Google Apps Form for Website Visitor Contact

Use a Google Apps Form to capture website visitor contact information


Google Apps for Business, which incidentally has recently become known as Google Apps for Work, is a collection of Cloud based Apps that allow you to carry out many office admin tasks in one place, using your own domain name (like mybusiness.co.uk) and linked to your branded business email (Gmail).

In this article we look at how you can use a Google Apps Form to capture the details of a visitor to your website that wants to get in touch with you.  To be able to use this method, you will need to have access to the HTML (code that makes your web pages work) of the page where you would like the form to be placed.  Beyond that, it’s a relatively straightforward process.  There are a few steps, but it isn’t hugely complicated and shouldn’t take too long to get up and running.

So why use a Google Apps Form in the first place?

Well there are a good number of options out there, but the real advantage of the Google Apps approach is that the set-up and recorded information all end up being in one place, within your Google Drive.  This means that you don’t have to log-on to another system.  All the end user input is placed in a spreadsheet within your Google Drive and enquiries from customers can also be emailed directly to your Gmail Inbox.

There are now a good number of costs effective, easy to use, online website builders, such as Wix and Weebly.  However, one area you may struggle is if you need to capture more information than the basic website contact form allows.

You may consider getting a (web) developer to make you a data capture from to put in you website, but you may need to go back to them if you want to change the questions and the type of information you record.  With the Google Apps Form the questions are very easy to modify, both adding, removing and changing the order of them.

You may consider using another online form builder, but as pointed out above that’s another place to access to make changes and potentially retrieve the data captured.

How do I create a Google Apps Form and use it on my Website?

OK, that’s enough with the introduction.  How does it work and more importantly how to get a Google Apps data capture form up and running on my own web site?  Now, everything does rely on you having a Google Apps for Work account attached to your domain name (web site address, minus the www), but assuming this is already the case, most of the set-up is done in your Google Drive.

In this example we’re going to use a website form already that was already created by AWP Computer Services for one of our clients, Alpha Dog Services, which is used on their Dog Almighty! website.

http://www.dog-almighty.co.uk/contact.htm
 Dog Almighty - Contact Form: http://www.dog-almighty.co.uk/contact.htm


Accessing Google Drive

From your Google (Apps for Work) account, once you’re logged in, you’ll be able to access your Google Drive.

Google Drive - Google Apps for Work


Your Google Drive is the place that all your files that are stored in the Cloud (well on your account Google servers at least) can be accessed, this includes the files created using the various Google Docs Apps (including Docs, Sheets, Forms, Slides & Sites) as well as other documents and files you may have uploaded.

Google Drive page
Whilst Alpha Dog Services have been using their GMail account to its full potential, and their Drive quite often, they set up a separate user (on their domain) for us and we created the necessary form here.  Even though there aren't any other document shared with us here at the moment, we thought it made sense to create a new folder (called 'Website') to ensure that the form for the website wasn't confused with other things in the future.

Google Drive - Website folder
Within this ‘Website’ folder we created a new form, for the data capture needed by the website’s ‘Contact Us’ page.  This can be seen as “Dog Almighty - Contact Form”.

Google Drive showing link to the Dog Almighty - Contact Form
However, if the necessary form hadn't been created, it would be a case of starting a new form by using the "Create" button at the top of the menu on the left hand side of the page.

Google Drive - Create Form
As mentioned, our form is already in place, so in the style of ‘Blue Peter’ - here’s one we made earlier!  Clicking on the link for the 'Dog Almighty - Contact Form' will open a Form designer page within a new tab in our web browser.

Dog Almighty - Contact Form

The Form designer in our example already has all the key elements populated with information, but if you were creating a new form it would be a case of renaming your form, configuring some basic settings and then starting to set up your specific individual questions in the order and format you would like them.

Rename your Google Form


After this, you can skip over the From Settings options, as you shouldn’t require anything in the three checkboxes that are available.  Moving on, you can now start to set up your own individual questions and the format of how you would like your enquirers to respond.  To begin setting up a new question, or to edit an already existing question you click in the pencil (Edit) icon at the top right of the question panel.

