AgniTEK - Line of Business Applications

Share presentations painlessly with Broadcast Slide Show

AgniTEK — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 20:00:00 GMT

The PowerPoint Broadcast Slide Show makes it easy for PowerPoint 2010 users to share a presentation on the fly with anyone, anywhere. Just send a link, and in one click everyone you invite will be watching a synchronized view of your slide show in their Web browser, even if they don’t have PowerPoint 2010 installed. To broadcast your slides to an audience, follow the directions below. Starting a broadcast To start a broadcast from PowerPoint 2010, click Broadcast Slide Show on the Slide Show tab. Ensure the PowerPoint Broadcast Service is selected and click Start Broadcast. Sign in with your Windows Live ID. (If you use Hotmail, Live Messenger, or Xbox LIVE, you already have a Windows Live ID. If not, it only takes a minute to sign up.) PowerPoint will provide a public link that you can send to up to 50 remote attendees. Anyone who receives a link to the broadcast may watch it. Keep in mind that if an attendee forwards the link to someone else, that person ...

10 insider's shortcuts for Outlook

AgniTEK — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 20:00:00 GMT

Shortcuts are generally good: When training to do heart surgery? Not good. When developing software that helps people be more productive? Not good. When using software more efficiently? Good. These last two are obviously related: When the developers of Outlook created the program, they did not take shortcuts so that you, as the user of aforementioned software, could. And Outlook has a bevy of really great, really easy to remember keyboard shortcuts that you should know if you want to speed up your everyday interactions with it. (Keyboard shortcut: individual keystrokes—or combination of keys pressed at the same time—used to execute commands.) 10 favorite Outlook keyboard shortcuts from some people who use the program all day, every day Switch between Mail, Calendar, and Contacts Ctrl+1, Ctrl+2, Ctrl+3: (Mail is Ctrl+1, Calendar is Ctrl+2, and Contacts is Ctrl+3) Create a meeting request Ctrl+Shift+ Q Move a message from one folder to another Ctrl+Shift ...

The Future of Windows

AgniTEK — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 01:38:00 GMT

Microsoft held their first ever Build Conference in Anaheim in September. It’s a new annual event for Windows developers to gather and learn about building applications for the Windows platform. This one was special not only because it was the first, but also because leading up to it, all the buzz was about how much of Windows 8 Microsoft would show and what details we would learn about the next version of the most popular operating system in the world. Microsoft did not disappoint. They have showed demos, talked about features and functions, and even made an open beta immediately available to all who are interested to download, play with, and Microsoft hopes develop applications for. The buzz leading up to the conference has grown into a fever pitch with partners, developers, and customers all extremely excited about the next Windows release. What is it about this platform that Microsoft is doing right, and why is everyone so excited? First off, Windows has a new look and feel. The next interface, du ...

Are your emails falling into a black hole?

AgniTEK — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 01:31:00 GMT

It’s so frustrating: you regularly send out emails and then sit staring at your computer, waiting for some sort of response. Don’t you sometimes get the feeling that you’re just sending words out into a black hole? Of course, you can never "ensure" that emails are going to be read or acted upon. It’s a sad result of the information overload we suffer from. People who sit working at their computers for hours every day might have the time, energy and interest to open the numerous messages which fill their inbox—or they might not. So what is it exactly that tips them over the delicate, crucial line between “read” and ”leave for later/delete”? The answer is that most recipients of emails often decide whether or not to read them because of two things: the “subject” line and the “from” line. They must recognize who the email is coming from They must see a benefit or reason to open it So consider these useful tips before you send your next mail: 1. Keep it short Would you immediately open and read an em ...

3 Steps to Streamline Your Next Project

AgniTEK — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 19:00:00 GMT

Reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center Have you ever had a project "go sideways" on you? When it happens to you, it feels like you are treading water. You're working hard, but going nowhere. After building a beautiful coordinated project plan in Microsoft Project or Microsoft Excel, your dates start slipping. You can see that too much time is being wasted on unnecessary communications, but how do you take back control? Typically, the problem isn't in the upfront planning, it's in the ongoing communication and collaboration. Follow these three steps to ensure all team members are on the same page, making progress to your mutual goal. 1. Create a collaboration site. Endless hours are wasted and bandwidth consumed from circulating documents via email. The larger the project, the worse this problem becomes. Because the document isn't centrally stored, multiple versions are created, and that's where questions and confusion pop-up. "Is this the latest version? Has John reviewed this? ...

3 ways to convert documents to PDFs

AgniTEK — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 19:00:00 GMT

PDF is a file format that allows text (including fonts) and images to be embedded into a non-editable document. This file format is great for documents that you do not want changed or that you want to make sure anyone can open. There are multiple ways that you can convert your non-PDF documents (such as Word files and Excel spreadsheets) into PDFs. Using Microsoft Office 2007 or 2010 If you have Microsoft Office 2010, you can easily save documents as PDFs in Word, Excel, and other programs by going to File > Save As > Adobe PDF. (In Office 2007, you an also look for the Acrobat tab on the ribbon and click Create PDF.) Simply save the PDF with the name and location you want it to have and the PDF will generate. Using CutePDF CutePDF is one of many free programs that allow you to convert documents by "printing" them. You can download CutePDF online at http://www.cutepdf.com. Install the program that you downloaded. Now, when you go to print a document, in the list of printers you can print to, you’ll ...

