September 2007
In this issue

> Where is your Junk?
> Take Back Bandwidth
> Seeing Double
> Rules for Laptops
> Instant Search
 

Find Needles In A Haystack with Instant Search

If you're buried in e-mail (and who isn't?), Instant Search in Outlook 2007 can save the day for you every day.

The new Instant Search helps you quickly find e-mail messages, appointments, contacts, or any Outlook item. You don't even need to know which folder the item is in.

Watch the demo to see how to use this fast search feature, and start finding what you want instantly. 

 

 

Please forward this newsletter to anyone else in your organization who might be interested!
Where do you keep your "Junk"?

I have one – and I bet you do as well. When I look in mine I see some instruction guides, a box of tic-tacs, a golf ball, a pad of personal checks, loose change, some paper clips and a bottle of vitamins. What’s in yours? In your junk drawer, that is!

Everyone needs a place for items that don’t fit into any other category. And that’s true for your computer too. What do you do with information from the web that you want to remember, a recipe that your mom sent or notes from a meeting you attended? Could there be a better place to keep information you receive in an email than stuffing your Outlook to overflowing? I’ve found a piece of software that I can’t live without – Microsoft OneNote. Many of you may already have OneNote depending on you’re the version of Microsoft Office that you own. If you don’t – the purchase price is under $100
Read more

Take Back Your Bandwidth

For businesses today the Internet has evolved from a being a convenience to have to a business necessity. The Internet delivers business critical applications, e-mail, and telephone conversations, while providing your company’s image to the general public. The Internet is also often accused of being the biggest productivity killer for a lot of businesses. The question: Is content filtering a necessity? Here are my three reasons why my answer is Yes!

Maximize bandwidth: For most businesses the big bandwidth hogs are the downloading of large files and the streaming of music. When either of these activities are occurring the Internet slows down for everyone. At Databranch we are constantly downloading files that are pertinent to troubleshooting issues or patching client hardware and/or software. If there were end users streaming video or music then this would make our engineers battle for bandwidth. By limiting the content users can download or be streamed on the Internet bandwidth is maximized for the entire business. Read more

Seeing Double - Practical Productivity

Do you have the luxury of doing only one task at a time? If you’re like me, I would guess the answer is probably “No”. I find myself answering email, working on a spreadsheet, looking at an accounting issue and searching for info on the internet all at the same time. It’s just become part of the way that we all work. Most computer users, however, are forced into single-tasking because of the way they see their work – on a single monitor. Windows XP and VISTA provide desktop users with the ability to “spread” their desktop across multiple monitors. Having two monitors has changed and improved the way I work. I’ve seen several study results that state two monitors can improve productivity from 20-50%. I agree. I can cut and paste from one application to another without having to change applications on screen. I can look at the info that I need on the internet and type that information directly into a spreadsheet at the same time. With two monitors, I can read the email with an accounting question and look at the accounting screen at the same time to understand the problem a user is having. I have become so dependent on two monitors that you could never get me to go back to a single screen. Read more

Seven Rules for Using Laptops in Meetings
By Jeff Wuorio
Reprinted with permission from Microsoft Small Business Center

Not long ago, Frances Altman agreed to present a talk to some of her colleagues. Everyone arrived on time. Unfortunately, at least from her point of view, so did their laptop computers.

"Several people came in and started working on their laptops right through my talk," recalls Altman, public relations specialist at Virginia Commonwealth University. "It was very discourteous -- they could hardly be taking notes or listening to you. Next time, I'll request both phones and computers off." Altman's experience isn't singular. Laptops (and Tablet PCs) are as much an element of business meetings today as any piece of equipment. But rules and protocols for using them are often lacking.

Here, then, are seven suggested guidelines to ensure that laptops contribute to productive meetings rather than to distract and annoy participants.



When all is said and done,
more is said than done.

-Lou Holtz

   Databranch, Inc.
132 North Union Street, Suite 108
Olean, New York 14760
(716) 373-4467		   213 Prescott Avenue, Suite B
  Elmira Heights, NY 14903
  (607) 733-8550 * (800) 488-4877
sales@databranch.com http://www.databranch.com/
 
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