Contact Form - Edit question

You are able to chose from one of the following data capture types (Questions types):
  • Text
  • Paragraph
  • Multiple Choice
  • Checkboxes
  • Choose from a List
  • Scale
  • Grid
  • Date
  • Time

Google Form - Questions types

Once you've chosen which format of question best suits the information you are trying to capture, you can add some basic data validation rules to ensure that you are getting the right sort of answer for your question.  Here you can also decide whether you question is one that is essential.  If it is, you can tick the 'Required question' option to make it mandatory.

Create question - Data Validation

A typical example of the use of the Data Validation features would be used when you are asking the person who is completing the from to provide their email address.  Once you have set the 'Question Type' to 'Text' you are able use the Advanced settings to create a validation rule that ensures the data entered is in the format of an email address.

Advanced settings - Validation: Must be an email address

Completing your form and putting in your web site

Once you are happy that you have included all the questions you required for you contact page form you are ready to take the necessary steps to allow the form to be used on your website.  The first step is to set up the rules for the 'Confirmation Page'.  Here you can create a personalised message that the end user will see after they have completed and submitted the form.  You can also decide whether you want to provide a link with your 'Thank you' message that will let users navigate back to a blank form and submit another answer.

From Confirmation Page Settings
The final part of you form design is to get the HTML code that you will need to include in the web page where you want your form to be seen.

To do this you have two options.  The first option is to click the 'Send Form' button.  This will subsequently take you to a pop-up window that will allow you to share your form, along with also providing a an 'Embed' button to allow you to access the HTML you need.  

Send form - Embed
The second option is to select 'Embed' from the Google Form's 'File' menu.

Google Form - 'File' menu: Embed
Both of the above options will take you to a window where you can copy the required HTML code from.  The code can then be used to include in the HTML of your contact web page.  The HTML generated by Google is an IFRAME that has the URL (web address) of your published form.  Before you copy your HTML code, you can set the sizes of the IFRAME.  This is important, as you may only have a specific width available for you form within your web page.  Also, you ideally need to ensure you have allowed enough height for the complete form, as it isn't user friendly and can be confusing to whoever is completing the form if they are required to scroll up and down to see all of the questions.


Embed form

The HTML code that you copy for your embedded form will be similar to this:

 <iframe src="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1sTvoxBvtbJDBnFNsXv2SVQmivvFH0BaOKAIZJgKvb2g/viewform?embedded=true" width="760" height="500" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0">
Loading...
</iframe>

Where the 'src' attribute of the <iframe> element represents the URL (web address) of the form itself.


OK you're now ready to start using the contact form, in the next Blog Post we'll explain the necessary step to start using the data collected by your form and more importantly how to set up an automated email to let people in your company know when a customer has entered their details into your form.


If you would like to some help and advice about setting up Google Forms or you have questions about any other part of Google Apps for Work, please get in touch with AWP Computer Services to discuss your options.

 CALL AWP Computer Services on 01772 698078
  





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Unofficial Windows XP Service Pack

Are you still on Windows XP?
There's now an unofficial service pack

Microsoft ceased their support for Windows XP back in April 2014, but it seems some fans are still not quite ready to let go of the aged Operating System.

For these - reluctant to change - users, a developer known only as "Harkaz" has been quietly working away, creating an "Unofficial Service Pack 4".  Harkaz has been working on this project since September 2013, in readiness for Microsoft's withdrawal of their support, and now it's finally available to download.

Unofficial SP4 (Service Pack Four) rolls together all updates since 2002's SP1 (Service Pack One) for Windows XP, including two fixes issued after the official end of support.

Windows XP


Everything you need to know about the end of Windows XP support

Harkaz said they had decided to create Unofficial SP4 for the "many users - including me - who won't be able to upgrade their old machines to a newer OS (and) would like to easily install all Windows updates in one convenient package," following the end of XP support.

Windows XP Updates (Windows Update)


Is SP4 a sensible option?

While there's no reason to believe Harkaz is acting maliciously - indeed, Softpedia describes them as someone with "a good background on large packs of fixes for Windows" - it must be remembered that this is not an official update from Microsoft and is, at best, delaying the inevitable.

