Using the cloud offers a variety of benefits for your business. Find out more about how you can use cloud technology to boost business.
The cloud has grown in popularity among businesses in all industries. However, if you have not already transferred your business’s data and operations to the cloud, you may wonder if this technology is really in your best interest to expend the time and energy you will need to invest in order to implement cloud computing.
Below are some of the ways the cloud can boost business for your company, making it well worth the investment.
1. The cloud saves you money.
Implementing the cloud for your business prevents you from needed to invest in the same expensive infrastructure and programming of a company with in-house operations. This can save your company a significant amount of money over time.
The cloud can also save your company money by eliminating the need for in-house IT personnel. When you make the move to cloud computing, all of the programs and services you use will be maintained by your provider. Thus, you won’t need your own full-time IT staff.
2. The cloud boosts productivity.
The programs and processes you are able to access when you utilize the cloud are often more advanced and efficient than those you could afford on your own. In addition, if you choose the right provider, your programs will also be more reliable and kept up-to-date at all times. This leads to enhanced productivity overall.
3. The cloud improves collaboration.
With the cloud, it is easier to connect with colleagues, share information and work on projects with others. These improvements lead to more collaboration within your company, which in turn improves outcomes.
4. The cloud grows with your company.
One of the best things about cloud computing is its scalability. You pay only for the services you need, making it much more cost-effective. These services can also be scaled up or scaled down easily when your needs change, allowing for easier growth.
Moving your company to the cloud may seem overwhelming at first, but the potential benefits are clear. If you are not already using the cloud, it is time to start exploring this option and considering how it can improve your business. Before making the switch, be sure to investigate different providers so you can find the one that offers the best services at a fair price.
Every month, we host Microsoft Office and other technology training sessions. Our training sessions are completely free of charge and are available “on-demand”. Yes, you can tune-in whenever and wherever you like.
This month’s training session: 4 Ways To Use Microsoft Outlook Efficiently.
Our in-house Microsoft training specialist, Dawn, will guide you through some very important tips and tricks, such as:
Are your departments still working on Windows 7, which came out over 10 years ago? Find out the pressing reasons to upgrade to Windows 10 now and wait no longer.
Launched in 2015, the latest iteration of the Windows operating system, Windows 10, offers some sensational productivity features that the modern workplace needs to perform in a competitive marketplace. If you’re still running Windows 7, you may not know what you’re missing out on. We could talk all day about the advantages of upgrading now. But increased productivity aside, there are other very important reasons you shouldn’t put this off any longer.
You’ll find not one, but 4 impactful reasons not to delay your Windows 10 upgrade for another year. Here’s what business leaders like you need to know.
1. Windows 7 Soon Won’t be Supported
Windows 7 transformed office operations in leaps and bounds with intuitive new features built around the practical and often complex needs of the 21st Century workplace. Chances are that when Windows 8 came out, you decided to wait on upgrading for some smart reasons:
Rolling out upgrades can interrupt business operations
Upgrades cost money
Training on new features may be necessary
Upgrading obviously isn’t without disruption. You probably made the right decision at the time. But something big is about to change the paradigm.
Microsoft has announced that they will no longer support Windows 7, their 2009 software.
This means no more updates, patches or fixes. And while that may not seem like much, it could spell disaster in the office, which leads us to the second reason to upgrade to Windows 10 now.
2. Lost Business Operations
Lack of upgrades means that over a short period, the 3rd-party applications and programs your employees use with the operating system may stop working. This may include everything from CRMs to phone systems to inventory to logistics to data analytics.
A strategically-planned upgrade rollout will cause minimal business operations disruptions, no doubt. But it’s nothing like the crisis businesses experience when they come into the office to find out a major application no longer works.
Being proactive by upgrading to Windows 10 before these critical systems stop keeps your workplace running smoothly.
3. Trouble Accessing Data
Imagine getting a call in the middle of the night. Your teams can no longer access the essential data they need to do their jobs. Customers are waiting. Chaos ensues.
It sounds like Y2K-level fear-mongering. But this isn’t an unlikely scenario when Microsoft stops supporting an operating system. The updates you get from the company now keep complex systems working together optimally. When that support is cut off, any number of challenges may arise, and they won’t be fixed by Microsoft.
