When it comes to the Microsoft 365 landscape, everyone has their go-to favourites. Many of us tend to stick with them. But do you know all the apps, including the ‘lesser-known’ ones?
They are familiar, easy to use and integrate perfectly with the other 365 apps we use. So why would we want to change how we work and organising tasks that work so well?
The answer might lie in the wide range of lesser-known 365 apps and features we haven’t yet tried. They might have the potential to make life even better! This is the third and final blog in the series. Click here to read apps for remote working or more that make a difference.
Here are just a few of them and the different aspects of your business they can help:
Customer Management
If you aren’t giving your customers the best experience possible, you risk losing them to a business.
Fortunately, a handy duo of Microsoft 365 apps can make a difference in your customer relationship management.
People
People is the address book that can be created and shared across the business. It can incorporate room bookings, external and internal contacts, and groups.
Bookings
If your business relies on appointments, then Bookings can be a lifeline. It is a web-based booking calendar that can be embedded into existing websites and shared via links or social media.
Bookings integrate with other 365 apps, such as Outlook, to send reminders and is even available as a feature within Teams. This allows users to create new calendars, assign staff and manage appointments in one convenient space.
Lists & Forms
Organisations are increasingly reaching out to customers and colleagues. Whether it be through a checklists or forms. This can be as part of the qualities that businesses strive for in a world.
Lists
Lists help us stay on track and get things done. Don’t be fooled by the name, it is not a to-do list, but rather a checklist. It is available as both a mobile and web-based app. This ensure users have everything they need at their fingertips, wherever they are.
Lists are intelligent and highly flexible and can easily be created and embedded into Teams channels with templates for every conceivable requirement. It does come with some templates which include issue tracker, employee onboarding, work progress tracker and even a content scheduler.
Forms
Forms are elegant and straightforward; it allows users to reach out to anyone on any device or browser for customer feedback, test knowledge, or evaluate learning.
The forms themselves can be highly customised, and integration with SharePoint lists and PowerApps can create incredibly rich and highly automated surveys, polls or quizzes with security and compliance built-in as standard.
File storage & Collaboration
OneDrive and SharePoint
As so many people work outside of their offices, the need to organise, store, and share files and access them on a range of devices has never been greater for many businesses that use OneDrive. This solution works well for many and comes with a range of benefits.
However, SharePoint is a cloud-based service for any sized business that takes file storage, secure access, and collaboration to another level. SharePoint allows users to create entire sites and provides access to vital company information safely and compliantly.
SharePoint is one of the leading Intranet solutions for business, one on which many of the top companies already rely upon.
Note Taking
Nearly everyone relies on notes at some time or another. What better way to jot down reminders, tasks for the day or important information we might need later? OneNote is, for many, the ideal way to organise notes, translate text and share them when needed, but there is another option with just as much potential.
Whiteboard
Sharing thoughts, ideas, and brainstorming are crucial aspects of a successful business; Whiteboard enables a simple, no-nonsense interface. It is ideal for mobile devices and tablets, allowing users to share sticky notes, drawings, images or pasted text with a simple link.
As with so many of the apps in the Microsoft 365 environment, Whiteboard’s strength is integration. For example, it can be invaluable as part of Teams, a benefit that other whiteboard-style apps don’t have.
Visio
It is one of those apps that doesn’t quite fit anywhere. Visio is a great app for creating visual maps, flowcharts, process maps, etc. This used to be an app outside of 365 and an additional cost, but it has been brought into the fold and is now part of the suite. Visio has lots of templates to get you started, or you can start from scratch.
Following on from our recent look at the sheer range of applications for business within the Microsoft 365 environment, we will continue by looking at some of the household names. The apps that everyone will be familiar with, along with one or two of the fascinating supporting cast. The little-known ones you might not know as well but which can help your business perform at its best.
Office staple apps
Word and Excel combined to form the backbone of most people’s needs when it comes to Microsoft Office. They are familiar, comfortable and intuitive to use. However, they can still surprise us occasionally.
Many users don’t realise that Word can be a powerhouse tool for collaboration. The Co-Authoring feature allows users to work on documents stored in SharePoint or Onedrive with anyone, anywhere. Simply by clicking on the share icon and adding the email addresses of the people they want to work with, users can collaborate on documents in real time.