Windows XP - Automatic Updates


Chris Boyd, malware intelligence analyst at Malwarebytes, commented : "As always with this type of thing, unfortunately what starts out as a project with altruistic intentions, has the potential for hijacking by those with nefarious goals."
He continued, "Training PC owners to get comfortable with any OS updates using the word 'unofficial' in the name could backfire and open the door for malicious installs."

Boyd added that people who are stuck using XP because they're unable to upgrade from elderly hardware should seriously consider moving to "one of the small yet functional versions of Linux" that are available, as they are "probably more secure".

Download Windows XP SP4 Unofficial Beta 3

Windows XP SP4 Unofficial, a service pack for 32-bit editions of Windows XP, can be downloaded from the  Softpedia website.

Download Windows XP SP4 Unofficial Beta 3

http://www.softpedia.com/get/Others/Signatures-Updates/Windows-XP-SP4-Unofficial.shtml


Windows XP SP4 Unofficial description

An unofficial service pack for 32-bit editions of Windows XP, allowing users to benefit from the latest available updates for their computer

Microsoft has ended the official support for Windows XP for a while now, which means that there are no more official security updates for users of the XP operating system and technical support is not provided anymore. Thus, computers that are still stuck with this late OS version can become vulnerable to malicious attacks.

Windows XP SP4 Unofficial comes to the rescue, providing XP users with the latest official XP updates alongside up-to-date components up to May 2014, also including POSReady updates.

The package is compatible with 32-bit versions of Windows XP, with SP1 installed and it can be deployed on an installation media. Please be advised that this package is not released by Microsoft, who does not recommend computer users to install it.

The Windows XP SP4 Unofficial installer is dedicated to Windows XP users who are not able, cannot afford or do not want to migrate to a newer Windows edition. It provides a convenient and quick way to update system components, so as to increase the PC's security and remove possible vulnerabilities, although it does not guarantee complete protection.

The package integrates .NET framework versions from 1.0 to 4.0 (including DirectX for Managed code in .NET 3.5), MSXML40 SP3, Adobe Flash Player (updated until May 2014), Internet Explorer 8, Windows Media Player 11, XPS Viewer EP, IMAPIv2, Remote Desktop Connection Client 7.0, Windows Search 4.0, Windows Rights Management Client, Windows Installer 4.5, the QFECheck tool (which you can use to verify that the hotfixes were correctly installed) and November 2013 Revoked roots and Root cerificates.

Furthermore, it encases the WGA (Windows Genuine Advantage) technology to validate your OS license, Windows Feature Pack for Storage 1.0, as well as updates for exFat, DirectX 9.0c and WebDAV for Office 12 (Rosebud).

Please note that Windows XP SP4 Unofficial does not include Windows Powershell, which can be manually installed once .NET 3.5 is available on your system.




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Five Ways to Improve Your Cyber Security

Five ways to improve your cyber security and keep ahead of hackers

You wouldn’t leave your company’s confidential information or a customer’s bank details lying around the office for an opportunist thief to pick up.  However, if you’re storing this type of data online and neglecting your cyber security, that could be just what happens.

Last year saw the cost of hacking to UK businesses increase by up to three times.  The government’s 2013 Information Security Breaches Survey found that 87% of small businesses, and 93% of large businesses, had reported at least one cyber breach.  These breaches resulted in costs of up to £65,000 for small businesses, and up to £850,000 for larger firms.

This could be due to hackers or in some cases human error, but whichever way it all resulted in leaving customer’s data vulnerable to theft or misuse.  The cost to the reputation of those companies is anybody’s guess.

Five Ways to Improve Your Cyber Security

Bearing this in mind, it is all the more surprising that a recent survey carried out by BT earlier this year (BT Cyber Security Research, Feb 2014) found just 17% of business leaders see cyber security as a major priority.  Despite most companies recognising that staff best practice is a major way to prevent IT security breaches, only 37% have trained managers in cyber safety.  When you take into account the Information Commissioner’s Office fine of up to £500,000 for compromising personal data, it definitely makes sense to get on top of your cyber safety.

Blissful ignorance, of the threat, is no defence in this area - cyber security (or the lack of it in some cases) is making the news headlines on a daily basis.  On a single day earlier this year Tesco lost 2,000 customer’s details to thieves trying to steal store vouchers and three South Korean credit card companies were fined for neglecting their legal duties of protecting customer information.

