Technology & Productivity Weekly
September 2, 2010
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This
Week's Headlines
IT Management 101 for Small Business
Businesses Add iPads to Their Briefcases
Small Business Solution: Manage Your Money in Excel
5 Reasons SMBs Should Adopt Videoconferencing
Microsoft Previews Small and Home Business Servers
Building a Business Presence Beyond Facebook
Skype Ready for Business?
Expect More from Your Practice Management System
The links at the end of
each abstract are to the publisher, publication, or article.
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Information, Inc. is not affiliated with the referenced
publications.
to the top IT Management 101 for Small Business
Small Business Computing (08/25/10); Blackwell, Gerry
Small businesses are challenged with less resources than enterprises
with similar IT needs. The risks of poorly managed IT services include
financial losses, productivity lapses and susceptibility to malware and
hackers. For a small business, these risks can have a critical impact.
Depending on a company's budget, investing in new computers could be less
burdensome than for others. However, implementing new software and
integrating these systems might be an additional challenge. To help SMBs
offset the burdens of IT implementation, selecting a managed service
provider is an affordable option. Managed service providers cost about $20
to $40 a month, depending on the kind of services provided; generally, SMBs
can choose from tasks like data backups and help desk needs. Through the
use of a managed service provider, companies can receive comprehensive IT
support remotely, which results in significant cost savings.
(http://www.smallbusinesscomputing.com/news/article.php/38979
66/IT-Management-101-for-Small-Business.htm)
to the top Businesses Add iPads to Their Briefcases
Wall Street Journal (08/24/10); Worthen, Ben
The iPad debuted as a tech-savvy consumer device, but businesses have
caught on to its functionality as a productivity tool. More than half of
the Fortune 100 companies are testing the iPad for its potential to improve
efficiency in the workplace, especially since there are about 500
applications aimed at businesses. The iPad has experienced a vastly
different reception than the iPhone, which some companies actually banned.
With prices ranging from about $500 to $800, IT analysts say that companies
are investing in at least trial numbers of the iPad to evaluate its
business potential. The iPad has also been particularly useful in the
sales industry, especially since its battery-life is comparable to some
laptops.
(http://online.wsj.com/article/NA_WSJ_PUB:SB10001424052748703
846604575447531699309858.html)
to the top Small Business Solution: Manage Your Money in
Excel
Small Business Computing (08/23/10); Bradley, Helen
To maintain fiscal management of your business, tracking cash flow is
critical. Using Excel, firms can create a spreadsheet for income sources
and expense items, inputting the months of the fiscal year across the top
cells. In each cells, input the amount of money that is anticipated in
payouts or that will be received. Following the totals of the monthly
columns, firms can then project their month-end bank balance. As the year
continues and concrete figures are available for the cells, create an
"Actuals" worksheet for comparing the estimates to the actual numbers;
color coding the actuals will help differentiate it from budgeted data. A
third worksheet should be created comparing the estimated budget to the
actual budget, so businesses can see where their figures vary monthly.
Continuously updating this sheet will provide businesses with a way to
monitor cash flow, which can help offset losses and improve budget planning.
(http://www.smallbusinesscomputing.com/biztools/article.php/3
897761/Small-Business-Solution-Manage-Your-Money-in-Excel.htm)
to the top 5 Reasons SMBs Should Adopt Videoconferencing
InformationWeek (08/19/10); Korzeniowski, Paul
There are five convincing reasons why small businesses should consider
adopting videoconferencing technology. First, the price of
videoconferencing equipment has significantly fallen compared to previous
years. Firms can install a Web cam for less than $100 and take advantage
of free videoconferencing services online. The second reason that
videoconferencing has become more attractive is due to cheaper bandwidth
availability, as well as easier transmission of large media files. Cloud
computing, the third factor, has greatly transformed the way in which
videoconferencing is conducted. Instead of in-house deployment and
management, SMBs can outsource videoconferencing to a cloud provider for as
little as $10 to $50 monthly; otherwise, services like ooVoo and Skype are
free. Improved video quality is perhaps one of the best reasons to
implement videoconferencing, since high-quality systems were previously
confined to enterprises. Finally, the simplification of videoconferencing
should goad small businesses to feel comfortable using these systems, which
are as simple as clicking a link in many cases.