Without a doubt, Excel is the ‘go-to’ app for anyone working with spreadsheets.
The ‘smart lookup’ function is just one of Microsoft 365 features. Right-clicking on word and selecting the smart lookup function launches Bing. Bing then searchs the internet for information on whatever is highlighted.
Communication apps
Microsoft 365 has a range of inter-connecting communication apps; Teams, Outlook and Yammer to name the essentials.
Outlook has everything we need to do business. Most things can be done from your inbox simply by selecting the drop-down menu in the Outlook inbox. From there, contacts can be added, appointments scheduled, and emails assigned to specific days just by dragging them onto the calendar icon.
Yammer is, for many, the ideal way to add private, secure social media to their business. Users can connect, engage and share thoughts and ideas across their business. Therefore, staying informed and creating a sense of community and sharing resources or simply saying thanks.
Think of it as similar to your business’ own private Twitter network.
Discovery
Delve is accessed through a browser. It’s a cloud-based platform ideal for remote working across an array of devices and forms a valuable hub for users and colleagues. Invaluable for files, collaboration or even enterprise networking.
Delve can fill the user’s space with things they might find helpful. It also allows users to search and choose their content. Delve keeps those things private by default, only sharing the desired content and resources.
Tracking user data and overseeing efficiency and productivity are vital parts of a successful team. MyAnalytics gives a detailed overview of the time spent performing different tasks, hours worked, and things such as attending meetings or working late.
Reports and dashboards give essential insights into business processes, team configurations and business productivity with a powerful automation tool helping to place focus right where it’s needed.
Presentations
Teaching, making compelling proposals and pitching ideas are all possible with PowerPoint, with rich presentations that look great with little need for expertise or specialised knowledge. Users even have the potential to add audio to slides, such as voiceovers, effects or soundtracks.
Sway is a niche app for many, but it allows users to create content-rich, visually appealing designs for reports, web pages and newsletters. Content can be dragged in from various sources, and users can even add forms, slideshows or image stacks for viewers to click through like a retro photo pile.
Sharing video content safely and securely for learning, presenting, and meetings is easy with Stream. It has the potential to become an organisation’s very own video hub. At a time when so many rely on remote solutions, Stream is one of the most useful.
To discover how you could utilise Microsoft better in your business, why not book a slot for a free discussion with me here?
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With so much of the business world working remotely now and probably beyond the foreseeable future, some things have become more challenging.
One of the most obvious is the challenge companies have faced in ensuring their teams have all the hardware they need to work effectively from home. The second is ensuring they are up to speed on using the apps and services that make up the software side of things too.
Many of us are familiar with Microsoft 365 and aware of the benefits the right features can deliver. As a consultant and ex-virtual assistant, I am well used to collaborating with teams off-site. I have been using various tools within the 365 environment for a long time.
When it comes to productivity, security and user-friendliness, here are some of the best ‘once used, forever relied upon’ 365 applications that empower users to work safely and securely from home.
Microsoft 365 OneNote
OneNote is a personal information management application with all the functionality you need at your fingertips (or stylus). You can organise notes exactly how you need to, share them and sync them with other devices.
OneNote even has the valuable ability to translate text. The Translate feature has the potential to be incredibly useful for businesses in multilingual markets.
Microsoft 365 OneDrive
As compliance laws around data become more robust and the need for remote access grows, OneDrive delivers a secure, effective solution that works.
With an impressive amount of cloud-based storage available on 365, OneDrive provides users all the space they’ll ever need to store and share files and collaborate with the people they need to, even on mobile devices.
Files are synced in real-time, and thanks to features such as SSL encryption and Personal Vault. You can rest assured they are always safe. Users can set up password protection for shared files and folders and, if any account is compromised, there is a restore option to roll back the entire drive to any previous date within the last thirty days.
Microsoft 365 Teams
Teams have become a vital part of the 365 environments in a world where many are now working remotely. Much like its competitors, such as Zoom and Hangouts, it has gone from occasional use to essential business tools in recent times.
One-on-one conversations, group messages, video and audio calls are all vital features of Teams, along with game-changing integration into other 365 applications such as Word, Outlook and SharePoint.