But if even Tesco, with its huge security budget, is vulnerable - what chance does the small business have?  It doesn’t always have to be about a big budget, and there are many steps you can take to protect yourself.

AWP Computer Services' top five tips for ‘Cyber Security’

Here are our top five tips for ‘Cyber Security’.  It’s a surprisingly large number of businesses that aren’t taking these simple steps, yet they will give your business a solid foundation to build on:
  1. Talk about security with staff and create a culture where everyone cares about it.
  2. Always use good passwords and don’t reuse them in different places.
  3. Make sure you have up-to-date anti-virus software, and don’t click on links or attachments in emails you weren’t expecting.
  4. As well as taking care of PCs and laptop computers, remember to protect other staff devices (like smart-phones and tablets) too.
  5. Prepare for a disaster and make a recovery plan, for your own peace of mind.
There is a culture of BYOD (bring your own device) developing in a lot of industries, and whilst it can have obvious cost saving benefits, the are real risks if the security on these devices isn’t taken seriously.

The massive expansion of employee-owned devices, cloud computing and extranets, have multiplied the risk of abuse and attack, leaving organisations exposed to a vast array of internal and external threats – malicious and accidental.  The stakes are too high for cyber security to be pushed to the bottom of the pile.

If you would like to get some unbiased independent advice and need help with any area of your IT security, please get in touch with AWP Computer Services to discuss your options.

 CALL AWP Computer Services on 01772 698078






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Why use an IT Consultant?

Small Business Benefits of Employing an IT Consultant

If your company is in its infancy, you need to make sure that you have the IT systems in place to build your business.  A strong computer network forms the backbone of any growing business, providing you with the tools and security you need to provide a good service to your customers.  Accordingly, you might like to think about using the service of an IT Consultant.

Initially, it’s likely that your new business will be based around only one or two key people.  Whilst, it’s possible that IT is something that this team can deal with, for a number business people it can be a headache.  It’s likely that setting up systems and processes, to help you work more effectively with your customers, will be a deflection away from what your business needs to be doing on a day to day basis.  Conversely though, it very likely there will not be enough work in the early days to warrant having  somebody with the necessary know-how on hand all of the time.  This is were being able to call on an outsider, with the right skills, could really benefit your business.  An IT consultant will be able to provide the necessary knowledge and support as an when you need it and not be a constant drain on your companies finances.

Those working in IT consulting jobs need to be efficient and have strong people skills.  Project management is vital in this area where delivering on time and to budget can make all the difference. Many IT projects are costly, and a delay of several weeks can push the costs up to a point where the project becomes unaffordable for a small business.  Your IT consultant is trained to manage both the scope and the deadlines of the project to ensure that costs are controlled and the project is delivered as promised.

There are a number of ways working with an IT Consultant will be able to help your business:

Improve efficiency

Your IT consultant can advise you on the best way to use technology to improve automation and productivity in your company. They will assess your needs and recommend systems which speed up business processes, allow for greater accountability and free up man hours for other work. They can also help improve communication in your organisation and the sharing of information.

Help keep you at the cutting edge of technology

We work in a challenging marketplace and being at the cutting edge can give you the advantage over your competitors.  A good IT consultant will be fully up-to-date with developments in your field that could improve your bottom-line, or make your product more marketable.

Protect your data and stay legal

You need to know that your data, and that of your customers’, is protected.  You don’t want to be sued because a hacker has stolen credit card information from your IT systems.  Not only could this cost your company a lot of money, it could also result in loss of business as your reputation is dragged through the mud.

Ongoing support

If something goes wrong with your IT systems it can stop all work in your company.  An IT consultant offers ongoing support in case of an emergency, so you can reduce the risk to your data and get your network back up and running before your clients are affected.

Any business can benefit from the advice and services of an IT consultant.  Your company can learn to manage its information, communicate more efficiently with customers & suppliers and benefit from the cost efficiency the right technology can often bring.

