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Take notes the modern way with OneNoteNote-taking is a vital skill in life. Whether you’re in a board meeting, conference, or lecture, you’re bound to list, quote, or summarize certain points in order to recall and better understand them later. Thanks to new technologies, you now have more ways to take notes than just using pen and paper. With your mobile […]

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Take notes the modern way with OneNote

Note-taking is a vital skill in life. Whether you’re in a board meeting, conference, or lecture, you’re bound to list, quote, or summarize certain points in order to recall and better understand them later. Thanks to new technologies, you now have more ways to take notes than just using pen and paper. With your mobile device and Microsoft OneNote, you can easily record your notes and even customize and share them. Read on to discover how to get the most out of this app.

Organize your digital notebook

While both Microsoft Word and OneNote let you create text-heavy documents, they store and display saved information differently. Word displays one document at a time, while OneNote can show you all your documents at once.

When you open the desktop version of OneNote for the first time, it shows you a default Notebook called “My Notebook.” If you want to create another Notebook, click on the < button beside the name of your current one, then choose +Notebook at the bottom of your screen.

You can customize a Notebook by separating it into subcategories called Sections, which are like dividers in a physical notebook. For instance, you can dedicate one Section for notes regarding a particular client or product. Sections are shown as color-coded tabs along the top of the screen, next to the name of your Notebook. You can add more sections by clicking on +Section at the bottom left of your screen.

You can add individual pages to a Section by clicking +Page, and you can use this feature to separate information. For example, you can add pages pertaining to a client’s contact details, project statuses, and billing information.

You can rename your Notebook, or any Section or Page, by right-clicking on it and choosing the rename option.

Start experimenting

There’s no hard-and-fast rule to enjoy OneNote because each person’s note-taking habits are unique. It’s best to try out all the features and decide which are most useful for you. Here are some things you can try:

  • Add tags to your notes so you can search for them efficiently.
  • Instantly turn your drawings into shapes or text using the Ink to Shape and Ink to Text functions, respectively.
  • Solve equations by using the Ink Math Assistant (which can help you graph or solve math problems).
  • Use Immersive Reader to read texts out loud.
  • Write on a web page in Microsoft Edge and save your annotations to OneNote.

Keep in mind, however, that these work only in OneNote for Windows 10. If you’re using an older version of the app, you’ll need to upgrade to the latest version to enjoy these features.

Share your OneNote

So you’ve created a detailed plan for an upcoming event complete with visual pegs and handwritten instructions and you want to share this with your team. That’s as easy as pie with OneNote. Just go to the upper right corner of your ribbon, click on the Share button, and type in the email addresses of the people to whom you wish to send your notes. You can also set the sharing permissions to either “can view” or “can edit,” giving you more control over your data.

OneNote has numerous features and it can take months for you to master all of them. Call us today, and we’ll make sure you’ll get the hang of OneNote in no time.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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BYOD vs. CYOD: Which is better for your business?Bring your own device (BYOD) and choose your own device (CYOD) policies have been shown to enhance employees’ flexibility, productivity, and job satisfaction. If you’re thinking of adopting one of these strategies, here are some things to consider. What is BYOD? With BYOD, employees use their own devices, such as smartphones and laptops, to connect […]

The post BYOD vs. CYOD: Which is better for your business? appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

BYOD vs. CYOD: Which is better for your business?

Bring your own device (BYOD) and choose your own device (CYOD) policies have been shown to enhance employees’ flexibility, productivity, and job satisfaction. If you’re thinking of adopting one of these strategies, here are some things to consider.

What is BYOD?

With BYOD, employees use their own devices, such as smartphones and laptops, to connect to the company network, access business data and applications, and perform work-related tasks. Since your staff are already familiar with these devices, the need to learn and adjust to a new technology is eliminated. Therefore, your employees can get right to work, which leads to higher efficiency as well as better employee experience.

Also, BYOD gives employees greater flexibility and increased mobility, as it enables them to work anywhere, anytime. They don’t have to be chained to a desk in order to do their tasks. Instead, they can use their smartphones to check emails or their laptops to edit documents even when they’re on the go.

