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Should you use UPS for your network gear?Smart business owners use an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) for emergency situations like a storm, fire, or other disasters. Often, a UPS is deployed for desktop computers to give employees ample time to save their work and prevent losing unsaved work. An even better power-saving strategy in emergency situations, however, is to use UPS for […]

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Should you use UPS for your network gear?

Smart business owners use an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) for emergency situations like a storm, fire, or other disasters. Often, a UPS is deployed for desktop computers to give employees ample time to save their work and prevent losing unsaved work. An even better power-saving strategy in emergency situations, however, is to use UPS for networking equipment.

UPS for network equipment

UPS systems provide backup power in case of outages and protect against power surges, which don’t just damage computers but also make you lose unsaved work. Deploying them for Wi-Fi routers and modems allows you to stay connected to the internet in what is typically a chaotic time.

Moreover, it makes sense not to just keep your PCs powered up, but to also have internet access during a disaster. This strategy works relatively well if your staff are predominantly laptop users, as that means you only need power for your Wi-Fi gear.

Better than generators

Although generators are indispensable for certain businesses, they also require greater upkeep. Small- and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) may not have enough capacity to maintain them because they typically require a utility crew who can manage high-maintenance equipment.

What’s more, extreme mishaps when misused or mishandled could result in generator-related fatalities. On the other hand, misusing a UPS unit could result in the loss of a day’s work, but it’s unlikely to lead to anything as extreme.

Why internet access is important during a disaster

UPS-supported modems or routers help you stay online for as much as 90 minutes, which should be enough time to get your bearings before power finally runs out. Internet service providers (ISPs) are usually prepared for catastrophes and would normally have an emergency power source to stay operational. And if you can stay online via Wi-Fi during an emergency, you get the following benefits:

  • Internet speed that’s faster than cellular access
  • No extra telecom costs resulting from overreliance on cellular data
  • All devices stay online using a stable Wi-Fi connection
  • Devices don’t have to rely on cellular data-equipped phones for internet connection

Plug in your network gear now

Businesses that aren’t located in disaster-prone areas probably don’t give much thought to installing UPSs for their computers, let alone their modems. But accidents and emergencies are inevitable. And when they happen, you’ll find that having internet access is one of the most important things you need to ensure business continuity.

Think of an emergency power supply source like a UPS as an investment that not just protects your systems from data loss but also keeps your Wi-Fi equipment functioning in emergency scenarios. Call us today for productivity-saving tips and other hardware hacks for your business.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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Great Android office apps to boost your productivityGoogle Play Store offers a wide range of office apps for Android smartphones and tablets. Such apps allow users to work whenever and wherever, with some even allowing them to do work even when they’re offline. Read on to learn about some of the best office apps for Android. Microsoft Office View, edit, share, and […]

The post Great Android office apps to boost your productivity appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

Great Android office apps to boost your productivity

Google Play Store offers a wide range of office apps for Android smartphones and tablets. Such apps allow users to work whenever and wherever, with some even allowing them to do work even when they’re offline. Read on to learn about some of the best office apps for Android.

Microsoft Office

View, edit, share, and collaborate on documents using the Microsoft Office suite of mobile apps. Familiar favorites like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint can be downloaded for free, and you can unlock additional features and functions by getting an Office 365 subscription. Any document, presentation, or spreadsheet you create or it will sync edit to OneDrive so you can access your files at any time, from anywhere, on any device.

Google Drive

More than just free cloud storage, Google Drive for Android offers a whole suite of office apps. Get Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Slides, and Google Photos for free, and for as low as $1.99 per month, you can get additional storage for all of your documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and images. Another great feature of Drive is that you can still view and edit documents even if you’re not connected to a Wi-Fi or mobile network, making working more convenient.