Based in South Ribble, servicing Preston and Lancashire AWP Computer Services offer specialist IT Consultancy for small and start-up businesses throughout the county.  We have many years experience in delivering up-to-date advice to small and medium sized business on many aspects of their modern information technology needs.  This includes help with Information Technology set-up, unbiased guidance about current best practices, general IT advice and assistance with IT equipment purchasing.

For more information about IT Consultancy and the benefits of using an IT Consultant for your business CONTACT AWP COMPUTER SERVICES TODAY!

CALL 01772 698078


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Windows XP End of Life. Don't let your PC go unprotected

Windows XP Support Ends on April 8th 2014
Don't let your PC go unprotected

This is a security alert for all Windows XP users!

Windows XP support has ended
This week (8th April 2014), Microsoft released the last ever batch of security updates for Windows XP and will no longer be releasing official service and support updates for this operating system in the future.

You can read more about this in the technology news section of the BBC web site:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-26884167

This means that in the future, users of XP could potentially be left without critical security updates, which may leave their computers more vulnerable to viruses and more susceptible to cyber-attack.

It could also mean that computer software and computer hardware manufacturers may begin to move away from supporting Windows XP which may lead to new programs and devices not being compatible with the ageing operating system.

Even though it was released back in 2001, Windows XP is still hugely popular, with some estimates suggesting that roughly one in five PCs across the globe still run XP.

If you still use Windows XP, then the ending of service packs and security updates doesn’t mean that your computer will stop working altogether.  It’ll still continue to look and act the same as usual.  However, it could become more vulnerable to cyber security risks and viruses, and over time the performance could also suffer.

Which OS (Operating System) is on your PC running?

If you’re unsure which version of the Windows operating system your computer is currently running you can visit the Microsoft web site, which will automatically tell you what your laptop computer or desktop PC is running.  If you find that your computer is running Windows XP then it might be time to act.

Click here to learn more about Windows XP end of support directly from Microsoft

Windows XP Desktop Example


If you would like some FREE advice, please contact AWP Computer Services and we can talk you through the options.

Thinking about upgrading your system?

To help keep yourself protected, Microsoft suggests that you check to see if your current PC can be upgraded to the latest software.  They offer a Windows Upgrade assistant on their web site that will scan your computer and tell you if your system is compatible with the new operating system.

Microsoft recommend that you download and run the Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant to check whether your PC meets the system requirements for Windows 8. The Windows 8.1 system requirements are nearly the same as the Windows 8 system requirements, so if your PC can run Windows 8, in most cases, you can get the free update to Windows 8.1. Upgrade Assistant will also check program and device compatibility, and provide a free compatibility report.

Download the Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant

What about transferring old files to a new PC?

If you’re not able to upgrade your computer to a more current operating system then it might be time to consider buying a new desktop PC or laptop computer.  If you were to buy a new PC, but want to transfer your files, photos and music over from your old Windows XP computer then Windows provide a free data transfer tool called Laplink PCmover Express. You can find out more about Laplink PCmover Express on the Microsoft web site.

How do I move all my Windows XP stuff to a new PC?

You can move your Windows XP stuff with Laplink, a free data migration solution that will walk you through all the steps to getting your files, settings, and user profiles from your Windows XP PC to your new Windows laptop, desktop, or tablet. (Note that you will need your Windows XP PC to migrate your data, and you can only migrate to a PC running Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 8.1.)

Laplink PCmover Free 8


Click here to learn more about Laplink



Call AWP Computer Services for Assistance

If you are still unsure about your options, please feel free call AWP Computer Services for some FREE no obligation advice.  Whilst a direct transfer of your files to a nice new Windows 8 (8.1) laptop or desktop PC may be the preferred option, it's not the only option.  An upgrade to Windows Vista or Windows 7 (64 bit) in all their various flavours could be a cost effective way of extending the life of you existing computer system.

Visit the AWP Computer Services (PC Fix) web site for more information.

 



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World Backup Day Spotlights a Frequently Neglected Task


World Backup Day

Don't be an April Fool. Backup your files and check your restores on March 31st.

World Backup Day - Don't be an April Fool!


