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IT Management, Cybersecurity, & Cloud

How To

How to Become an Office 365 Champion

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It’s a new year and many people are resolving to be more productive in 2017. One way to do this is to be an Office 365 champion. Resolve to learn all you can about the technology. We’re not only talking about integrating it into your current workflow. We’re talking about making an all-out commitment to use it to maximize your productivity. Get more work done in less time.

1. Go beyond the basics

Many companies have made the switch to Office 365. If your company has migrated, they might have included training where you learn about storing and syncing data, using the calendar, running effective meetings in Skype, etc. This gives you the basics with an abundance of tools and features. Learn how to use them. Take this training further by mastering the basics and finding new ways to use the tools for better results. Understand that everyone is different and how you utilize the tools will be based on your specific needs and habits. Be creative in how you can improve your habits with the tools provided.

2. Explore the many features

Documents easily convert and once converted you’ll find features to help you use and share those documents in creative ways. There are many features, but don’t look at them as overkill. With so many, you can do some amazing things quicker and easier. Think of the many features as opportunities to be more productive. For example, discover clutter in Outlook and how it helps to sort low priority messages. Yes, you will need to spend some time on the front end with learning about the features and testing them out, but on the back end you will be able to save time so you can concentrate on what you do best.

3. Use features to stick to resolutions

Don’t forget about your New Year’s resolutions. Find ways to stick to those resolutions. This might require changing behaviors to improve, and many of the features in Office 365 can help you do just that! While you’ll love the bells and whistles of the new technology, using it is more about enhancing your productivity and workflow. Instead of looking at the cool features and how to fit them into your work, think about what you can use in your work to be more productive and search out the specific tools in Office 365. For example, if you want to stop being overwhelmed with email, check out sweep in Outlook. With sweep, you can quickly clean up unwanted emails in your mailbox. And to improve your task management, look deeper into integrating OneNote with Outlook for an effective project management tool. OneNote is also an awesome way to move your notes from paper to digital form so that they are searchable, always at your fingertips, and on your computer and phone. No more getting out the laptop to enter notes, just open OneNote on your mobile phone.

4. Keep up with the training

Stay on top of your game by continuously learning about the many tools and features. To be a champion you want to learn all the ins and outs. The Microsoft Office Training Center has many videos. There will always be more training as you discover additional features and find the need for other tools that increase your productivity, but by being proactive in your learning, you’ll be the ideal team player. You’ll be able to lead by example and help your peers as you master setting, tracking and measuring goals, communicating with your team, and sharing files with ease!

Migrating to Office 365 is a great choice for most businesses and Boost IT has perfected the migration with zero downtime. And if you need assistance configuring it on your device, see our how-to instructional articles on Configure Office 365 on Android and Configure Office 365 on iPhone / iPad.

How To Boost Computer Performance

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Your computer performance affects your productivity and can give you the competitive edge. It can also be the center of your frustration when it seems to be slow for the simplest of tasks. With more companies looking for game changers that can accelerate their growth, you need to regularly boost your computer performance to stay in the game.

Scan and Remove Malware

If your computer used to be fast and now it isn’t, there is a good chance you have malware. It can sneak into your computer and sit in the background, gradually slowing your computer performance. Doing a scan on a regular basis can help you detect and remove malware. You should also scan and remove spyware and viruses.

Clean Up Your Drives

You might be amazed at how quickly files are added onto your computer. There are temporary files, downloads, cookies, recycled files, logs, etc. that take up space and slow computer performance.  Follow the steps in our How to Free Up Disk Space using Disk Cleanup post to clean up your drives and boost computer performance.

Change Your Browser

Different browsers perform differently on devices. One that has become known for its bugs and other problems is Internet Explorer. So, if you are still using it change to Google Chrome for faster browsing.

Clean Your Browser

Regardless of the browser you are using, you should regularly clean it of its history, cookies, and cached items. 

Uninstall What You Don’t Use

Regularly review which programs and apps you no longer need and remove them through the uninstaller program on your device. And consider migrating to services in the cloud. The cloud-based Office 365 helps keep functions online so you don’t have large installations of software installed on your computer.

Get Rid of Garbage

Unless you always use a program, keep it from loading at Windows startup. Also, evaluate services you don’t need, automatic updates, webservers and database servers that are left behind by removed applications, and other not-so-helpful utilities, toolbars and add-ons.