A major loss of data would bring just about any company to its knees. But in some industries like retail, wholesale, healthcare and financial this could threaten the very existence of a company.
Fortunately, there’s a very easy fix and that’s not continuing to work on a 10-year-old operating system and upgrading to Windows 10.
4. Increased Risk of Cyberattacks
We saved this one for last. It’s huge. And because some cyber attackers cast such a broad net, it’s likely one of the first things that will happen, although it may be months before you know.
Cyberattackers are constantly looking for new vulnerabilities that they can exploit in operating systems. Each time they find a new one, Microsoft jumps into action, creating a patch and pushing it out to users in the form of an update. When Microsoft says it will no longer support 7, that means it’s no longer monitoring for these attacks or pushing out patches.
The longer you wait to upgrade, the more attacks you become vulnerable to. You might have the best firewall and antivirus on the market, but if your operating system–the foundation of all of your systems–is vulnerable, everything is vulnerable.
Did you know?
Over 42 cybercriminals are on the FBI’s Most Wanted List, taking their place among organized crime bosses, major drug traffickers and serial murders. Cybercriminals aren’t some lone wolves in a dark basement. They’re organized criminals who work together to exploit businesses.
Cybercrime is a $1.5B industry
Nearly half of all cyber attackers choose to attack the US.
It takes a business an average of 49.6 days to discover that they’ve been breached. During that time, everything from payment information to sensitive communications are being stolen by criminals.
Some attacks are instantaneous. While Ransomware is declining as cryptocurrency loses value and improved security creates a diminishing returns scenario, criminals still encrypt customer data and demand a ransom for its release, devastating businesses large and small.
There are many productivity-related reasons to upgrade to Windows 10. But there are also some very pressing reasons that the time is now. Start planning your upgrade today.
Trying to decide whether to lease a copier or buy a copier? Find out the pros and cons. See when buying or leasing may be the best option for your business.
No single piece of equipment in the office takes more of a beating than the floor-standing copier.
Day in and day out it endures transitions between high heat and frigid office temps, paper jam tug-of-war, lid slamming and endless pieces of paper traveling at lightning speed across its rollers. All of this demanding work takes a toll on the device, giving it an average lifespan of just five years in a busy office.
Eventually, you’ll find yourself needing to find a replacement and the question arises: should you lease or buy a copier? There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to that question. These pros and cons will help you make the right choice for you and your business.
Why Buy a Copier?
When you’re playing the long game, buying a copier is usually the less expensive option–when it comes to the cost of the copier. You’ll avoid finance charges and other fees. You’ll also avoid a hard credit check, which may impact your credit score. If you’re a smaller or growing business, you like to keep your credit as clean as possible.
And even if you did have to put it on credit, the printer is yours after you finish paying for it. Some high-quality floor copiers can last up to 10 years, especially if you’re not a high-volume office. So that may be a very good deal.
Okay. So it sounds like buying is the way to go. But wait! There are some cons to consider.
When Buying a Copier Isn’t Your Best Option
Since the dawn of time, technology has never stood still. And the rate of change is only getting faster. A bought printer may have everything you need today. But no one really knows what businesses may need in 10 years. That could put you at a competitive disadvantage against newer companies in the future with the latest technology.
If you needed to resell that printer because you weren’t using it like you thought or needed to free up cash, you might recoup 50% if you sold it immediately, but in 5 years, it would probably cost more for someone to move it than they’d pay for the copier.
Not unlike a car, it’s not going to hold its value.
If your rainy day fund is tapped out and you’d have to put buying a copier on credit, interest charges may make the copier cost a lot more than you think you’re saving by buying over leasing a copier.
Finally, an aging printer will also begin to require more maintenance to keep it running smoothly. And you might find yourself feeling like you have to keep it past its prime to get your money’s worth. That may cost you in employee productivity and lost wages.
Why Lease a Copier?
Leasing a copier does make sense if you need to have clear terms from month-to-month. You know upfront how much you pay each month and for how long. That’s often easier on the budget. If cash flow is tight and you’d have to finance a bought printer anyway, leasing may actually end up saving you money.