Microsoft 365 Planner
Managing teams and projects can prove impossible when the team itself is spread far and wide. Planner delivers a centralised hub for every one of them; to share files safely, make plans, oversee progress and assign and organise tasks to other users.
The big selling point of Planner over similar task management apps is 365 integration. Microsoft 365 Planner has all the efficiency for which the 365 ecosystem is well known and works together with other 365 features like Outlook, SharePoint and Teams.
Its interface is intuitive and paired back but still shows all the information users need on projects completed and those in progress.
Microsoft 365 To Do
Task management and productivity are both significant parts of keeping professional and personal lives balanced and organised. Microsoft 365 To Do is a simple app designed to make both easier and merge them if needed.
Available for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android, To Do helps users monitor outstanding tasks and tick them off when needed. It’s also cloud-based and conveniently synched on any connected device.
To Do focuses on the individual user; tasks can be arranged into handy lists or grouped to be completed simultaneously. The useful ‘My Day’ function allows users to focus on essential tasks on any pre-determined day.
To Do also integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Planner to keep users up to date on tasks or events they are a part of. It can potentially organise personal and professional tasks in one incredibly convenient place.
If you are thinking about ways to empower your team to work safer and more efficiently off-site, or if you want to learn more about the right Microsoft 365 tools for you, why not book a slot for a free discussion with me here.
In the last couple of years, how we work has changed immensely. We now want to work in a more hybrid way or work from home more often. Virtual working is in high demand, which means data protection and privacy need to be a high priority.
There are some things that organisations need to implement for the safety of the business and their clients.
Working from Home
As working from home becomes increasingly common, it is essential to ensure that proper data protection measures are in place. Team members must take steps to secure confidential and sensitive information. This will include using secure networks and passwords, encrypting data, and limiting access to work devices. That means work devices should only be used for work purposes by the appropriate person. A work-issued machine should not be shared with others in the house.
Businesses should also provide clear policies on data protection and train their employees on best practices. Regularly backing up data and conducting security audits can also help mitigate data breach risks while working remotely.
Shared workspaces
Co-working offices have become increasingly popular over recent years way to working virtually. They offer individuals and small businesses the opportunity to work from a shared workspace. However, with this trend comes unique challenges related to data protection. Co-working spaces often involve using common areas, such as shared printers and wifi networks. This can potentially expose sensitive information to unauthorised parties.
This may account for the results of a survey by Veritas Technologies which stated that 74% of companies experienced data breaches at co-working spaces.
We are not saying co-working spaces are unsafe and should not be used. They are a great place to work. But, it is essential when working in a co-working space to implement additional data protection measures, such as encrypted networks. The easiest way to do this is to use a VPN on your device.
In fact, with VPNs, I would use one whenever using an external wifi source to protect your data and access from others.
In addition, users of co-working spaces need to be conscious of the work they are working on and what can be seen by others. You are in a public area, and someone could look at your screen over your shoulder.
Additionally, co-working space users need to be diligent in protecting their data, such as using strong passwords and avoiding public wifi networks. With proper measures, co-working spaces can protect their users’ data.
Bring your own device
In today’s digital age, Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies are becoming increasingly common in workplaces, which can pose a challenge to data protection.
As team members use their personal devices, it cannot be easy to ensure that sensitive information is not compromised. To address this issue, organisations can implement security measures such as encryption, multi-factor authentication, and remote wiping capabilities to protect data on personal devices. It is also important for team members to receive training on data security and for clear guidelines to be set regarding using personal devices for work purposes. By taking these steps, organisations can better protect their sensitive information and reduce the risk of data breaches.
There is a theme running through each of these sections: cyber security, which is not limited to the above.
Cyber security
As more people are working remotely, cyber security has become increasingly important. Working virtually can leave individuals vulnerable to cyber attacks. As a result, it is important to have secure connections and to use strong passwords to protect sensitive information.
The first thing that needs to be checked/verified is that the set password for the router has been amended, as has the login to the router. They may look like a unique password on the base of the equipment, but they still need changing.
Additionally, when working from home, caution should be given when clicking on links or downloading attachments from unfamiliar sources. Training should be sourced and provided to employees. If you work with freelancers or sub-contractors that access your systems, you must ensure they have completed training.