Check Your Network Connectivity

So much of what you do is done on the network that you might not even realize it’s slowing you down. Moving your location to an area with a stronger signal can make the difference.

Computer Performance Summary

Ask for Help

It’s easy to get in over your head with fixing slow computers. And if you have an older device, there could be so many things slowing it down that the only recourse is reinstalling the operating system. Don’t do this yourself. Your time is too valuable to fiddle with the computer. Ask for help.

Boost IT can help ease the stress of a slow computer’s performance. With professional Managed IT, we keep your computers and network in tip-top shape with benchmark tests, regular malware, anti-spyware and antivirus scans, scheduled updates to software, and more. It all takes place without interruption to your employees. Plus, we offer cloud computing to help move your daily files online so they don’t take up your hard drive space.

How Office 365 Improves Productivity

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As a business professional, Office 365 is what you need to get the most productivity out of your devices. More companies than ever are using it for accomplishing goals and gaining an edge on their competition. Yet employees are not taking full advantage of the tools that can maximize their productivity.

Your time is valuable. By understanding ways to use Office 365, you can learn how to best manage your time, collaborate with colleagues, streamline your work environment and achieve more.

6 Ways to Maximize Productivity Using Office 365

Access Anywhere at Anytime

Today’s business takes you on the go and you need to access your files everywhere along the way. With Office 365, you can access files in the Cloud on any device and at any moment. For example, users can access their account through their PC, tablet and mobile devices. With mobile device management (MDM) you can connect quickly and security. And you have an additional level of security with Data Loss Prevention.

Share Files and Calendars Easily

Having access to the Cloud and multiple applications like OneDrive, OneNote and SharePoint allows you to share simply and easily with multi-person simultaneous editing capabilities. There is no more time wasted by saving, uploading and emailing a file to a colleague, only to wait for a response. The applications are straightforward with users simply right-clicking to share files internally and working collaboratively on a document. Imagine the potential increase in productivity when you can click on a file in Word, Excel or PowerPoint and share it with a colleague who can work on it at the same time.

Improve Communication

It wasn’t that long ago that people talked about the humor in sending a text message to a coworker in the next cubicle, but now it’s even easier to converse directly on your device. Use Yammer integrated with OneNote to establish groups for your teams on various projects and converse easily within the group. Your group can share conversations, combine calendars, exchange files and take and share notes.

Resume Reading Where You Left Off

The Resume Reading feature in Word allows you to pick up where you left off, even on different devices. Word automatically bookmarks the last page you were reading. You can check out, edit and upload changes to a document on one device, head into a meeting, and then connect on another device later to continue where you left off.

Get Functionality

Skype for Business offers great functionality with Office 365. Any sized business can benefit from the ease of using productivity tools for video conferencing, online meetings and instant messaging. Connect with one or more contacts in real time, on any device,  and on a moment’s notice. It’s that simple.

In-sync emails

With your emails being stored in the Cloud with Outlook, it is synced with all your devices. No matter where you’re logged in, you will get access to everything you sent and received. There is no more worrying about which device to retrieve an email on or cc’ing yourself. And to improve the efficiency of sorting through your email, you get Clutter to help filter low priority messages. Plus, your emails are backed up in case your computer crashes.

Office 365 is more critical to business success than ever before. Many of our clients are benefiting from it with increased productivity. If you want to learn more about how your organization can benefit, contact Boost IT at 404-865-1289 or info@boostitco.com.

Tips for Practicing Safe Browsing on the Internet

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A security breach is a nightmare for any company. Attackers are always trying to take advantage of every opportunity to get financial and identity information. Therefore, protection requires continuous due diligence on the company’s part. But the company is not the only one with responsibilities. There are responsibilities that your employees should have also.

The wrong web address to a site can infect your hardware and steal sensitive information. It doesn’t stop there. We have a number of tips for practicing safe browsing to reduce your risk of an attack.

10 Tips for Safe Internet Browsing

Keep browsers up to date.

According to Duo’s 2016 Trusted Access Report, one of the biggest problems with malicious attacks comes from outdated browsers that cause security risks. No matter which browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, etc.) you are using, by installing the most current updates you are best able to prevent phishing for safe browsing.

Increase your browser security settings.

In addition to updating your browser, it is important that you know how to use your browser. Each browser has features that include security and privacy settings. Learning and using these settings to increase your security can help you safely browse the internet.

Don’t assume a site is safe.