Office Suite

Office Suite supports all basic Microsoft formats (DOC, DOCX, XLS, XLSX, etc.) as well as other common file formats (PDF, ODT, OOS, ODP, etc.). It also lets users access and sync files in Google Drive, OneDrive, Amazon Cloud Drive, Dropbox, Box, and MobiSystems Drive. The free version has all the basic features such as creating and editing documents. Meanwhile, the paid versions — which run from $19.99 to $29.99 — allow PDF scanning, spell-checking, and chat capabilities, among other additional functionalities.

Polaris Office

Polaris Office has a similar interface and features to Office Suite. It is compatible with other office apps for Android and supports different file formats, including PDF. Polaris Office has pointer and pen features that allow users to edit, create, and open files, as well as take down notes with ease. Users can sync all their documents on Polaris Drive, or access files stored in other cloud storage platforms such as Google Drive and Dropbox.

WPS Office

WPS (Writer, Presentation, and Spreadsheets) Office is an all-in-one office app that supports all the basic features of Microsoft Office and Google Drive. Use it to create and edit presentations, spreadsheets, word documents, and PDFs, which you can save to and access from the cloud storage platform of your choice. It also has a free PDF reader, converter, and editor, allowing you to view and add annotations as well as your signature to any PDF file.

Docs to Go

Work from anywhere on your Android smartphone or tablet using Docs to Go. This document viewing and editing app allows you to connect to and sync files on your device to the cloud. It also enables you to send and receive supported email attachments using Gmail or other email apps. Docs to Go’s find and replace feature makes editing any document easy. What’s more, paid versions of the app give you the option to open password-protected Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and PDF files.

Smart Office

Not only does Smart Office have all the capabilities you’ll need in an office app, but it’s also an invaluable tool for meetings and presentations. Easily format and add graphics to your slides, manage their sequence and transitions, and present them directly on your mobile device or through a projector. Smart Office also has a wireless printing function, enabling you to print from thousands of supported printer models.

Enjoy the freedom of working on the go and on any Android device with these productivity-boosting office apps. Give us a call today if you need help choosing the right app for your needs.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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Using Workplace Analytics to boost productivityMicrosoft’s Workplace Analytics uses data gathered from email, documents, calendar, and other Office 365 applications to present a clear picture of both employee and manager productivity. It’s a clear upgrade from MyAnalytics, which allowed employees to view just their own data. How does Workplace Analytics work? A paid add-on to Office 365 enterprise plans, Workplace […]

The post Using Workplace Analytics to boost productivity appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

Using Workplace Analytics to boost productivity

Microsoft’s Workplace Analytics uses data gathered from email, documents, calendar, and other Office 365 applications to present a clear picture of both employee and manager productivity. It’s a clear upgrade from MyAnalytics, which allowed employees to view just their own data.

How does Workplace Analytics work?

A paid add-on to Office 365 enterprise plans, Workplace Analytics extracts behavioral insights from data gathered from Office 365 email, calendar, documents, and Skype. This means any data an employee types into their email and calendar — whether the information is in the subject line or in the body itself — can be used to determine their productivity.

The program has an overview dashboard that provides specific information:

  • Week in the Life provides an overall view of how the entire organization spends time and how members collaborate with one another
  • Meetings Overview shows the amount of time people spent in meetings
  • Management and Coaching gauges one-on-one meetings between your staff and their manager
  • Internal Networks shows how people within the company connect with one another
  • External Collaboration provides insights into how people from your company connect with those from third-party organizations
  • Teams Collaboration takes a look at how employees and managers communicate with their colleagues

What does Workplace Analytics aim to do?

According to Microsoft, Workplace Analytics addresses businesses’ most common challenges: complexity, productivity, and engagement.

Using Workplace Analytics data, managers and human resources departments can form productivity strategies for the entire company. If most of your employees spend 60% of their time attending meetings and not enough time doing creative work, managers can come up with a strategy to reduce meeting times and focus more on productive tasks.