When your term ends, you’re not stuck with a printer that may now be outdated or breaking down. You can upgrade when you renew your lease. Or, depending on the lease terms, you may be able to buy the copier at the end of the lease for a minimal cost if it’s still working for you.
A newer copier needs less maintenance and functions more efficiently, increasing workplace productivity and reducing worker frustration around inadequate technology. If the leased copier needs maintenance or stops working entirely, that’s likely the responsibility of the leasing company.
That’s not an emergency expense you have to worry about.
When Leasing a Copier Isn’t Your Best Option
You will pay more for the leased copier than you otherwise would. Those pros of leasing listed above come at a price. It’s important to realize that those are what you’re paying for, not just the copier. In a way leasing is another way to manage risk. Not unlike buying insurance, you’re paying the leasing company to take on what would otherwise be your risk.
Every business has a certain amount of risk they’re comfortable managing and planning for. Leasing a copier may not make sense for you if you’re in a position where you can effectively manage more risk. That copier may last you 15 years or five. You just don’t know because lifespan is so strongly affected by how your office uses it.
Ultimately, deciding whether to lease or buy a copier is a very company-specific decision. So weigh these pros and cons and you’ll make the right choice for your business.
Is a jamming printer or copier a common complaint? What’s that downtime costing you? Find out why the printer keeps jamming and how to prevent jams proactively.
Paper jams in a busy office aren’t just frustrating for employees, earning endless mentions in team meetings. They kill productivity. On average, each employee in an office wastes about 22 minutes a day on IT issues, which include things like malfunctioning printers, having to reboot computers, software that won’t load and more. Multiply that by 10, 50 or 250 employees. That really tears into the bottom line.
Fortunately, being proactive can go a long way into trimming this wasted time, allowing you to reclaim that lost labor attributed to workplace copier jams. Here are 5 reasons why the printer keeps jamming and what you can do about it.
1. Inferior Paper in Your Copier
Like so many things in life, you get what you pay for. Printer/Copier paper comes in various weights and thicknesses. Some paper is designed for older, slower copiers. While other paper is designed to handle the swift movement of a modern printer. You don’t have to break the bank on copy paper. But if you’re paying rock bottom prices for paper, it may be time to rethink what that’s really costing you.
2. Incorrect Paper Settings
These days, printers are multi-function. The modern office needs this versatility to get more done without multiple pieces of equipment. But with versatility and advanced function comes complexity in menus. It’s not hard for someone in the office to change a setting to photo paper, transparency, double-sided or stapled and forget to change it back. Or someone new in the office could have accidentally hit a setting.
If you’re wondering why the printer keeps jamming, it’s time to look at those settings and consider a quick training session on how to use the printer.
3. Poorly set paper guides
The employee who loads the paper manually moves the guides during insertion. If the guides are too tight or too loose, your staff may be fixing printer jams all day long. Guides should gently touch the edges of the paper and be checked if the printer keeps jamming.
4. They’re Inserting the Paper Upside Down
This may seem like a no-brainer to someone who constantly prints. But in an office, you usually have many people printing and some will be more familiar with the do’s and don’t’s.
Yes, copy paper does have and intended printing surface.
You’d be surprised how many printers keep jamming because of this simple mistake. The paper packaging will indicate the printing side with an arrow. But what if you’ve already removed the paper from the packaging?
Perform a simple test.
Grab a substantial amount of paper (the whole ream ideally), bend the paper in the middle in one direction, then the other. The direction that curves the most is your printing side.
5. Doing a Variety of Jobs on an Old Copier
That printer-copier that you purchased 10 years ago says that it can perform these many tasks. But the truth is, as printers get older, it becomes harder to switch between types of tasks. Gears, guides and surfaces wear out. Ink, dust or paper residue build up in places.
If the team only performs one type of print job, the printer may last longer. But, eventually, it too will begin to struggle with even basic jobs. Years of tugging jammed paper out and trying to run a printer while jammed wear out sensitive components.
Sometimes cleaning and adjusting by a professional can extend its lifecycle. And you can lengthen the life of a new copier by proactively addressing workplace copier jams, as we’ve discussed. But, over time, the workplace copier jams impact on productivity outweigh the cost of buying or leasing a new one. And that’s when it’s time to do a cost-benefit analysis and make an informed repair or replace decision.