World Backup Day Spotlights a Frequently Neglected Task

You probably weren't aware of it, but today (Monday 31st March) is World Backup Day. Yes, a day for remembering to back up all that important data, which falls on the eve of April Fools' Day.  The motto is, "Don't be an April Fool. Backup your files and check your restores on March 31st."

The concept of World Backup Day was created by a college student in 2011, and was initially geared towards the home consumer market ("friends don't let friends go without a backup"), but it now seems that businesses also can use a reminder about the importance of backing up critical data.  Even if businesses are performing backups, many aren't doing it right.

Kroll OnTrack Data Recovery Survey

This week, Kroll OnTrack, a supplier of data recovery products, released the results of a survey of 642 customers who had lost data.  Sixty-five percent reported having a backup system in place at the time of the data loss (up from 60% in a similar poll last year), and 55% said they backed up their data on a daily basis. But 65% also reported that their backup product wasn't current or operating at the time of they lost data.

The Kroll OnTrack survey shows simply having a backup solution in place is not enough to prevent data loss.

http://www.krollontrack.co.uk/company/press-room/press-releases/2014-more-people-backup-their-data/

Kroll OnTrack surmised several reasons the backup systems didn't prevent data loss, including failure to leave a computer on during a scheduled backup, the external drive used for backup was connected only intermittently, and the backup ran out of destination space.

Of the 35% who didn't have a backup in place, 49% cited the time to research and administer a backup product as the top barrier that kept them from implementing the technology.

The Problem with Backup


The problem with backup is that there are a small number of companies that have figured out that backup is a process in the realm of data protection.  Few have considered the whole picture of it’s importance, manage it well and don't have many problems.

Unfortunately, there's a much bigger community of companies where backup is considered as a necessary evil, which is dumped on the most junior people in the business, who mindlessly follow the procedures that have been there since 10 years ago the most junior person in the company put them together.  Therefore, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.

Not enough testing of backup processes also leads to trouble.  Companies don't find out until something goes wrong that they didn't back up the right data, or that they failed to upgrade the backup system when they upgraded a critical application.  Changes to computer systems can often mean that the data is in a different location and the backup procedures are not changed accordingly to take this into consideration.  Often it will transpire that the backup process is effectively backing up nothing of any value.

Also, there are many small businesses who think  that if they are using RAID this means they don't have to make backups anymore, or who rotate between three tapes for backup and discover that an important file was deleted five days ago, which is longer than they're retaining data.

Backups can be a hazardous but thankless job.  Nobody ever got promoted for doing backups well, but there are a number that have probably got their marching orders for doing them badly!

With backup software and the Cloud now so cheap, not having some form of backup is unacceptable in business.  The expense of a single data loss will far outweigh the cost of backup, and getting a service after you've lost the data is futile, to say the least.

For more information about how to protect you valuable data, please contact AWP Computer Services for a FREE consultation.

World Backup Day is March 31st. Don't be a fool. Check your backups. Check your restores. Check us!




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Small Business Information Technology


Computers and Business Information Technology – some of the basics

A guide about some of the basic IT considerations for new and start-up businesses.

Really understanding what technology your business will need is a good start to getting the right solutions.  In this article I look at some of the basics of small business technology.

It's no longer ideal to run a business, even a small one with few employees, using paper based systems.  Even if some of the paper based methods (such as hand-written sales ledgers and colour-coded paper memos) are relatively effective, they can be hard to manage.  These days, businesses have access to all sorts of useful technology that helps them communicate, keep accurate records, work more efficiently and reach new markets.

It can be extremely daunting when you are starting a new business, particularly when you are trying  to understand what technology you need to invest in.  The following is a very basic guide to some considerations, and likely decisions to be made about IT Hardware, IT Software, Networking the Internet and the ‘Cloud’.

Ultimately its a good idea to try and start as you mean to go on with your basic admin systems.  It's a lot easier to deal with the set-up of at least some basic electronic communication and record keeping systems before your business really takes off and there simply just aren't enough hours in the day.