Workplace Analytics also identifies how employees collaborate with internal and external parties. Suppose one of your sales staff frequently communicates with certain contacts. By using Workplace Analytics data, the manager would be able to determine whether this particular collaboration pattern is helping the employee hit sales targets or he or she is missing out on other more critical contacts. Based on this info, managers would also be able to determine which employees are most likely to meet or exceed their targets and set company-wide standards accordingly.

Workplace Analytics also allows managers to determine an employee’s level of engagement (i.e., whether the organization’s collaboration patterns are good for the company), and whether workloads are fairly distributed among workers and/or departments.

Is Workplace Analytics useful for small businesses?

Large corporations have been using Workplace Analytics, but small businesses can also benefit from it. The data used to provide insights are what employees generate themselves — how much time they spend on meetings, whom they frequently communicate with, and how much time they spend on productive tasks.

Aside from letting managers examine their staff’s work behavior, Workplace Analytics also provides an overall look at an organizational level. If you want your organization to further harness the capabilities of Workplace Analytics and other Office 365 tools, give us a call today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

The post Using Workplace Analytics to boost productivity appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

Read More

Using Workplace Analytics to boost productivityMicrosoft’s Workplace Analytics uses data gathered from email, documents, calendar, and other Office 365 applications to present a clear picture of both employee and manager productivity. It’s a clear upgrade from MyAnalytics, which allowed employees to view just their own data. How does Workplace Analytics work? A paid add-on to Office 365 enterprise plans, Workplace […]

The post Using Workplace Analytics to boost productivity appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

Using Workplace Analytics to boost productivity

Microsoft’s Workplace Analytics uses data gathered from email, documents, calendar, and other Office 365 applications to present a clear picture of both employee and manager productivity. It’s a clear upgrade from MyAnalytics, which allowed employees to view just their own data.

How does Workplace Analytics work?

A paid add-on to Office 365 enterprise plans, Workplace Analytics extracts behavioral insights from data gathered from Office 365 email, calendar, documents, and Skype. This means any data an employee types into their email and calendar — whether the information is in the subject line or in the body itself — can be used to determine their productivity.

The program has an overview dashboard that provides specific information:

  • Week in the Life provides an overall view of how the entire organization spends time and how members collaborate with one another
  • Meetings Overview shows the amount of time people spent in meetings
  • Management and Coaching gauges one-on-one meetings between your staff and their manager
  • Internal Networks shows how people within the company connect with one another
  • External Collaboration provides insights into how people from your company connect with those from third-party organizations
  • Teams Collaboration takes a look at how employees and managers communicate with their colleagues

What does Workplace Analytics aim to do?

According to Microsoft, Workplace Analytics addresses businesses’ most common challenges: complexity, productivity, and engagement.

Using Workplace Analytics data, managers and human resources departments can form productivity strategies for the entire company. If most of your employees spend 60% of their time attending meetings and not enough time doing creative work, managers can come up with a strategy to reduce meeting times and focus more on productive tasks.

Workplace Analytics also identifies how employees collaborate with internal and external parties. Suppose one of your sales staff frequently communicates with certain contacts. By using Workplace Analytics data, the manager would be able to determine whether this particular collaboration pattern is helping the employee hit sales targets or he or she is missing out on other more critical contacts. Based on this info, managers would also be able to determine which employees are most likely to meet or exceed their targets and set company-wide standards accordingly.

Workplace Analytics also allows managers to determine an employee’s level of engagement (i.e., whether the organization’s collaboration patterns are good for the company), and whether workloads are fairly distributed among workers and/or departments.

Is Workplace Analytics useful for small businesses?

Large corporations have been using Workplace Analytics, but small businesses can also benefit from it. The data used to provide insights are what employees generate themselves — how much time they spend on meetings, whom they frequently communicate with, and how much time they spend on productive tasks.

Aside from letting managers examine their staff’s work behavior, Workplace Analytics also provides an overall look at an organizational level. If you want your organization to further harness the capabilities of Workplace Analytics and other Office 365 tools, give us a call today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

The post Using Workplace Analytics to boost productivity appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

Read More