Automate Email Replies in Four Ways to Share Information Better
Learn how to use four powerful tools to automate Microsoft Outlook email responses, including Automatic Replies, Quick Parts, Signatures and Templates
Managing email responses, especially if you are a busy executive looking to keep in touch with clients, colleagues, investors and partners.
With Microsoft Outlook, you have multiple opportunities to automate your email responses. Here’s a look at four of the most effective ways to automate your email responses.
How Can I Use Templates to Automate Email Responses?
Templates are a simple way to create automated messages.
You can start with templates by creating a new message or replying to one.
On the ribbon, click on the View Templates button. This will bring up a new window with a section called My Templates, with a few common responses listed.
You can edit or remove these templates or create your own. For each template, you can give it a title and in the text box enter in any standardized response you choose, including copying and pasting from other documents.
Once you have your templates selected, you can add them to a new email or response quickly and edit them within the body of the message. For frequent phrasing and responses, the templates option helps to accelerate your communication.
The advantage of templates is that they are very easy to use, edit, update and delete. The downside is that they are very basic and include no formatting options within the template itself.
How Can Signatures Be Automated?
Preset signatures can help create various messages for different situations. In most cases, a default signature will be applied to all your outgoing messages. These signatures typically contain the following:
Full name
Title
Phone numbers
Website
Social media links
Often these signatures are standardized throughout an organization or division, and often contain specific marketing or legal language.
Signatures are highly formattable and can contain graphics or photos to convey further messages.
You can use signatures to be more productive and create messaging that varies based on the email recipient or whether the email is for business or personal reasons.
To create, modify or delete signatures, there are several ways to proceed. If you’re in a new message, go to the Message tab and click on the Signature button. This will bring up any existing signatures already in your account. To create a new one, click on the Signatures … selection at the bottom of the menu.
Another way to access the Signatures functionality is to use the File menu, clicking on Options, then Mail then Signatures.
No matter which option you choose, you’ll reach a new screen where you can select an existing signature to edit, rename or delete, or create a new signature. In the bottom box, you can:
Add text and images
Adjust the font and size
Insert hyperlinks
Set the signature’s alignment
Signatures are listed alphabetically, so naming conventions are important, especially for employees managing emails for other people or corporate accounts.
The top right section of the Signatures screen allows you to choose the email account to use and the default signature to use for new messages and replies or forwards.
Signatures have additional functionality. For messages that are sent repeatedly, the Signatures tool helps automate communication. The signature box can be used to include copy that is used for regular messages — a much faster option than saving text to a draft message or copying and pasting from a Word document. You can create multiple response signatures for typical inquiries.
What Is Quick Parts?
Quick Parts, formerly known as Building Blocks and Auto Text, helps you copy and save repeated boilerplate text blocks that can be inserted into an email. This is helpful for messages that include requests for information or other repetitive content.
To create a new Quick Part, reply to a message or create a new one. Type new text or highlight and copy existing text that you want to retain. Formatting will remain. In the ribbon, under the Text group, click on the Quick Parts button. This action brings up a list of existing Quick Parts, sorted by category, and allows you to create a new entry. A new window appears, where you can create a name, gallery category and description for the entry. (You can create new categories from this screen, too.)
Finally, you can determine in what email template you want the Quick Part available and some options for insertion.
Once saved, the Quick Part is now available for use. Create a new message, click on the Insert button and then the Quick Parts option to see a list of options for you to insert.
Quick Parts has several advantages. It allows for the inclusion of long entries with retained formatting for text and graphics. It also allows you to add multiple Quick Parts to the same message.
Right-clicking on any of the Quick Parts pops open options for where to insert the quick part, edit its properties or organize your available items. Quick Parts can also be inserted into Calendar entries or Tasks.
How Do Automatic Replies Work?
Automatic Replies are a standard staple in most offices. It’s an excellent time-management tool that quickly lets those within and outside your organization know your status.
To use Automatic Replies, you’ll need to be using an Outlook version that includes Microsoft Exchange server account or Exchange Online through Office 365. Standalone versions of Outlook do not support this feature.
Access Automatic Replies by going to the File tab and choosing Automatic Replies (Out of Office) from the Info tab. Select the Send automatic replies button and if you prefer, enter the dates and times you want the feature to be used in response to incoming messages.