(http://www.informationweek.com/news/smb/network/showArticle.
jhtml?articleID=226700199)
to the top Microsoft Previews Small and Home Business
Servers
Small Business Computing (08/17/10); Johnston, Stuart J.
Microsoft's latest Small Business Server known as Aurora has been
launched. Microsoft said the product is a "great platform for small
businesses wanting to combine traditional and cloud computing." Aurora
will support up to 25 users and can be downloaded from the Microsoft
Connect Web site. Microsoft has also provided a version of its Windows
Server Solutions Software Developers Kit for writing Aurora add-ins.
Another Windows Home Server, currently known as Vail, will provide SMBs
with the ability to restore multiple computers and stream media remotely.
By the end of summer, Microsoft is also expected to release its Small
Business Server 7, which will be integrated with Windows Server 2008
Release 2.
(http://www.smallbusinesscomputing.com/news/article.php/38989
26/Microsoft-Previews-Small-and-Home-Business-Servers.htm)
to the top Building a Business Presence Beyond Facebook
NewsFactor Network (08/20/10)
To leverage a small business' social media presence, companies should
venture beyond simply creating a Facebook page. Grouply.com is a site that
integrates listserves with traditional Facebook features, like wall posts
and comments. Companies can create a page on Grouply just as simply as
they would on Facebook, but the advantage with this social media site is
that potential users can access your firm's page even if they do not have a
Grouply account. Instead, these users participate via email, while linking
groups from Yahoo and Google for a broader audience. Grouply is a growing
social media site, with over half a million users every month, so it is
comparable to Facebook in popularity. For SMBs on a budget, the free
features of Grouply are beneficial; but for $20 a month, companies can
build their own ad-free site with their very own domain name.
(http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=74815&full_sk
ip=1)
to the top Skype Ready for Business?
InformationWeek (08/12/10); Korzeniowski, Paul
Skype, which became a popular option for consumers making overseas
calls, is expanding its business appeal. For small to medium-sized
businesses, Skype offers an affordable means for long distance calling.
However, the telephony platform lacks enough sophistication for a firm's
full calling needs, so Skype should serve as a supplementary service.
Among Skype's features are the capacity to download the phone software and
begin using it immediately, with newly introduced pricing plans starting at
one cent per minute. Users can also pay for caller ID, with features such
as call recording, videoconferencing archiving, and voicemail management
available from third-party vendors. Skype should be used with caution,
since the platform is susceptible to spamming attacks, and the service has
also experienced a history of outages.
(http://www.informationweek.com/news/smb/network/showArticle.
jhtml?articleID=226600135)
to the top Expect More from Your Practice Management System
CPA Technology Advisor (08/01/10); Root, M. Darren
Firms often conflate practice management with time and billing. Rather,
practice management should support a range of functions, which essentially
means breaking down projects into a comprehensive process. Current
practice management applications should support a single database so that
tax returns and statements, W-2s, and other relevant data are available in
real-time. Furthermore, firms should provide mobile access to this data to
encourage enhanced collaboration and remote working. Well-organized
dashboards are also a significant asset to firms seeking robust practice
management solutions. Dashboards displaying information like billing,
staff availability, and accounts receivable are useful to organizational
support and daily operations. Furthermore, dashboards provide a concise
but comprehensive view of a company's current workflow and progress.
Efficient practice management models save firms time and increase cash
flow, while supporting a platform that is customized for your firm's needs.
(http://www.cpatechnologyadvisor.com/print/The-CPA-Technology
-Advisor/Expect-More-from-Your-Practice-Management-System/1$2914)
Sponsored By: Information, Inc.
Information Inc.'s handcrafted business intelligence services provide
up-to-the-minute information on critical issues. Decision-makers in more
than 2,000 major corporations, associations and government agencies
worldwide have relied on our comprehensive news services for the past 22
years. To learn how our timely, targeted, custom
services can help you compete in the 21st century, go to: http://www.infoinc.com/s
tatecpa/contact.html