- Make room in your suitcase! We share some “must-pack” tips from Ryan’s 10 years of travel experience.
- Discover five things that make Outlook 2010 hot property - our series on the new Office 2010 continues.
- Unhinge your desktop dependency - Office applications you can access via the web, anytime, anywhere!
"...Those companies who manage travel effectively in the coming year will clearly be better positioned than their competitors who don’t... ”
The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) Executive Director and COO, Bill Connors
There is no doubt that travel for business purposes is a big expense, so it is important that you give yourself every opportunity to get the most out of it.
As many of you are aware, last month I travelled overseas for a holiday, which was a bit of a novelty as the vast majority of my overseas trips are for business. Regardless of whether the voyage is for work or for pleasure - I need to keep my finger on the pulse. There are a few things I have learnt over the last 10 years of travel that makes life easier when working away from the office.
Some of the items that are a must on all my trips:
4 or 6 port Australian Power board & an International Power Converter. Power is a key element in staying connected. By taking an Australian power board, I can plug all my equipment in, but I only need one converter/destination plug!
In the last few weeks I've upgraded my travelling power boards. One of our clients showed me a board that has two USB ports. Perfect! I can now leave USB chargers - such as the iPhone charger and my Bluetooth headset charger - at home. Less equipment means less weight and with the airline restrictions on baggage hey, these little savings all add up! (Thanks to John H for that fantastic tip...)
A 2m or 5m AUS power extension lead is also really handy to have.
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) approved locks are advisable if travelling particularly to the United States and the UK. TSA electronically screens all bags but they have the right to open cases - without consultation with the passenger - even if it means breaking the locks. A TSA Baggage Lock can be opened by security officers with a master key, meaning your suitcases or locks aren't damaged in the event they decide they need to get inside your luggage.
Noise cancelling headphones. Whether you need to Skype, attend an Office Live Meeting or just escape into some great music, these are an asset to have with you.
Pocket Wireless router. I still carry a wireless router on most trips overseas. Not all hotels have wireless in the rooms yet, so I plug in a wireless pocket router. I can then use the wireless on my laptop to work anywhere in the room. An added benefit - I can sync my phone wirelessly instead of having to connect it to my laptop.
Think about the various pieces of equipment you have with you and if you need to connect them, don't forget to pack those cables! For me, iPhone and iPod sync cables, a retractable USB cable set and a network cable are all essentials.
Making a checklist before you go can prevent downtime once you're gone...do you have a "must pack" checklist when you travel? We'd love to know if you have other essential items that help you stay connected and productive!
"The Outlook Social Connector brings together communications history, contact information, and professional and social networking information into the Outlook experience."
The Microsoft Outlook product team.
When Microsoft first released Office 2007, we saw some definite pushback from business. This mainly came about because of the change in file format and the massive shift in User Interface. Of course, unfamiliar interfaces became familiar... (even - dare we say it - better!) ...file compatibility packs were installed. It wasn't too long before both objections went away.
Do we expect the same kind of push back when Office 2010 is released? In short, heck no! For a start, there is no change in file format, so anyone currently using Office 2007 will find the integration seamless. Further, the User Interface has improved, taking on board some of the feedback that Microsoft received after the release of 2007.
Last month, we started our deep dive into the new Office features and as suggested, this month we explore Outlook 2010. PC users can often spend more time with their email client than they do with their partners! (Think about it, how many hours a day do you spend in your inbox?) Outlook 2010 is all about providing you with a world-class experience to stay productive and in touch with your personal and business networks.
5 things that make Outlook 2010 hot property:
Manage multiple e-mail accounts from one place, while staying connected to your social networks. You can now synchronise multiple e-mail accounts from services such as Hotmail, Gmail, or just about any other provider to Outlook 2010. In addition, the Outlook Social Connector makes Outlook 2010 your hub for friends, family, and colleagues.
Save valuable inbox space. The new conversation management tools enable you to turn dozens of e-mails into just a few conversations using the Clean Up feature, or Ignore and send the entire conversation to your Deleted Items.
Save time by creating and defining multistep tasks. Quick Steps is a new feature that enables you to execute multistep tasks - such as reply and delete, move to a specific folder, create a new e-mail to assigned groups - with a single click.
Make scheduling and searching a breeze. The new Schedule View provides a horizontal display of multiple calendars. New calendar management tools enable you to save frequently used groups of calendars so they can be quickly redisplayed whenever you need them. Easily sort through high volumes of data. The enhanced Search Tools provide you with ways to quickly find and manage large quantities of e-mail, calendar, and contact items.
Grab your readers’ attention by using compelling visuals. Pre-built SmartArt™ graphics, Office themes, and Styles are not just for Word and PowerPoint anymore!
(Interested in knowing more? If you are still using Office 2003, you're probably dying to know how your business can take advantage of the productivity gains Office 2010 will offer. We can help! Call us today to discuss a migration strategy...)
Quick show of hands - who has heard of "Web Apps"?
Microsoft Office Web Apps are online companions to Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote, enabling people to access and do light editing or sharing of Office documents from virtually anywhere.
These Apps are automatically available to customers who purchase Microsoft Office under a Volume Licensing Agreement - at no additional cost. They provide a significant range of standard functionality allowing users to complete their most common Office tasks.
When would you use Office Web Apps? Imagine you've just arrived at the Qantas club with an hour to spare while waiting to board an interstate flight. You suddenly have an epiphany about a report you are working on, only - the file is stored on the company's server...
"My Files Are Stored in One Place: Everywhere! This really isn't a feature of Office Web Apps but I use multiple machines in multiple locations and I can always get to my files."
Nick Simons - Program Manager, Office Web Apps
You wouldn't want to be creating rich content documents or undertake any heavy editing. Office Web Apps are however perfect for light editing, for desk-less workers who need to access content (but not necessarily create it) and for "anywhere" access to files that are stored centrally on SharePoint.
Importantly, Microsoft Web Apps requires the installation of SharePoint 2010 to operate. Luckily Microsoft provides SharePoint 2010 as a free download for installation on its current server software. One of the most obvious benefits of storing files on SharePoint is giving others the opportunity to change those files. This is extremely valuable when collaborating on a project.
With Web Apps, documents stored in SharePoint Document Libraries are opened in a web browser for viewing and editing. This provides exceptional functionality for users accessing information remotely or even on mobile devices such as iPhones - all without the need for the full Microsoft Office suite of applications installed locally.
An important part of Microsoft's strategy going forward is to 'cloud-enable' more of its applications so they can be readily accessed via a web browser. This allows them to be more easily deployed and managed internally or provisioned through services like Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS). We can expect to see the functionality of these Web Apps increase over time and provide greater connection to information deployed from the 'cloud'.
If you have not yet deployed SharePoint in your business then it is certainly time to consider the productivity benefits it can provide your business. Now that Microsoft Web Apps is a free option available in Office 2010 and requires SharePoint there even greater reason to start taking advantage of the latest functionality that can be deployed via a browser.
That's all for this month! If you would like more information on any of these articles, please give us a call on 02 8831 8200.