5 ways to win the PC security battle

AgniTEK — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 19:00:00 GMT

Reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center by Heather Clancy Yes, as you've doubtless heard umpteen times, even the smallest business is vulnerable to a PC or network security breach. But you can find some peace of mind simply by taking some preventive measures. Better yet, by taking action before an incident occurs. IT consultants believe that the most effective data security policies are those that treat security not just as an IT problem but as an underlying business process. What good are firewalls, for example, if you don't have a way for trusted business partners to access your network from a remote location? How effective is a software patch management service if telecommuting employees who are rarely in the office aren't encouraged (or forced) to update? Step one for any security strategy means getting your entire organization involved in the discussion. If you're an IT type, find yourself a champion who has line-of-business responsibilities; someone who understands your c ...

Remote working is no longer an employee perk, it's a business necessity

AgniTEK — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 19:00:00 GMT

Reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center The kind of office most of us are familiar with is a building with four walls and a roof that we probably drive to 40 or so hours each week, Monday through Friday. Today, many companies still maintain traditional offices, but the decision makers are also discovering that to compete in the current economy, employees must be able to do their jobs anywhere, anytime. Microsoft recently commissioned a survey conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs among more than 4,500 information workers in 15 U.S. markets to better understand opinions and attitudes related to mobile and internal business technologies and capabilities. The survey results further underscore the growing requirement for mobile work solutions - more than half of respondents (57%) report that their company has a formal telework policy and more than three quarters of information workers (77%) say their company provides access to technology support for working remotely. Working without wal ...

Protecting your wireless network

AgniTEK — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 19:00:00 GMT

Reprinted with permission from the HP Small Business Center Why wireless security? When you have a wireless network, you need to make sure it's kept secure. An unencrypted network presents the potential for security breaches. Wireless technologies that provide long-range connectivity can't be contained within an office. When you use a network that's not secure, hackers could potentially "capture" the information you're sending back and forth. This means passwords, records, and more. Isn't my network already secure? With some older wireless technologies, like Bluetooth, access is limited by physical proximity to the corporate network. However, wireless technologies that provide long-range connectivity, such as 802.11n, can't be contained within an office space. That means anyone within range of a non-secure network can gain access. What happens if I don't secure my network? It may seem harmless to offer your network's access to outside users, but it's more than just letting people surf the Internet for ...

Unleash The Power of Email

AgniTEK — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 21:07:00 GMT

used with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Site Can you imagine running your business without email? Probably not, and even if you can, you surely can't picture going back to those bygone days of telephone tag, snail mail, and scribbled notes left on colleagues' desks. Not to mention the frustration of trying to schedule meetings without access to your coworkers' calendars, or fumbling through a stack of business cards to find a client's phone number. Whether you're contacting customers or suppliers, scheduling a staff meeting or tracking down a critical message, email has become the backbone of business communication. But a growing mountain of email has made it increasingly difficult for users to organize and manage their mailboxes and has turned up the heat on IT to protect and maintain critical business communications. Now is a good time to ask yourself: Has your email solution kept up with demands for larger mailboxes and easy access for mobile workers? Does it provide the security, reliabil ...

Fortis Webinar: Tips & Tricks Part II

AgniTEK — Mon, 09 May 2011 21:15:00 GMT

Agnitek would like to announce the hosting of a Fortis Webinar on Friday, June 3rd at 1 pm ET by Westbrook Technologies. This invitation-only webinar will provide customers with advantageous tools with interaction between the Fortis experts at Westbrook Technologies and their much-valued clientele. "Tips & Tricks Part II -- Focus On Query and Edit" will inform and instruct customers on how to search text found in annotations, run a search right from the desktop without having to access the Fortis client software, and more time and money saving tips that can be utlized in order to streamline your office processes. Learn how to use various Fortis shortcuts in action in this resourceful Webinar on Friday, June 3rd at 1pm by simply following this link.

Windows 2000 Server Approaching End of Life

David — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 20:08:00 GMT

One of our technicians (Alan) sent me this alert for publication. It's reprinted from Microsoft's TechNet blogs. For anyone out there managing your own old installs, this is your warning of upcoming end of life support. For clients who are clinging to their old servers, we'll be talking soon. Start budgeting now so we can have you migrated in the next five months.

Phishing Alert for QuickBooks Customers: Security Plug-In or Digital Certificate

AgniTEK — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 20:01:00 GMT

IMPORTANT UPDATE FOR QuickBooks Customers. Intuit is receiving reports of individuals receiving fraudulent emails from QuickBooks or QuickBooks Online. The two separate emails ask customers to either download a plug-in to assess their security or download a Digital Certificate.

Real Life, I'm a Managed IT Services Provider

David — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:43:00 GMT

We often talk about what-ifs in our business. I wanted to share some specific experiences from the last year. We will start with Company A. They are a small operation of five office users. They deal in large projects scattered around Texas, and everyone on the team is an important cog. We implemented a managed IT service plan to...

Zero-Down, Zero Interest…Zero Worry! Financial Services’ New Lease Promotion

David — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Through December 31, 2009, you can take advantage of a unique financing offer, a zero-down, 0% interest equipment lease for 30 months. Help your qualified business acquire the hardware you require with the flexibility you need to get it done now...

FREE Lunch and Learn: Microsoft Word - Advanced Functionality

David — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:17:00 GMT

It’s a tough economy and one of the best things you can do is invest in yourself and your staff with training. We make it easy for you by removing the cost. It's our way of giving back.

Microsoft Discontinuing Office Accounting?

David — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:12:00 GMT

From the message below, it looks like it. Microsoft offered a free version, no doubt shooting to persuade new adopters to try them over Intuit's behemoth. It just never caught on. Intuit later would counter with...

New Web-Based Document Management Software for Entry-Level Customers

David — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:17:00 GMT

AgniTEK staff was onhand last week for the FortisBlue release party. Westbrook® Technologies today announced a 100 percent Web-based software for managing an organization's electronic and paper documents.