The window defaults to the message you want sent inside your organization. You can add the text you need and apply basic formatting (font, size, effect, bullets or numeration, and indentation.
Remember to review the content so you don’t use an old message.
You can also opt to have a different message for those outside the organization. You can cut and paste between the two audience windows to create customized communications options.
The basic information to include in an Automatic Reply message is:
The length of your absence
When you will return
Who to contact for urgent matters
The Automatic Reply message is also a great way to share other information, such as social media links, news or other high-value content.
You can also set rules regarding your messages, such as whether to alert or copy a coworker regarding messages from specific senders or to reply with a specific template.
Once turned on, you’ll see a message bar in yellow at the top of your Inbox reminding you that Automatic Replies are turned on, along with an option for turning them off.
Automation is a powerful way to save time, deliver important messages and improve communication in your email responses. Using the four featured solutions here, either independently or together, can keep projects moving and share information.
FaceApp, the AI-powered photo editing app, went viral for quite a while until various experts expressed concerns about cybersecurity. In light of these concerns, we’ve put together a quick factsheet on mobile applications and cybersecurity.
Here are a few tried and true ways to protect yourself:
Download applications from trusted sources only and do your research before hitting install.
Keep your mobile phone’s operating system up-to-date at all times with the latest upgrades and patches.
Take a look at the application’s permissions and privacy policy before you decide to download.
Check out reviews online for each application you download to make sure there are no noted issues.
Update applications you’re using on a regular basis and delete those you’re not using anymore.
Look for warning signs, such as excessive permissions, pop-up ads, and in-app purchases.
As a last note for parents, make sure you’re checking what your children are downloading, or better yet, make sure they can’t download anything without your permission!
When chosen carefully, technology can make your work life (and your employees’) a lot more efficient. But without the help of an expert IT company, how can you be sure you even have the right technology in the first place?
IT should not just be an afterthought.
Just like your staff, technology is a resource in which you invest. You wouldn’t hire someone to work for you without finding out what they can do, and figuring out where best they would fit in the organization, right?
It should work the same way with your technology.
It’s critical that you align technology to your organizational goals so that you’re not wasting money or technology you’ve already bought. Some have their IT company handle this, and some try to tackle it on their own.
1. Embrace Technology & The Digital Transformation
It’s simply the way the world is moving, and for good reason. The business workplace is being drastically altered by technology as each year goes by – if you don’t embrace it, then you’ll be left behind.
What Is Digital Transformation?
At its simplest, it’s the initiative to use technology for better business outcomes. That’s rather general though, isn’t it?
To understand it, it may be more effective to look at the way technology is changing the workplace, such as that…
A vast majority (up to 80%) of IT budgets are directed towards “business as usual”.
The fact is that, whether you embrace technology or not, the people you interact with (your customers and employees) will expect you to. If you don’t, they’ll work with someone else who does.
Don’t believe it?
75% of consumers say they’re more likely to buy from you if you know their name, purchase history and can recommend products/services based on that info.
That’s why you need to make an effort to understand how technology can affect positive change in the work that you do. From customer experience to workflow optimization, technology is playing a big role in the way businesses operate.
2. Make The Most Of The Cloud
The cloud may still feel like new technology – but in reality, it’s been around for more than 10 years now.
Does that make you feel old?
Let’s be clear about something – the cloud is here to stay. In recent years you may have still heard the occasional “industry insider” suggest that the world may be moving too quickly to an untested and unsure platform in cloud computing, but no more. The cloud is now an integral part of daily life for private consumer and business users alike.
Public Cloud: Ideal for small businesses that may have trouble budgeting for any other type of cloud deployment, a public cloud is simple and cost-effective. Your data is stored in a “communal” data center, which, while not offering the best possible security or compliance guarantees, is often sufficient enough for organizations that aren’t required to maintain regulated compliance.
Private Cloud: A secure, dedicated environment to ensure maximum performance, security, and functionality for your business applications and employees. This is usually deployed for complaint-driven businesses such as healthcare and finance.
A Hybrid Cloud: This is like a dedicated cloud computing resource on Office 365 and Azure Stack with an extension to on-premise resources for maximum performance, control, security, and functionality. This is for businesses that require maximum control and scalability.