Business IT Hardware

When starting your new business the types of hardware you might need to include are as follows:
  • Personal Computers (PC) – both desktop and laptop (also known as notebook computers)
  • Accessories – including monitor (display), webcam, keyboard and mouse
  • Storage Media - such as USB memory sticks and portable hard drives, which are important for information sharing and making back-ups
  • Printers and Scanners – which can often double as photocopiers
  • A Network Server – for a business running several computers, this links them together and provided centralised services and data back-up.  However, now careful consideration should be made about using the 'Cloud' as an alternative
  • Networking Equipment – such as cables, routers and an internet connection.  Here there are also decisions about using wireless (WiFi) or wired connections
  • Mobile Devices – including equipment such as smartphones and tablet computers (computers with no external keyboard that are operated by a touch-screen)
If you don’t have any technical knowledge, it can be hard to understand and compare different types of computer hardware.  Look closely at the specifications, and seek expert help when you can.  For Free advice and a Free initial consultation, please contact AWP Computer Services.  We can help your small business through this difficult decision making process.

As a general rule, instead of getting caught up in all the available features, try and think about what those features will help you to do.  Will they give any benefit to you and how you'll work with the technology.

For example, high-powered computers (ones with lots of memory, processing power and data storage space) may look impressive, but can often be an over-investment if all you need them for is spreadsheets and documents.  Alternatively, if you are frequently on the move, a tablet computer could be invaluable for helping you catch up with business when you're away from home or out of the office.

Business IT Software

Just like with hardware, your choice of computer software will depend on your business needs.   It's important to think about what you need to do, and to try and match up those tasks to the software available.

It is likely that you will want to think about:
  • The Operating System – these often come already installed on any new computers you buy, and allow you to manage your data files and run other programs.  You will likely be set-up using Microsoft Windows, Apple OS X or Android, dependant on the device
  • Office Software – allowing you to use spreadsheets, documents, create presentations and access email.  A big consideration here is whether spend money on software you install on your individual devices or whether you subscribe to a 'Cloud' based option, such as Microsoft's Office 365 or Google Apps for Business
  • A Web Browser – there are many to choose from, but popular choices include Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera, Safari and Google Chrome.  This is probably the most important software, after the Operating System, as a Web Browser is essential for accessing 'Cloud' based services and this could include your Office Software and Email
  • Anti-Virus Software – is essential to protect your computer from Internet security threats.  Having your individual computers or all of your information systems infected by a virus could equate to loss of critical business data, lost time and potentially loss of earnings.  That's not to mention the cost of sorting out the infection
  • Other specialised programs – these will be related to your business.  For example, graphics software for a design company or CAD for an Engineer or Architect
In rare cases, custom software designed especially for your business will be required.

It is essential that you plan ahead and make sure each employee has a standard set of software installed onto their computer.  This way, it is much easier to train staff, get IT support for the programs you use and manage licensing and upgrades.

You also need to be aware of how software licencing works, and make sure you’re using your software legally.  For example, some software will only be licenced for installation onto one computer.  If you want to use the same software on several computers, it may be cheaper to get a ‘multi-user’ licence.  There are a large number of free versions (often what are known as open source) available.  However, whilst the will provide a viable alternative to a paid version, often you will be forfeiting and software support (from the supplier) when you have a problem.  Typical examples of these perfectly suitable, well written software include the Firefox Web Browser (www.mozilla.org) and Open Office (www.openoffice.org).

Cloud Computing

Increasingly, businesses are turning to Cloud Computing – the are web based services that you access on the internet and pay a subscription for.  You can use Cloud Computing for:
  • Customer relationship management (CRM)
  • Email
  • Office software functions like word processing, spreadsheets and presentations
  • Sharing, managing and storing documents
  • Sharing calendars

Cloud Computing can be really useful to help people in your company work together, especially from different locations or on the move.  All you need is an Internet Connection and a Web Browser to access services, instead of connecting to your own Server based in the office.

However, whilst it can offer many advantages, you should think carefully before using Cloud Computing for important functions.  For example, if the host of the services is hacked, or suffers a failure at their end, you won’t be able to access your services and may lose sensitive data.

To really take full advantage of the 'Cloud' and use it effectively, you will also need a reliable and fast Internet connection.

For Free advice and a Free initial consultation, please contact AWP Computer Services.  We can help your small business through this difficult decision making process.

web: www.awpcomputers.co.uk
phone: 01772 698078
mobile: 07547 337059

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