Your business stands to gain a lot from BYOD as well. Aside from enjoying enhanced employee productivity, you can reduce expenses related to owning computers and mobile devices, including maintenance and upgrades. The money you save can be put toward investments to further improve your bottom line.

However, the main drawback of BYOD is the risk involved when you grant employee-owned devices access to corporate resources. If you’re considering adopting BYOD, you must create a BYOD security policy to ensure that your company’s assets are well protected. This policy should outline key elements such as:

  • The applications and data that employees can access from their personal devices
  • The minimum security control requirements for employee-owned devices
  • The implementation of a mobile device management solution that will allow your IT staff to remotely wipe lost or stolen devices of company data

What is CYOD?

CYOD allows users to choose from a list of devices approved by the company. In this regard, CYOD is similar to BYOD — it gives employees freedom of choice. While not everyone may like the selection of available devices, they may appreciate having a say regarding what computer or mobile device they’ll be using for work. You can also offer employees the option to purchase the device from the company, paying in installments or upfront.

For businesses, the biggest advantage of CYOD is security. You can equip devices with security features to ensure that sensitive data is properly protected. However, since you own the devices, the responsibility of spending on security and optimization will fall on you. This may not be ideal for small businesses or those with a limited budget.

Which policy should your company adopt?

Ultimately, the choice between BYOD and CYOD boils down to what your business needs. If you’re operating on a tight budget, a BYOD policy is the right option for you. On the other hand, CYOD is perfect if you want to ensure the security of your data and other company assets.

If you still need more information to help you make a decision or you just need guidance on all things related to business IT, give our experts a call today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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Easy steps for sharing calendars on Microsoft 365Sharing your calendar on Outlook is a great way to keep your team on the same page about specific events and workflows. Fortunately, Microsoft 365 makes doing so a lot simpler. Here are the ways to share or publish your calendar on different versions of Outlook. Outlook on the web If you have Microsoft 365 […]

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Easy steps for sharing calendars on Microsoft 365

Sharing your calendar on Outlook is a great way to keep your team on the same page about specific events and workflows. Fortunately, Microsoft 365 makes doing so a lot simpler. Here are the ways to share or publish your calendar on different versions of Outlook.

Outlook on the web

If you have Microsoft 365 or another email service based on Microsoft Exchange Online, follow these steps to share your calendar:

  1. Open the Calendar by clicking on the calendar icon at the bottom of the page.
  2. Once you’re in Calendar, go to the toolbar at the top of the page. Click on Share and choose which calendar you want to share. Keep in mind that you can only share calendars you own and not other people’s.
  3. Indicate whom you want to share your calendar with by entering their email address or name.
  4. Select which activities recipients are permitted to perform on your calendar. You can choose from the following:
    • Can view when I’m busy ⁠– if you want the calendar to show when you’re busy but hide certain details
    • Can view titles and locations ⁠– if you want the calendar to indicate when you’re busy, as well as key details like an event’s title or location
    • Can view all details ⁠– if you want the calendar to reveal all details about an event
    • Can edit ⁠– if you want recipients to be able to modify your calendar
    • Delegate ⁠– if you want recipients to be able to alter your calendar and share it with other users
  5. To proceed, click on Share. If you change your mind, click on the Trash icon to cancel sharing your calendar.

Alternatively, you can publish your calendar and share it with others using a URL. Here’s how you do it:

  1. In Calendar, go to Settings and click View all Outlook settings.
  2. Select Shared calendars.
  3. Go to Publish a calendar and choose which calendar you want to publish and how much information is revealed to recipients.
  4. Click Publish.
  5. You will be given the choice between using an HTML or an ICS link. The HTML link can be used to view your calendar using a browser like Firefox or Google Chrome. An ICS link allows recipients to import your calendar and view it on their own Outlook calendar.

Outlook.com

Like Outlook on the web, Outlook.com allows you to share your calendar directly or publish it. The steps for sharing are exactly like those used in Outlook on the web, too, except you only have two options for how recipients can use your calendar. These are “Can view all details” and “Can edit.

Publishing your calendar on Outlook.com requires you to::

  1. Click on the calendar icon to open the Calendar view.
  2. In Calendar, go to Settings and click View all Outlook settings.
  3. Go to Calendar and select Shared calendars.
  4. In “Publish a calendar,” select which calendar you’re publishing and how much information it contains.
  5. Click Publish and choose to use either an HTML or ICS link.