Instead of entrusting your legacy solutions to a public or private cloud, many businesses are opting for a hybrid cloud. They use a mix of on-premise, private and third-party public cloud services because this provides an infrastructure where one or many touchpoints exist between the environments.
Using a hybrid cloud gives you the freedom to choose which applications and resources you want to keep in the data center and which ones you want to store in the Cloud.
How Is The Cloud Delivered?
SaaS (Software as a Service): Software as a Service (SaaS) applications are being adopted at a much faster pace today than in the past. These are productivity applications like Microsoft Office 365, cloud-based practice management solutions, accounting programs, and more. Your SaaS provider helps you identify and select line of business applications that will run well in the cloud. They can migrate your data and integrate it with software platforms in your current premise or cloud technology stack, or help you implement new ones.
PaaS (Platform as a Service): This is whole cloth delivery of web applications that are based in the cloud, all via a comprehensive platform. The idea is that, in accessing this platform, you can utilize, develop and even deliver applications based on resources that you don’t need to maintain on-site.
IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service): Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) delivers IT infrastructure on an outsourced basis and provides hardware, storage, servers, data center space, and software if needed. It’s used on-demand, rather than requiring you to purchase their own equipment. That means you don’t have to expend the capital to invest in new hardware.
Why Should You Use The Cloud?
For the same reasons that thousands of other businesses around the world have already adopted cloud computing:
Computing Power: The cloud has the ability to activate tens of thousands of CPUs. This unparalleled power can quickly perform deep analytics of your data, and process nearly any ad-hoc queries that you require.
Reliable Costs: The cloud services subscription model offers the strategic advantage of low-cost, low-risk opt-in combined with a simple, predictable monthly fee.
Easy Scalability: Cloud services have the unique strategic characteristic of being able to stretch or shrink to suit your current level of demand. This is especially useful for businesses of scale or companies that go through seasons of activity.
Real-Time Collaboration: With cloud technology, your staff doesn’t have to wait for each other to be done with their part of the document or project in order to tackle their own aspect. They can all work on the same project at the same time to maximize productivity.
Remote Work Capability: This cloud feature allows you and your employees to work remotely as need be, which will give your business members the flexibility they desire to have a more balanced home/work life.
3. Don’t Overlook Email
Email is perhaps the most ubiquitous technology used in the business world today – possibly even more so than the phone. It’s instantaneous, can deliver important files, and doesn’t require the immediate attention that a phone call does.
That’s why you need it – it’s a non-negotiable. And, if you’re currently using some free, no-name email client, you may want to consider an upgrade. When it comes to some as universal as email, paying for a better option is undoubtedly worth the money.
A good choice would be Microsoft Outlook, which has been the email program of choice for businesses for many years, and with good reason. With an abundance of great features and endless options for customization, it’s the perfect solution for those trying to communicate effectively in the business setting.
4. Stay Mobile
Did you know that 80% of the workforce operates at least in part from outside the office?
That’s thanks to a combination of the cloud and the mobile devices that each and every person you work with carries around in their pocket. By 2020, the number of smartphone users worldwide is expected to reach 2.87 billion.
Mobility has delivered a number of advantages to organizations that are willing to embrace new technology, including:
Cost-Effect: Having your staff use their own personal devices for work means that you don’t have to pay for the technology they’d be using otherwise. Depending on the size of your practice, that could mean potential savings of thousands of dollars that would have been necessary to pay for tablets and work phones.
Convenience & User Experience: Allowing your staff to use their technology also means there’s no pesky learning curve to overcome with new devices. Instead of having to ensure your staff knows how to use the hardware at work, they can simply use the phone, tablet and/or laptop they’re already familiar with.
Productivity: Being able to use a mobile device, managing and executing tasks using the devices they’re familiar with can greatly boost productivity – in some cases, up to 53%.
Implement A Mobile Device Management Policy
This type of comprehensive policy dictates how your employees can use their personal devices for work purposes, dictating which security apps should be installed, and what best practices need to be followed.