Only go to trusted sites. Yet, realize that even sites that you know and have visited before can be vulnerable to hackers. Several studies have shown that the most dangerous areas of the Internet often include legitimate sites that have been hijacked by hackers.

Look for the padlock.

Visually check for the padlock in the browser address. The padlock symbol identifies a website is safe and indicates that the information you submit is secure.

Use secure passwords on secure connections.

With today’s various devices and access to Wi-Fi everywhere, there is the convenience of checking emails and logging into apps as part of your day-to-day tasks. Before you check anything that involves inputting a password, make sure your connection is secure.

Look out for phishing attacks.

Use caution when browsing the internet and opening emails. A malicious click or link can send you to an attack site. Don’t open anything suspicious. And if you get a warning message, get out of there immediately.

Use multiple security solutions.

Make sure that you have good security software installed and activated on your devices. These include firewalls, antivirus software, email spam filtering, and web filtering.

Protect and use the same caution for all your devices.

The same dangers exist whether it’s your desktop, mobile phone, tablet, or other devices. Install protection from viruses and malware on all devices and use the same high level of caution to protect against phishing when you click or open an email for every device you use.

Only download from reputable sites.

Some downloads might seem harmless but can actually hide malware on your computer without your knowledge. Stick to tried and true sites before you download. And before you go to a new site, do some research to validate it first.

Use a secure connection.

With more people using devices to access Wi-Fi, there is easy access to insecure connections that are public or free. Avoid these. There are dangers when using an insecure connection so make sure to only use a secure connection.

With cyberattacks and identity theft on the rise, you and your company must always take precautions to protect yourself, your employees, and your clients. Boost IT can help protect your network and data while improving your browsing experience. Contact us for more information at 404-865-1289 and info@boostitco.com.

How To Configure Office 365 on Android

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How To Configure Office 365 on Android

Follow the steps below for how to configure Office 365 on Android.

App Drawer

Open the App Drawer, and then tap the Settings app.

Settings Menu

From the Settings menu, tap Add Account. (It may be located under Accounts & Sync.)

Email Type

Specify email type: click Corporate or maybe listed as Exchange ActiveSync.

Email address

Enter your email address and password, and then tap Next.

Enter Exchange Server Information

Domain: <the user’s domain> (i.e. If the user’s email address is user@domain.com, enter domain.com)

Server: outlook.office365.com

Ensure that Use secure connection (SSL) and Accept all SSL certificates check boxes have been selected. Tap Next to verify settings.

Verification

Please wait, while your device verifies the server settings. If this steps fails double check server settings, retype password and try again.

IT Policy

If everything is correct, you will be asked to accept the IT policy for your company. Tap OK or you will not be able to sync mail.

Sync Options

Choose a syncing option and frequency, and then tap Next.

Account Name

Name your email account, and then tap Next.

IT Policy Activation

From here, you will be prompted to activate your company IT policy. Tap Activate or you will not be able to sync mail.

 

 

Once you complete these steps, you may open your Email app and mail will begin to download. This process will take a few minutes depending on your connecting speed and amount of data.

Configure Outlook E-mail on iPhone / iPad

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How to configure Outlook e-mail on iPhone

Follow the steps below for how to configure Office 365 on iPhone.

Step 1
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Note: If you have a work account that requires the Intune Company Portal app, install it from the App Store before setting up Outlook for iOS. Your IT admin may or may not also require you to Enroll your iOS device in Intune.

Download Outlook for iOS from the iOS App Store and then open it. The icon looks like this:

iOS Outlook app

Note: See system requirements for your iOS devices here.

Step 2
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If it’s your first time using Outlook for iOS, enter your full email address, then tap Add Account.

If not, open the Menu > tap Settings Outlook app settings > Add Account >Add Email Account.

Enter your email address

Step 3
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If you’re asked to select your email provider, please contact your IT admin for support as there may be a misconfiguration.

You can also set up your email account manually or use IMAP/POP.

Step 4
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Enter your email account password and tap Sign In.

Note: The sign in screen may look different for you depending on your email provider.

Enter your Outlook.com password

Step 5
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If multi-factor authentication is enabled, verify your identity. For more information, see Security info overview.

Check your text messages and enter the 6 digit code.

Step 6
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Accept any prompts for permission you may receive.

Swipe through the features and you’re now ready to use Outlook for iOS!

If you want to learn more about Microsoft 365, click HERE.

If you want to know how to configure Office on Android, click HERE.