Outlook on iOS and Android

If you’re using a mobile version of Outlook, these are the steps for sharing your calendar:

  1. On your Outlook app, click the hamburger button at the top-left corner and select Calendar.
  2. Go to Share and tap on Add People to indicate your calendar’s recipients.
  3. Input each recipient’s name or email address. Once you’re done, tap on the Check button at the top-right corner of the page.
  4. You will see a list of recipients. Tap on a name to edit their permissions and how much information they’re allowed to see. As with Outlook on the web, available options are “Can View,” “Can Edit,” “Delegate,” “Only When I’m Busy,” “Only Titles and Locations,” and “All Details.”
  5. To remove a user from your recipients, tap on Remove at the bottom of the page.
  6. After you’ve set permissions, tap on the Check button at the top-right corner of the page.

The Outlook calendar is an excellent feature for managing your team’s events and workflows and can help boost your efficiency and productivity. If you have other questions and concerns about Microsoft 365, get in touch with us today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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Increase your organization’s productivity with Workplace AnalyticsMicrosoft Workplace Analytics is a powerful tool that gathers data from Office 365 applications such as Word, Excel, and Outlook, gleaning insights about your employees’ performance. This solution provides a better understanding of how every member of your team spends their time at work and helps improve both employee engagement and productivity. How does Workplace […]

The post Increase your organization’s productivity with Workplace Analytics appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

Increase your organization’s productivity with Workplace Analytics

Microsoft Workplace Analytics is a powerful tool that gathers data from Office 365 applications such as Word, Excel, and Outlook, gleaning insights about your employees’ performance. This solution provides a better understanding of how every member of your team spends their time at work and helps improve both employee engagement and productivity.

How does Workplace Analytics work?

A paid add-on to Office 365 enterprise plans, Workplace Analytics extracts behavioral insights from data gathered from emails, calendars, documents, and Office 365 apps. This means any data an employee enters into Office 365 can be used to assess their performance and productivity.

The data from which insights are gleaned are generated by employees themselves — how much time they spend on meetings, who they communicate with, and how much time they spend on productive tasks.

All this data can be viewed on the Workplace Analytics dashboard, where information is sorted using the following metrics:

  • Week in the life provides information on how the entire organization spends time and how employees collaborate with one another.
  • Meetings overview shows the amount of time people spend in meetings.
  • Management and coaching presents information about one-on-one meetings between each employee and their direct manager.
  • The internal networks metric shows how people within your organization communicate and collaborate with one another.
  • External collaboration provides insights into how your employees connect with individuals or teams from third-party organizations.
  • Teams collaboration takes a look at how employees and managers use Microsoft Teams to communicate with their colleagues.

What does Workplace Analytics aim to do?

Workplace Analytics is designed to solve businesses' most common problems, specifically issues related to productivity and engagement.

Using Workplace Analytics data, business leaders can develop effective productivity strategies for the entire company. For instance, if the data shows that employees spend 60% of their time in meetings, managers can come up with a strategy to make meetings shorter or less frequent so staff can focus on productive tasks. Similarly, human resources personnel can use data on employees’ work patterns to identify the causes of burnout — now a widespread issue across businesses and industries — and make recommendations to address it.

Workplace Analytics can be also used to determine how workers collaborate with internal and external parties. Suppose a member of your sales team frequently works and communicates with certain vendors. The sales team's manager can pull up Workplace Analytics data and use it to assess whether or not this collaboration is helping the team meet targets, or if it’s causing them to miss out on other, more critical opportunities for collaboration and/or making a sale. Based on this information, the manager can also identify which employees are most likely to meet or exceed their targets and set company-wide standards accordingly.

Finally, Workplace Analytics allows managers to determine an employee’s level of engagement, and whether workloads are fairly distributed among workers and/or departments.

To ensure you get the full benefits of Workplace Analytics, partner with a reputable managed IT services provider like us. Our experts are highly skilled and experienced in implementing and managing Microsoft programs and services, so you can rest easy knowing your business is in good hands. Drop us a line today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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