An effective MDM policy should also instill safe and secure practices for employees that use personal devices for business purposes. Key considerations include:
Decide when and how mobile devices will be used. Integrated into your internal network, these devices can be used to access, store, transmit, and receive business data. You’ll need to have policies in place to regulate how employees use their devices to interact with sensitive data. Take the time to consider the risks associated with mobile device use, such as the potential for devices containing business data to be lost or stolen, infected with malware, or the potential for accidental disclosure of confidential information through sharing a device with a family member or connecting to an unsecured wireless network.
Consider how mobile device use can pose risks to your data. A risk analysis will help you identify vulnerabilities in your security infrastructure, and help you determine the safeguards, policies, and procedures you’ll need to have in place. Whether the devices in question are personal devices or provided by your IT company, you will still need to have a clear idea of how they’re being used to communicate with your internal network and systems. Assessments should be conducted periodically, especially after a new device is granted access, a device is lost or stolen, or a security breach is suspected.
Develop, document, and implement mobile device usage policies and procedures. Policies that are designed for mobile devices will help you manage risks and vulnerabilities specific to these devices. These policies should include processes for identifying all devices being used to access business data, routinely checking that all devices have the correct security and configuration settings in place, whether or not staff can use mobile devices to access internal systems, whether staff can take work devices home with them, and how you will go about deactivating or revoking the access of staff members who are no longer employed.
5. Help Your Team Collaborate
You and I know that the way you do work is changing.
Employees are no longer simply stuck behind desks, completing tasks on PCs and working within the same office. Workforces are mobile, getting work done from wherever it’s most convenient. This requires the capability to share files securely and conveniently.
Businesses are hiring more and more remote workers – in fact, it’s the way half the country works every day. So many staff members that work from home, outside of the business’ city of operation, and even much further away.
Why would so many businesses be transitioning to this workplace model? Isn’t it undeniably better to have everyone in one place, under one roof?
Not necessarily.
Why Do People Prefer To Work Remotely?
More than anything else, it’s convenient:
Remote workers don’t have to spend time commuting to and from work each day, the extent of which can often be a deal-breaker for potential hires when considering a job.
Employers don’t have to invest in the space or resources for their entire staff – that means saving money on office space, hardware, break room amenities and more.
Businesses get access to a skillset and personnel base far outside of what you could call the “commute radius”; whether it’s 30 minutes from the office or two hours, at a certain point you wouldn’t be able to hire someone you’d like to because they live too far away for it to be feasible.
You could try Microsoft SharePoint, which is designed to allow you to share files, collaborate, edit, and more with anywhere from a single coworker to an entire team. Files in SharePoint aren’t owned or associated with one specific person – everyone on the team has read and write access.
Files that you store in a given Microsoft Team Site can be accessed by all team members, allowing everyone to collaborate by creating lists and libraries in which to store content. SharePoint offers a range of other features as well to help enrich the experience, including metadata, workflows, custom views and more.
SharePoint is where you keep the files that you want your team members to access, update, edit, etc. Try using SharePoint for your next team project and see how effective it really is.
Invest In Your Future
In the end, modernizing your office doesn’t have to be a massive restructuring of the way you do business. Step by step you can affect these changes, either by talking to your staff about mobile device use for work or consulting with your IT company about how to automate more of your daily tasks.
With Microsoft Outlook, you have multiple opportunities to automate your email responses. Here’s a look at four of the most effective ways to automate your email responses.
How Can I Use Templates to Automate Email Responses?
Templates are a simple way to create automated messages.
You can start with templates by creating a new message or replying to one.
On the ribbon, click on the View Templates button. This will bring up a new window with a section called My Templates, with a few common responses listed.
You can edit or remove these templates or create your own. For each template, you can give it a title and in the text box enter in any standardized response you choose, including copying and pasting from other documents.
Once you have your templates selected, you can add them to a new email or response quickly and edit them within the body of the message. For frequent phrasing and responses, the templates option helps to accelerate your communication.
The advantage of templates is that they are very easy to use, edit, update and delete. The downside is that they are very basic and include no formatting options within the template itself.
How Can Signatures Be Automated?
Preset signatures can help create various messages for different situations. In most cases, a default signature will be applied to all your outgoing messages. These signatures typically contain the following:
Full name
Title
Phone numbers
Website
Social media links
Often these signatures are standardized throughout an organization or division, and often contain specific marketing or legal language.
