docs and calendar. Making a commitment to any collaboration tool should take an active development of your needs and then a selection of a workable (there is no right) solution.

People make a mistake with SaaS - it is easy to get technically running (it's available instantly) but that's only a small portion of the challenge of implementing a collaborative solution.

Our company's collaborative solution is built around our CRM. We're a service business and in that world you only do two things. You sell business and you do services. So a CRM model fits us well. But to make it work takes time, energy and a commitment to understanding and improving our company processes. Longer topic.

To dip your toe in the water? Google docs. And we use Dropbox for storing and moving large files. Skype is our preferred conference/chat.

Hope that helps.

Agree with Brian that Basecamp is a good solution. Wrike is pretty good and affordable as well. We haven't used it for this yet, but one of our employees thinks Google Wave (if you can get an invitation) would work pretty well. The trick beyond your needing an invitation is that everyone else who would be using it would need to get on Google Wave as well. That would work well if it's a small group of people that won't change, but if you wanted to use outside contractors, you'd probably want to look elsewhere, at least until it is in full release.

Great question, Matt. I agree that all of the above are worthy of your consideration, although it may be a bit early for you to make effective use of Google Wave. In addition, I'd suggest you consider Sendside (www.sendside.com) for effective communications with your customers and partners -- it's a great tool for sending packages of information that include multiple media and formats, requiring no long, slow downloads or implementation of multiple "readers" or "players" by already-attention-challenged recipients. Good luck, and keep us posted of your progress!

Check out Zoho.com for a complete set of office tools, HR platform, and CRM. The price is right as well.

WebEx Office is more polished with fewer tools and a higher cost.

Bruce Silver
Employers Rx LLC
The CURE for your employee management headaches

NBA - NuVox Business Apps (powered by Google) is different than going direct to Google. For approximately the same cost, you get no advertisements and 24/7/365 live technical support from NuVox. Purchasing apps direct from Google gives you a FAQ and web resource to find answers to your questions. With Google direct you are on your own.

I recommend OnTheSystem. OnTheSystem is like Facebook® for managing a business. It combines a customizable, web-based ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) with an innovative social media interface. The result is a flexible management framework that connects every employee to the company’s strategies and to each other. It provides boundary-less communication and collaboration. It gives every employee an equal voice and an equal opportunity to make a difference. It’s the net-generation’s way to manage a company: simple, open, agile, elegant, innovative and fun. Check out www.onthesystem.com. Synergy Vision Partners is the marketing and implementation arm for OnTheSystem. For more information you can contact Steve Earle from Synergy Vision Partners at (951) 817-9840 or email him at Steven.Earle@synergyVisionPartners.com

We supply Microsoft Sharepoint as SaaS which does all of the above and more - http://www.outsourcery.co.uk/sharepoint2007/
We are MS Gold partners with a wealth of experience in implementing collaboration solutions.

I use Zoho and it does the job cost-effectively.

Also, I saw a presentation of Huddle (www.huddle.net), which was borne out of a company's need to break down the silos between internal departments.

I have a problem committing to Google, which is fast becoming the new Microsoft, only more 'sinister'!

Business Pundit recently published a roundup and review of the top 10 business collaboration web tools. The article is extremely helpful for anyone looking to try one out.

http://www.businesspundit.com/the-10-best-collaborative-web-tools-for-business/

I'm from OfficeMedium - the #1 app. I'd be glad to help you with any questions or problems you might have.

Have you looked at Wiggio? Although I haven't done much research on it, one group I'm on that is using it.

I started using Zoho Business Applications a while back for a contact center venture I was building. I LOVE IT! I honestly had this..."Baby, where have you been all my life?" feeling. I've had such a great experience with it, I'm implementing it across the board in ventures that I am involved in, and have started helping others to implement it. You definitely need to check it out. zoho.com. will tell you, though, that the support out of India has been frustrating. If you're serious about the implementation, you're going to want to work with a partner stateside (someone like me). Regards,

document sharing? zoho.
wikis? zoho.
calendar sharing? zoho.
project management? zoho.

email, calendar, contacts, CRM, spreadsheet, presentation, word processing, HR Management, Recruiting...? zoho.

I'm having a little fun with you guys here, but I've been building and consulting in mid-sized companies for about 20 years now. I love zoho. it's like the answer to every pain in the neck IT issue I've had over the past 20 years in the middle market. you should definitely check it out before you go buy some fragmented things you're going to try to patch together.

If you are stuck on SaaS. I would go to someone who hosts SharePoint. This way you can keep intergration with MS Office (assuming your organization is using Office). Especially with the newer functions coming out in Office 2010.

With certain versions of 2007 and 2003 you may already have the functionality in each machine without the need for an IT resource to maintain or deploy. Outlook's Business Contact Manager (2003 and newer) has Calendar sharing similar to Exchange Server. Groove has File Sharing and other collaboration functionallity.Then with a service hosting a SharePoint site, it would increase functionality to everything you stated above.

Not necessarily a Microsoft fan but I find most businesses already have the tools with their products and do not realize it. If you are using Server 2003 or later you already have SharePoint Services internally and through VPN access to your intranet. It would just need to be deployed.

Many of the free and mostly free services would concern me mainly due to information and data security. And deploying SharePoint beyond Services for an Intranet becomes very expensive with licensing. I would go with a provider for those services. Especially if you want to integrate this functionality into your website for customers, vendors, etc....