Where possible, resources and lessons learned should be shared to ensure their remote employees are aware of potential threats and are taking the necessary precautions to keep company information safe.
If you have any questions about supporting your business and team to work safely and compliantly virtually, or if you would like support applying for Cyber Essentials, why not book a free 30-minute call to see what we can do?
Running a business in today’s world can seem to some like an endless battle to keep things afloat. Markets change, customer habits evolve, and goalposts shift regularly.
It is worth seeking every bit of help you can get, and the good news is, it’s all out there, just waiting to make life a little easier and save you precious time, resources, and money.
Finance software
A common issue for small to medium enterprises is the occasional need for specialised financial know-how. Accounting software packages, such as Quickbooks or Xero, can solve that problem. They allow you to customise invoices, accept payments, manage tax, and run payroll through a simple interface.
Users can also file VAT directly to HMRC in the UK, saving around 8 hours per month and a lot of stress.
Customer Relationship Management
CRM software can handle sales and marketing with a level of efficiency that a small business might struggle to match otherwise. CRM automation helps a business manage interaction with potential customers, plan and manage marketing, and maximise sales opportunities.
CRM can give businesses a new level of automation and a real advantage over their competitors.
Microsoft Office
It is much more than Word, Outlook, and Excel. Throw in calendars for diary management, Teams for remote working, and lesser-known apps such as MileIQ for tracking expenses, To Do for comprehensive task management, and Bookings for any business relying on appointments, to name just a few.
Office is full of potential for every business; getting the most out of it takes time.
Social media
An engaging, authoritative presence on sites such as Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram can do so much to earn authority and drive people to a company’s site or services, but how many do it when things get busy elsewhere?
Automation is one possible answer. Social media management tools such as SocialBee and PromoRepublic let users plan content and publish it when they choose.
Blogs
A website can benefit massively from a blog. It can be a place to showcase new products and services, identify an audience’s problems and provide solutions. Baudience’slso the perfect tool to drive people to your e-commerce pages and help you climb the search engine rankings.
Many SMEs rely on freelance writers and virtual assistants to keep their websites full of engaging and meaningful content. Then, they use tools such as Missinglettr to create up to a year’s worth of social posts from a single piece.
An easy and effective way to direct traffic to your site while you might be busy doing other things.
Planning software
When looking at planning software, we need to think of a few things
It’s usability
The interface
IntegratiIt’sCost and value for money
The key features you are looking for are
planning and scheduling
task dependencies
Project timelines, calendar views and roadmaps
Task management
Collaborations and communication features
Budget planning and tracking (by project)
Client Portal
It really depends on the business’s needs. Do you want an all-in-one business tool or just a planning/task tool?
The list is endless in this section. Some big names have used the planning software as the base for their collaboration and ‘all-on platforms’. These include Avaz ‘, Click-up, Flow’u, Monday.com, and Plutio.
But if you are looking just for a planning tool, then you also have Microsoft Planner, Asana, and Trello. Microsoft Planner can be used on its own or included in Teams to be a collaborative tool.
Instant chat
We are now all familiar with tools such as Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts, and Zoom, which have gone from occasional use to vital business tools in under a year. It is also worth noting that tools such as WhatsApp have an engaged user base in the region of 1.5 billion users; that is quite a bit of potential for any business.
But there are the chat/pop-ups on your website, such as Birdseed.io
Websites and Graphic design
Every business with an online presence relies on the quality of its website to match the quality of its products and services. Still, is it necessary to invest (often heavily) in a specialist web designer?
Sites like Wix and WordPress give users all the templates, tools and simple interfaces they need to create eye-catching, quality-hosted websites for a much more modest annual investment.
They also offer to work with their teams to build better sites and maximise the SEO tools.
Summary
There is no list or set of tools that will fit every business. The tools we use and how we use them can be as individual as the business.
But as a business evolves, so do the tools. It is essential to audit the business to see what is being used. It is common to find individual departments using different providers for the same tool, e.g., Mailerlite and Mailchimp. This risks duplication of data and an increased risk of data breaches, but it also increases costs.
*Please note that clicking on a link from this page will send you directly to the product’s website, where we may earn a small affiliate payment for any purchases you make. Check out the resources page for more details.
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