Signatures are highly formattable and can contain graphics or photos to convey further messages.
You can use signatures to be more productive and create messaging that varies based on the email recipient or whether the email is for business or personal reasons.
To create, modify or delete signatures, there are several ways to proceed. If you’re in a new message, go to the Message tab and click on the Signature button. This will bring up any existing signatures already in your account. To create a new one, click on the Signatures … selection at the bottom of the menu.
Another way to access the Signatures functionality is to use the File menu, clicking on Options, then Mail then Signatures.
No matter which option you choose, you’ll reach a new screen where you can select an existing signature to edit, rename or delete, or create a new signature. In the bottom box, you can:
Add text and images
Adjust the font and size
Insert hyperlinks
Set the signature’s alignment
Signatures are listed alphabetically, so naming conventions are important, especially for employees managing emails for other people or corporate accounts.
The top right section of the Signatures screen allows you to choose the email account to use and the default signature to use for new messages and replies or forwards.
Signatures have additional functionality. For messages that are sent repeatedly, the Signatures tool helps automate communication. The signature box can be used to include copy that is used for regular messages — a much faster option than saving text to a draft message or copying and pasting from a Word document. You can create multiple response signatures for typical inquiries.
What Are Quick Parts?
Quick Parts, formerly known as Building Blocks and Auto Text, helps you copy and save repeated boilerplate text blocks that can be inserted into an email. This is helpful for messages that include requests for information or other repetitive content.
To create a new Quick Part, reply to a message or create a new one. Type new text or highlight and copy existing text that you want to retain. Formatting will remain. In the ribbon, under the Text group, click on the Quick Parts button. This action brings up a list of existing Quick Parts, sorted by category, and allows you to create a new entry. A new window appears, where you can create a name, gallery category and description for the entry. (You can create new categories from this screen, too.)
Finally, you can determine in what email template you want the Quick Part available and some options for insertion.
Once saved, the Quick Part is now available for use. Create a new message, click on the Insert button and then the Quick Parts option to see a list of options for you to insert.
Quick Parts has several advantages. It allows for the inclusion of long entries with retained formatting for text and graphics. It also allows you to add multiple Quick Parts to the same message.
Right-clicking on any of the Quick Parts pops open options for where to insert the quick part, edit its properties or organize your available items. Quick Parts can also be inserted into Calendar entries or Tasks.
How Do Automatic Replies Work?
Automatic Replies are a standard staple in most offices. It’s an excellent time-management tool that quickly lets those within and outside your organization know your status.
To use Automatic Replies, you’ll need to be using an Outlook version that includes Microsoft Exchange server account or Exchange Online through Office 365. Standalone versions of Outlook do not support this feature.
Access Automatic Replies by going to the File tab and choosing Automatic Replies (Out of Office) from the Info tab. Select the Send automatic replies button and if you prefer, enter the dates and times you want the feature to be used in response to incoming messages.
The window defaults to the message you want sent inside your organization. You can add the text you need and apply basic formatting (font, size, effect, bullets or numeration, and indentation.
Remember to review the content so you don’t use an old message.
You can also opt to have a different message for those outside the organization. You can cut and paste between the two audience windows to create customized communications options.
The basic information to include in an Automatic Reply message is:
The length of your absence
When you will return
Who to contact for urgent matters
The Automatic Reply message is also a great way to share other information, such as social media links, news or other high-value content.
You can also set rules regarding your messages, such as whether to alert or copy a coworker regarding messages from specific senders or to reply with a specific template.
Once turned on, you’ll see a message bar in yellow at the top of your Inbox reminding you that Automatic Replies are turned on, along with an option for turning them off.
Automation is a powerful way to save time, deliver important messages and improve communication in your email responses. Using the four featured solutions here, either independently or together, can keep projects moving and share information.
Every month, we host Microsoft Office and other technology training sessions. Our training sessions are completely free of charge and are available “on-demand”. Yes, you can tune-in whenever and wherever you like.
This month’s training session: 4 Ways To Use Microsoft Outlook Efficiently.
Our in-house Microsoft training specialist, Dawn, will guide you through some very important tips and tricks, such as:
